![[Department of Plant Biology and Pathology]](http://njaes.rutgers.edu/_common/images/subheads/plantbiopath.gif "[Department of Plant Biology and Pathology]"){kind=small}
Contact Information
Mailing Address
Rutgers University
Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center
121 Northville Rd.
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
wyenandt@aesop.rutgers.edu
Campus Location
Room 146 Agricultural Research & Ext Ctr - Bridgeton, (856) 455-3100 ext. 4144
Research Interests
Dr. Andy Wyenandt is an Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology at the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center (RAREC) in Bridgeton, NJ. Areas of applied research include running field trials to help determine the most effective fungicide programs for managing important diseases of vegetable crops in New Jersey and the mid-Atlantic region. Recent research by the vegetable pathology lab includes examining the effects of various fungicide programs on phytophthora blight (Phytophthora capsici) and anthracnose fruit rot (Collectotrichum spp.) control in bell pepper. In addition, we test fungicide programs for control of downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) and powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) of cucurbits; and anthracnose fruit rot, early blight (Alternaria solani) and septoria leaf spot (Septoria lycopersici) in tomatoes. Another important focus of our program has been to examine the effects of cultural practices, environmental conditions and cultivar on the development of ‘silvering,’ or skin separation, in bell pepper fruit. Our research has shown that the more tolerant a bell pepper cultivar is to phytophthora blight, the more likely it is to develop skin ‘silvering’. Each year we collaborate with local vegetable growers on many of our research projects.
Our research program also examines management strategies, which help to reduce the potential for fungicide resistance development in vegetable crops in NJ. Our role in training and educating growers and extension personnel about the importance of managing fungicide resistance has led to the development of a new regional guide, Fungicide Resistance Management Guidelines for Vegetable Crops Grown in the mid-Atlantic Region, which has been distributed to over 2,000 vegetable growers, extension and industry personnel in the region and eastern US since 2007. Additionally, our work on resistance management has determined that fungicide resistance to cucurbit powdery mildew has developed in important fungicide chemistries in NJ. This type of work allows us to modify current fungicide recommendations for growers in NJ and the mid-Atlantic region. During the production season, our lab teams up with the NJAES IPM program by implementing the use of computer-based disease forecasting systems, such as Tom-Cast and WISDOM, to help reduce fungicide applications on processing tomatoes and potatoes on a ‘real-time’ basis. Our lab also offers diagnostic services to vegetable growers throughout the southern part of the state.
Publications
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Rutgers Affiliations
Other Affiliations
Dr. C. Andrew Wyenandt joined the department in 2005 and serves as an assistant extension specialist.