more... > Home Gardening > Vegetables > Disease & Pest Management > Managing Weeds in Louisiana Sweet Potatoes [Image: Cultivation] Weeds compete with sweet potato plants for nutrients, water and sunlight and impair crop yield and quality, making effective weed management a critical aspect to successful production. Managing Rhizopus Soft Rot on Sweet Potatoes [Image: Table] Sweet potatoes are susceptible to Rhizopus soft rot, a disease caused by a common fungus that can destroy sweet potatoes after they are removed from storage and washed but before they arrive at the market. Herbicide Weed Controls for Vegetable Gardens [Image: Weed Management Guide] PDF of home vegetable garden herbicides for 2009 and their usage. Disease Management in Home Vegetable Gardens [Image: home vegetable gardnes] This publication is intended to introduce home vegetable gardeners to the various methods used to manage the many diseases that affect these crops. (PDF Format Only)  more articles... Managing sweetpotato weevils in South Louisiana [Image: Sweetpotato weevil] More than 14,000 acres of sweet potatoes were planted in Louisiana in 2007 with a farmgate value of $65 million. The sweetpotato weevil continues to be the biggest threat to productivity in the industry. Louisiana Plant Pathology: Downy Mildew on Cucurbits [Image: downy mildew on cucurbits] Downy mildew is a potentially devastating disease of all cucurbits. Disease symptoms, development, control measures and color photographs of symptoms on pumpkin, cucumber and watermelon are included. Root-knot Nematode In The Home Garden [Image: Okra galling] Gardeners are often unaware of a serious pest waiting for the spring vegetables to begin growing. These pests are small, microscopic animals called nematodes, and they attack the roots of many plants commonly grown in the garden. There are two major types of nematodes that cause the most problems for vegetables. Very Basic Weed Control [Image: weeding] Controlling weeds in small areas may be pretty simplistic. Insect Management in Home Vegetable Gardens [Image: vegetable insect management] Louisiana is blessed with long growing seasons which make year-round gardening possible. To be successful, however, you must have an insect management program. Learn how to tell if the insect is beneficial to your garden, or if it is a pest and determine what to use if controls are necessary. Managing Nematodes in the Garden [Image: tomato with rootknot galling] There are dozens of different types that feed on the roots of vegetables, but the root-knot nematode is one of the most destructive types found throughout our state. Managing nematodes may involve using one or more techniques that have proven to reduce nematode populations. Blossom-end Rot [Image: photo of healthy tomatoes] Blossom-end rot can occur when sunny days follow a cloudy, wet period. It is a symptom of calcium deficiency in the plant. Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus [Image: tsw] Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is causing losses to many tomato growers. Symptoms of the disease typically include cupping and rolling of the upper leaves, which usually turn purple/brown along the veins.