By Jonathan Oliver In 2020, mild winter conditions followed by a wet spring contributed to the development of significant disease issues on Georgia blueberries. Among other issues, growers faced difficulties with preharvest and postharvest fruit rots and continuing problems with spring blueberry leaf rust epidemics. The fruit pathology program at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Tifton conducts trials to …
Southeast Agriculture Well Represented on House Ag Committee
Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., believes the 117th Congress yields a positive outlook for vegetable and specialty crop producers in the Southeast. Prominent Georgians are represented on the House Ag Committee. The committee is empowered with legislative oversight relating to the U.S. agriculture industry, forestry, nutrition …
Peach Varieties Susceptible to Bacterial Spot Disease
Susceptible peach varieties make bacterial spot disease a problem that continues to linger for growers in the Southeast. That was a message that Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension plant pathologist, presented during last week’s Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. “A lot of the varieties that people really want the fruit from are susceptible. Unfortunately, that’s the reality. …
Students Awarded Campus Sustainability Grants
By Josh Paine, UGA CAES News A University of Georgia student-led project hopes to produce fruitful results with an edible landscape near Lake Herrick. One of 13 annual Campus Sustainability Grants recently awarded to UGA students by the Office of Sustainability, the UGA Edible Landscape Project —led by College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) student Abbie Dillon — will …
ITC Hearing a Story of David vs. Goliath
One agricultural lobbyist believes next Tuesday’s hearing with the International Trade Commission (ITC) regarding blueberry imports is a “story of David and Goliath.” Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., believes the American Blueberry Growers Alliance (ABGA) has a strong case to make to the ITC against the …
SE Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference Concludes Today
This year’s virtual Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference ends today with hopes of returning to an in-person format in 2022. Charles Hall, Executive Director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, believes the educational sessions that were offered over the course of the three-day event are invaluable for producers this year and moving forward in upcoming growing seasons. …
Well Water Quality, Irrigation System Management Crucial for In-Season Success
Well water quality and irrigation system management should be a top priority for vegetable and specialty crop producers gearing up for the spring season. Gary Hawkins, an Assistant Professor in Water Resource Management at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said a good clean well has reduced risks of pathogens and other bacteria in it. Testing …
Three New Peach Cultivars from the USDA
A new year means a new set of peach cultivars for producers to choose from for the upcoming season. According to UGA Extension peach blog, the USDA at Byron, Georgia has released a trio of “Joy” peach cultivars, named ‘Crimson Joy’ (early mid-season), ‘Liberty Joy’ (mid-season), and ‘Rich Joy’ (late season). The three main-season cultivars have self-fertile showy pink flowers …
Latest Pecan Prices
According to the USDA Federal-State Market News Service, pecan prices remain low throughout Georgia. Growers are picking up what is left in the orchards and bringing in what they have not put into cold storage. Rain and wet orchards have left some areas with excess moisture and damage from rot. Growers are working those lots harder to clean them out …
Clay Models Track the Activity of Beneficial Insects in Turfgrass
By Allison Fortner for CAES News Modeling clay isn’t limited to art classrooms and sculpting studios. University of Georgia researchers developed a tool to track beneficial insects in turfgrass systems using clay models. Tracking these good predators can help develop eco-friendly pest management techniques for both home lawns and commercial sod growers. In a recently published article in Entomologia Experimentalis …