By Clint Thompson Multiple control methods are available for blueberry producers trying to manage bud mites. It starts post-harvest when scouting and management of the pests are most important, says Ash Sial, University of Georgia entomologist. “While they don’t seem to be a serious issue in most situations, in some situations they can causes extremely high levels of damage. Last …
Blueberry Management: What to do in June
Florida blueberry harvests have ended for the 2022 season, but management continues this summer. According to University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, growers need to be actively scouting for algal stem blotch. The disease is significant on southern highbush blueberries. It will stunt growth and cause leaf yellowing, as well as increased susceptibility to Botryosphaeria. Producers need …
Florida Field Day Features the Potential of Blackberries
By Frank Giles In late May, the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) hosted growers interested in the prospect of producing blackberries in Florida. Several University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientists have been studying the crop in recent years. Zhanao Deng, UF/IFAS professor of environmental horticulture, is conducting trials of existing blackberry varieties at …
Georgia Blueberry Crop Struggling Following March Freeze Event
By Clint Thompson The impact the March 13 freeze event had on Georgia’s blueberry crop might be worse than expected. Not only did the sub-freezing temperatures devastate the berries already on the bushes, they led to diseases and fruit quality issues, says Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist. “I think a lot of the …
Florida’s Blueberry Production: May Management Tips
Harvests may be nearing an end for Florida’s blueberry producers, but management should continue during May. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recommends that growers monitor for leaf diseases like rust, anthracnose, Septoria, target spot and Phyllosticta. Florida’s blueberry producers should continue with insecticide sprays for spotted wing drosophila to protect against any remaining ripe fruit …
Florida Blueberry Grower: We’re Getting Squeezed
By Clint Thompson Florida blueberry producers continue to feel the sting of increased imports from Mexico. What should have been a profitable year for those growers who had a crop this season was anything but. It was due to Mexican blueberries stealing the marketing window away from Florida blueberry growers, believes Florida farmer Ryan Atwood. “Considering as little of volume …
Blackberry Field Day: Attendees Can Tour Orchard at UF/IFAS on May 25
Florida specialty crop farmers interested in producing blackberries can attend the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blackberry field day at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC). UF/IFAS faculty from Gainesville and from the center — along with a scientist from the University of Arkansas — will present updated findings at the meeting, from …
What To Do About Anthracnose Fruit Rot in Blueberries
By Philip Harmon and Doug Phillips Anthracnose fruit rot (AFR), also known as ripe rot, is a significant disease on southern highbush blueberries. Caused by the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on southern highbush blueberries in Florida, AFR creates sunken lesions on the surface of blueberries. This is followed by eruptions of orange- or salmon-colored spores from the lesions when the …
Freeze Event was ‘Gruesome’ for Blueberries
By Clint Thompson The freeze event during the March 12-13 weekend wiped out at least half of Georgia’s blueberry crop this season, according to early estimates. More than 54 million pounds of blueberries were lost when temperatures dropped into the 20s on that fateful Sunday morning. Temperatures were as low as 26 degrees Fahrenheit in Alma, Georgia on March 13, …
Early Harvest Returns: Florida’s Blueberry Growers Off to Strong Start
By Clint Thompson Florida’s blueberry growers are excited about the potential of this year’s harvests, which are continuing across the state. That’s the vibe being felt among producers, says Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator. “A lot of fruit has come out already, particularly in the southern part of the state. …