By Clint Thompson Sanitation of vegetable crops susceptible to whiteflies remains a key management strategy for Florida producers. Hugh Smith, an associate professor of entomology and nematology at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, encourages growers to clean up their fields properly following harvest to reduce the risk of feeding damage and potential viruses. “If you don’t make …
UF Invention of the Year: AI Technology ‘Agroview’ Recognized
Yiannis Ampatzidis and his research team at the University of Florida/IFAS found artificial intelligence technology that helps farmers save money and better care for their crops. Out of that process, they invented a system known as Agroview. It captured the eye of UF Innovate | Tech Licensing, which recognized the technology as a UF Invention of the Year. “I am …
Lingering Problem: Imports’ Impact Being Felt Across Country
By Clint Thompson Imports are no longer a Southeast issue. They are quickly becoming a national issue. Unfortunately, the rising tide of imports of fresh fruits and vegetables impacting other parts of the country may be a necessary step in resolving this growing problem. “Certainly, Georgia has been in this fight with us for a long time and have done …
Powdery Mildew a Growing Concern for South Florida Watermelon Producers
By Clint Thompson What was once a disease that feasted mostly on squash in South Florida has quickly taken more of a liking to one of its fellow cucurbits – watermelons. Pamela Roberts, vegetable plant pathologist at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, discussed at last week’s Citrus, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo how powdery mildew disease has …
UF Specialist: Hemp Research to Take Time
By Clint Thompson Florida hemp research is still in its infancy, but progress has been made, insists Jerry Fankhauser, the assistant director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station who oversees the University of Florida hemp research program. “There’s a lot to learn, but we’ve come a long way in just two years,” Fankhauser said. “I think where we’re at right …
Optimistic Outlook: Dantzler Still Confident Regarding HLB Disease
Citrus Industry Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler told a Citrus Expo crowd why he remains optimistic regarding HLB, amid negative industry trends. Dantzler declared, “I am more optimistic than ever. It is taking longer than I thought, but we are going to eradicate HLB or make it functionally irrelevant. That’s why I took this …
Registration Continues for Upcoming Ag Labor Relations Forum
By Clint Thompson Two issues remain on the minds of Florida’s vegetable and specialty crop producers, says Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) President Mike Joyner. “I think depending on who you ask, you’re either going to get the answer, trade and labor, or you’re going to get the answer, labor and trade,” Joyner said. Labor will be front and …
New Viruses Detected in Florida Melons
IMMOKALEE, Fla. — Florida’s watermelon producers face two new viruses. But it is important to remember that finding a disease is the first step to managing it, says a University of Florida scientist who helped diagnose both diseases. “Now that it is known that there are additional (watermelon) viruses in the mix, efforts can be made to determine their impacts …
Hemp Research: Flowering Behavior Provides Guidance for Florida Growers
APOPKA, Fla. — New UF/IFAS research emphasizes two important factors for Florida growers to consider before planting hemp; variety selection and factor day length. Hemp needs sufficient time for vegetative growth to occur before the photoperiod begins, which causes the plant to flower. If a grower plants a hemp crop that is too late or a variety that is incompatible …
Bayer’s Expanded Movento MPC Label Boosts Management Options for Whiteflies
By Clint Thompson Dry weather in the Southeast is inevitable. Those conditions could bring a resurgence of whitefly pressure, says Roy Morris, senior technical sales rep at Bayer. “When it’s wet, although your plants are lush, you start getting some fungi and things that’ll naturally occur and take out the (whitefly) populations. When it’s hot and dry, they can turn …