By Clint Thompson
This year’s watermelon harvests have concluded in North Florida. Yields and quality were very good, despite sandstorms, downy mildew and a challenging market after Memorial Day.
Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, compiled a recap from Extension agents in the Suwanee Valley.
- Gummy stem blight and powdery mildew diseases were less of an issue this year, though downy mildew was most impactful. Early-season bacterial leaf spot disease was much lower than in recent years.
- There remains concerns with fusarium wilt and nutsedge. UF/IFAS are researching ways to offset both challenges, mainly through grafting and paper mulch.
- There were six farms testing the Smurfit/WestRock paper mulch on a commercial scale.
- Nearly 1,000 acres of watermelon in the region were produced using grafted watermelon transplants, primarily used as a control measure for powdery mildew.
- Soil moisture sensors are a critical part of the BMP successes. Hochmuth believes the industry needs to further improve how we are using the sensors for decision making.