By Clint Thompson
Increased drought across Alabama means fruit and vegetable producers are more likely to treat for insects than for any potential disease buildup.
The lack of rain, as evidenced by the Sept. 11 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, means diseases lack the necessary moisture to build up. However, it poses increased risk for insect pressure, says Jacob Kelley, regional Extension agent in Southwest Alabama.
“For vegetable growers, it’s kind of the same ballgame where it’s less fungicides but more insecticides because those insects pop up after these flash droughts. They really enjoy that dry weather and have an opportunity to get out there and reproduce,” said Kelley, who added this prolonged dry spell would have benefitted the citrus growers any other year.
“If we had any citrus out there, it would be a welcomed sight for those citrus growers. A 30-day or two-week flash drought really helps with fruit quality of that citrus, especially right before harvest. And it helps keep the fruit clean so less fungicide applications. But we don’t have anybody with very much citrus, so they’re holding what they got this year and replanting.”
Abnormally dry conditions in Alabama start in the southwest part of the state in Mobile and Baldwin counties and expand northward to Colbert and Lauderdale counties.
Kelley said growers are transitioning between summer and fall crops, preparing to plant their fall vegetables.
“Luckily, we’re in between. You’ve just got to watch out for cutworms, fall armyworms coming across your fields and stuff this time of year,” he added.