Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp attends organization’s celebration By Clint Thompson It is not often an organization celebrates 25 years of impact to Georgia’s No. 1 industry – agriculture. But that is exactly what is happening this year with the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). Twenty-five years after its first organizational meeting at the Rural Development Center in Tifton, …
Southeast Grape Crop Needs Dry Weather
By Clint Thompson A rainy summer in the Southeast only got wetter this week thanks to the tropical system ‘Fred.’ It could have a negative impact on the region’s grape crop, which is at the beginning of harvest, says Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Fruit Disease Specialist. According to the University of Georgia Weather Network, Gainesville, Georgia received …
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 …
VOC Seeks Nominees to Join Committee
The Vidalia Onion Committee (VOC) seeks nominations from producers to join the committee. The VOC elects eight new nominees each year as part of the process. Voting will take place on Sept. 16 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the VOC office. No absentee votes will be accepted; walk-in voting only. Nominations will be accepted until Aug. 27. Please …
Plant Breeding Remains Key to Fusarium Wilt Management
By Clint Thompson The key to eliminating fusarium wilt disease’s impact on watermelons in the Southeast is developing disease-resistance cultivars, says Nick Dufault, University of Florida/IFAS plant pathologist. “Where we stand is we’re trying to work with breeders and get new lines of resistance out there,” Dufault said. “We’re gaining a new understanding of the pathogen. I think we made …
Vidalia Onion Production Meeting
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is hosting the annual Vidalia Onion Production meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 1 at the Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. There will be timely topics on variety trials, flavor research, disease management and fertility. Lunch will be provided. Click here to register. Call Chris Tyson at 912-551-2204 for more information. Sponsored ContentNuseed …
Sweet Results for Georgia’s Peach Crop
By Clint Thompson Cool weather this past winter combined with mild temperatures this summer added up to almost perfect conditions for Georgia peach production this year. The results speak for themselves. Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Peach and Taylor counties, said the crop produced was about 80%. “When we say 80% of …
Another Scab Management Spray or Two Projected for Pecan Crop
By Clint Thompson Pecan producers in Alabama and Georgia need to stay vigilant with their scab management sprays this late in the production season. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist, said due to the crop lagging behind in development this year, growers will need to apply fungicides later than normal. “The crop is a little behind what …
Whitefly Populations Increasing in Georgia
By Clint Thompson Whitefly populations are on the rise in South Georgia. While their numbers are not overwhelming, they have increased in recent weeks, says Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable specialist. “Whiteflies have increased over the last week or so, not dramatically, but they’ve obviously increased. Phillip (Roberts) tells me in cotton there’s not high numbers, but …
Southeast Still Relatively Drought Free
The Southeastern United States remains relatively drought free, according to Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Alabama, Florida, Georgia each has sufficient moisture. Only a small portion of Greenville County and Spartanburg County are abnormally dry in South Carolina. A stretch of counties in western North Carolina remains abnormally dry. The counties stretch as far west as Henderson County …