According to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline, bacterial spot disease is active in tomato and pepper fields on the east coast and around southwest Florida. It is present at moderate levels in older hot pepper plants. Bacterial spot disease flares up after rain events and with fog in tomatoes and non-resistant peppers across the southwest region of Florida. …
Florida Producer: It’s the Greening of Strawberries
Citrus Greening has devastated Florida’s citrus industry. The state’s strawberry producers are concerned about their future with Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot disease. It may still be in its infancy, but Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot is taking its toll on the Florida strawberry industry. One Florida producer is concerned about its impact moving forward. “I would call it the ‘Greening of strawberries,’” said …
Grape Diseases: Mildews a Concern for Producers
No matter what environmental conditions grape producers face this season, they are likely to encounter either downy mildew or powdery mildew. “Powdery mildew actually does better in a drier environment. That’s why it’s a major problem in places like California. But when we have dry conditions, it can be worse for us. Even in wet conditions, we have it,” said …
Disease Management: Onions Vulnerable Amid Rainfall, High Temperatures
Field conditions are conducive for disease pressure to increase in Vidalia onion fields in Southeast Georgia. That’s why Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia, is imploring farmers to stay on top of their fungicide sprays. “Looking around the fields last week, we definitely saw more disease …
Gray Mold Alert: Hemp Disease Discovered in Alabama Seedlings
According to the Alabama Extension Commercial Horticulture Facebook page, recent samples of hemp seedlings sent to the Auburn University Plant Diagnostic Lab yielded discouraging results. The seedlings and clones were infected with gray mold or Botrytis cinerea. The fungus favors a cloudy and cool environment. Hemp that is produced in greenhouses in conditions that are high in humidity are at …
Onion Disease Management in Georgia
By Bhabesh Dutta The climate prevalent in the Vidalia onion zone (southeastern Georgia) is conducive to many diseases. Among the diseases, those that are caused by bacteria and fungi are the prominent ones. Some of the diseases caused by water molds or oomycetes (Pythium damping-off and downy mildew) can also be seen periodically. Based on my experience as a vegetable …
Less Efficacy: UGA Onion Trials Show Reduced Impact on Botrytis Leaf Blight
University of Georgia research trials show that two fungicides may be losing their efficacy in the control of Botrytis Leaf Blight of Vidalia onions. Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia, informed onion producers and industry leaders during a webinar last week that Scala and Luna Tranquility …
Defeating Disease: What Can be Done About Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot?
Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot has emerged as a significant disease of Florida strawberry production. Instances have increased over the last three years, to the point this year the disease was discovered in fields that had it the prior season. But what can producers do to manage this destructive disease? Natalia Peres, a Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida/IFAS …
Short Supply: Lack of Captan Concerning for Fruit Farmers
A shortage of a major fungicide could have a significant impact on fruit producers in the Southeast. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Fruit Disease Specialist Phil Brannen confirmed that Captan is in short supply right now. This is a major development for growers of strawberries, peaches, apples and grapes. It is one of the products that strawberry producers use for …
Tools to Solve Tomato Pathogen Problems
By Abolfazl Hajihassani Tomato is the most economically important vegetable crop in the United States and has a history of heavy dependence on pesticides. PATHOGEN PAIR Root-knot nematodes and southern blight disease are among the most damaging pathogens of tomato. Pre-plant soil fumigation is often, but not always, effective at minimizing yield losses due to soilborne nematode and fungal pathogens. …