By Clint Thompson A disease that first impacted Florida strawberry fields in the 2018-2019 season is already causing trouble for next year’s crop. Phil Brannen, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension fruit disease specialist, is cautioning growers about the high potential risk for Neopestalotiopsis with plants originating from Prince Edward Island. “As many strawberry producers are aware, some nurseries are …
Factors to Consider When Producing Muscadines
By Clint Thompson University of Georgia (UGA) muscadine breeder Patrick Conner advises would-be growers about producing the grape in the Southeast. During a field day on Aug. 17 at the UGA Tifton Campus, Conner said producers should be wary about two factors if they pursue growing the crop. The first is letting the vine overcrop. There is a danger in …
Victory for Users of H-2A Program
By Clint Thompson Specialty crop producers in Georgia and Florida scored a court victory on Monday. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia granted a preliminary injunction, halting the effective date of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) controversial Farmworker Protection Rule. The DOL cannot enforce the rule in the 17 states that were involved in challenging …
Row Covers a Costly but Effective Management Strategy for Whitefly Control
By Clint Thompson An expensive but effective management solution for whiteflies involves vegetable farmers implementing row covers. They can be used to protect the crop for the first couple of weeks of the season, delaying whitefly feeding. It can be a vital management decision, though the economics of its implementation still need to be improved, says Stormy Sparks, University of …
Grape Producers Remain Diligent with Fungicide Spray Applications
By Clint Thompson University of Georgia (UGA) Extension advises grape producers to remain diligent with their fungicide applications. Phil Brannen, UGA Extension fruit disease specialist, discussed disease management, with harvests slated to commence soon across the region. “We’re starting to see some downy mildew coming out right now, so we are getting some disease as we’re looking towards the latter …
Dacthal Done: Onion Growers Lose Effective Herbicide
By Clint Thompson Onion producers should be aware that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued an emergency order suspending all uses of Dacthal. The order became effective on Aug. 7 and the herbicide can not be sold or used in any manner, according to Stanley Culpepper, University of Georgia Extension weed scientist. “Even it’s sitting in your barn, you …
Sweet Surprise: Muscadines a Treat in Southeast
By Clint Thompson All it should take for consumers to enjoy a muscadine grape is to just give it a try. Getting to that point, however, remains a challenge for Georgia producers. University of Georgia (UGA) pecan breeder Patrick Conner discussed the future of muscadines during a field day on Aug. 17 at the UGA Tifton Campus. “We’ve got to …
Debby Aftermath: Georgia Pecan Crop Quality in Question
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s pecan crop was vulnerable to Hurricane Debby and its trek through the Southeast the week of Aug. 5. The nuts that did not fall to the ground because of Debby’s high wind speeds may have been victimized with poor quality as a result. It’s an issue that producers in Southeast Georgia are not likely to see …
Vidalia Onion Committee is Seeking New Member Nominations
Vidalia, GA — The Vidalia® Onion Committee (VOC) is seeking nominations from industry producers to serve on the committee. The VOC elects eight new nominees annually as part of an annual process. Four members and four alternate seats are currently available on the committee. The VOC administers the federal marketing order locally and consists of eight producer members and their …
Meet UGA’s New Peach and Citrus Breeder
By Clint Thompson The University of Georgia (UGA) turned to one of its own to man the newly created peach and citrus breeder position in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). Dario Chavez joined UGA in 2014 and has conducted peach research on the UGA Griffin Campus for the past 10 years. Chavez will expand his research to …