According to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline, few spider mite hotspots remain around Homestead, Florida. Broad mites continue to stay active in the area as well. A similar scenario is being reported in the southwest part of the state, too. Spider mites are showing up in various locations on cucurbits, tomatoes and eggplants. Broad mites have flared up …
Rains Alleviate Some of Dry Conditions in Southeast
By Clint Thompson Recent rains alleviated some of the dry conditions being felt across the Southeast region, especially in Georgia and Alabama, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Only a small part of North Georgia remains abnormally dry, including Union County, Fanning County, Gilmer County, Dawson County, Towns County and Lumpkin County. Only a couple of counties in South Georgia …
Strawberry Disease Alert: Florida Growers Be on the Lookout
By Clint Thompson Florida’s strawberry producers have more than just Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot to worry about from a disease management standpoint. Natalia Peres, professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida/ Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, highlights a couple of additional diseases that growers need to be wary of as production continues this year. “There’s some Phytophthora out …
Florida Snap Bean Conference Postponed
The Florida Snap Bean Conference, scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 11, has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and strict Palm Beach County regulations. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) announced the conference will be rescheduled towards the end of the growing season to provide updates on this year’s research trials. UF/IFAS hopes to schedule a …
Challenges of Florida Strawberry Production
By Clint Thompson Strawberry production in Florida is not for the faint of heart. So many challenges exist that growers must overcome to remain sustainable. Just ask Florida farmer Dustin Grooms. “If you’ve got a berry field, you’ve got a problem,” Grooms said. Grooms and other farmers are in the middle of another strawberry season. Production has increased some this …
Blueberry: Behind the Superfood Status
By Ulschan Bathe and Bryan Leong When people think of superfoods, one of the first things that comes to mind is blueberries. Blueberries are a perennial crop native to North America with global production of around 1 million tons. Their commercial cultivation started in the early 1900s, and breeders have been developing better varieties ever since. The unique look, smell …
Abnormally Dry Conditions Persist Across Southeast Region
The most recent release of the U.S. Drought Monitor shows dry conditions continue to persist across the Southeast region. This was observed in parts of Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Abnormally dry conditions were mostly seen in the Florida Panhandle, stretching from Escambia County eastward to Madison County. Dixie County, Levy County, Gilchrist County and a small part of Alachua County …
UF Research: Environmentally Friendly Way to Control Pest in Strawberries
BALM, Fla. — University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers have discovered a more environmentally-friendly way to control the chilli thrips in strawberries. It includes using less pesticides. With a new, biological control method, farmers could save up to 5,000 gallons a year in pesticides that would be used on the crop, said Sriyanka Lahiri, a …
Looking Ahead: UF/IFAS’ Resources Help Blueberry Growers Navigate Season
By Clint Thompson Florida blueberry growers have resource tools to help them navigate through diseases and pests leading up to harvest time over the next couple of months, says Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator. “We’ve got the new 2022 version of the Blueberry IPM guide that’s out. We’ve also got …
New H-2A Wages Effective Dec. 29
A prior issue of the Florida Citrus Mutual Triangle newsletter provided information about the new wage that growers must pay H-2A labor, effective Wednesday, Dec. 29. The H-2A program allows U.S. employers who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of …