By Clint Thompson The strawberry disease that has ravaged Florida’s crop the last two seasons is still on the mind of one producer heading into this year. It’s largely due to the uncertainty surrounding Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot disease that has Matt Parke concerned. “I think it’s going to keep growing year by year. I have a bad feeling it’s going …
Protecting Peppers from Bacterial Spot
By Pamela Roberts and Cami Esmel McAvoy Bell and specialty peppers, such as jalapeños, are grown throughout the United States and worldwide for the fresh market or processing. Bacterial spot, caused by three different species of Xanthomonas, is a major disease affecting all pepper types. The most commonly occurring species in the United States and Florida is Xanthomonas euvesicatoria. The …
Wet Summer Effect: Sanitation Key in Protecting Fall Crops From Diseases
By Clint Thompson A wet summer means plant diseases are rampant across the entire gamut of vegetable and specialty crop production. As Georgia producers prepare for the upcoming fall season, they need to do all they can to protect against disease inoculum that might linger in leftover fruit and vegetable crops. This is especially true for watermelon producers, says Tim …
Tomato Producers Be Wary of Fall Diseases
By Clint Thompson Tomato season is here for producers in Florida. Diseases like bacterial leaf spot and target spot should be on the mind of growers preparing their fungicide programs, says Josh Freeman, University of Florida/IFAS Associate Professor in Horticultural Science. “In the fall season we really worry about bacterial leaf spot getting established early just because we’re in a …
Gummy Stem Blight: How to Prepare for Disease in Fall Cucurbit Crops
Source: The South Carolina Grower From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath. Gummy stem blight is more common and more severe on fall cucurbit crops than crops grown in the spring. The cooler weather and longer dew periods in the fall provide an ideal environment for the fungal pathogen to grow and spread. Gummy stem blight is most common on watermelon …
UF’s Natalia Peres ‘Optimistic’ About Strawberry’s Future in Florida
By Clint Thompson Natalia Peres, Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, is confident Florida’s strawberry industry will survive Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot Disease. But it will take time. “The industry has faced challenges before with other diseases like anthracnose. It’s one that has been devastating in the past, and we have been …
UGA Pecan Specialist: Apocalyptic Scab Weather We’re Having Right Now
By Clint Thompson An already challenging time in the pecan industry is being made tougher this summer with the persistent rains. While the trees need rain to produce a crop in the fall, too much rain can lead to scab disease. With as much rain as being reported across Alabama and Georgia, a scab outbreak is quickly spiraling out of …
Key Strategies to Slow Down Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot in Strawberries
By Clint Thompson The dawn of another strawberry season brings added concern of Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot disease. The disease that has devastated the state’s strawberry crop since the 2018-19 season is the top concern for producers heading into the season. What can be done to manage the disease, which can cause leaf spots on strawberry plants? Natalia Peres, a Professor …
Wet Summer to Impact Fall Crops
By Clint Thompson Persistent rainfall in summer and early fall may favor conditions for foliar and soil-borne diseases in vegetable crops, particularly those that are caused by water molds or oomycetes, says Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable plant pathologist. “Saturated soils can promote damping off, seedling blight and root rot in transplanted vegetables, especially in low lying …
Downy Mildew Disease Detected on Watermelon in Georgia
According to the University of Georgia Extension vegetable blog, downy mildew disease has been detected on watermelon in Ben Hill County, Georgia. Downy mildew is among the top diseases of cucurbit crops, like cucumbers, watermelon, squashes and pumpkins. It can destroy plant foliage and cause the leaves to curl and die. This leaves the plant vulnerable to blisters and sunscald …