David Riley, a professor of entomology at the University of Georgia, says that two pests have been big issues for Southeastern vegetable growers: diamondback moth (DBM) and whitefly. DIAMONDBACK MOTH DBM continues to be a struggle for Southeastern vegetable growers, mostly due to insecticide resistance. Riley says that DBM resistance in cabbage and collards is a long-standing problem. “Diamondback moth …
Making Muscadine Grapes More Desirable
By Jaci Schreckengost A Georgia specialty crop has seen increased interest and more research for varieties and management strategies. Cain Hickey, Extension viticulture specialist at the University of Georgia (UGA), said that some aspects of muscadine grapes are sparking grower interest. Since the muscadine grape has grown and evolved in the humid conditions of the southeastern United States, Hickey said …
Pepper Weevil Woes
Pepper weevil has been a problematic pest in Georgia peppers, and now it appears to be moving into other crops. David Riley, a professor of entomology at the University of Georgia, has been studying pepper weevil since he received his doctorate nearly 30 years ago, and he was shocked to see this pest spread to other hosts. According to Riley, …
Florida NRCS Offers Sign-up for Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Rivers Project
GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 13, 2018 — USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications from agricultural producers until April 30 for a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project that improves water quality and quantity. The “Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Rivers (ACFR) Conservation Partnership for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia” project in the ACFR basin covers 13 million acres in eastern Alabama, western Georgia …
Cool Temperatures May Pose a Threat to Southeastern Ag
Southeastern regions experienced some cold temperatures this past week, and it appears the cold is sticking around throughout next week. These temperatures pose a big threat to blooming fruit crops. After seeing high temperatures in February, some 10 degrees higher than the average, crops like blueberries and peaches may have some freeze damage as temperatures continue to drop next week. …
Effective Methyl Bromide Alternatives
By Jenna C. Vance and Stanley Culpepper Effective alternatives to methyl bromide do exist for fruiting vegetable and cucurbit cropping systems in the Southeast; albeit these alternatives are much more complex than in the “golden” methyl bromide days. Growers need to be much smarter and more efficient in their decision-making process, and they need to better understand the factors that …
Sneak Peek: March 2018 VSCNews Magazine
Growers are constantly looking for ways to better the health of their crops while increasing yields. In the March 2018 issue of VSCNews magazine, growers can learn methods to improve plant production from top researchers in the Southeast. Finding alternative methods to methyl bromide has been a constant struggle for growers. Jenna C. Vance, University of Georgia (UGA) crop and …
Research Progress in Combating Center Rot of Vidalia Onion
By Bhabesh Dutta Annually, Georgia plants over 12,000 acres of sweet Vidalia onions (National Agricultural Statistical Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture) with farmgate value of approximately $145 million dollars. Vidalia onion ranks first in terms of farmgate value among vegetables in Georgia, making it the most important vegetable crop in the state. Among the spring-grown onions in the United States, …
Keeping Fields Clean Year-Round
To protect against pests and diseases, keeping fields clean is a year-round job for growers. Scott Adkins, a research plant pathologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service, has some advice for growers on this subject. He spoke with AgNet Media at the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, Georgia, in January, following his presentation at …
The Four Newest Members to the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame
Four more Florida agricultural leaders were inducted into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame on Feb. 13. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam presented the inductees with their awards, while Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black served as the master of ceremonies during the banquet. In a room filled with agricultural leaders from across the state, Alfonso and J. Pepe Fanjul, Lowell …