By Clint Thompson Southeast peach producers have a handle on plum curculio management. Brett Blaauw, assistant professor at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, wants to keep it that way. That’s why the UGA specialist continues to encourage rotation of chemistries to prevent insecticide resistance from occurring. Pyrethroids are growers’ best option for management. But …
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 …
ADAMA’s Cormoran® Effective Against Larval Stages of Insect Pests
By Clint Thompson One insecticide from ADAMA could be a secret weapon for Southeast producers hoping to reduce pest pressure in various specialty crops. Cormoran® attacks the larval stages of insect pests, which makes it a vital part of a grower’s insecticidal rotation, says Jorge Menocal, territory sales representative for ADAMA. “When you refer to specialty vegetables, it’s critical to …
ABT Population Update in South Florida
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) reports that higher Asian bean thrips (ABT) populations were reported across South Florida. However, these were observed only in more mature plantings with few blooms. Insecticide applications are not recommended unless scouting indicates populations are greater than 1.0 ABT per bud or bloom. Populations reached 0.6 per bloom in …
Looming Deadline: EPA Ban of Chlorpyrifos Will Impact Peach Production
By Clint Thompson The looming deadline for revocation of tolerances for the use of chlorpyrifos (lorsban) means peach tree producers have a little more than two months to find alternatives in managing two pests. According to Brett Blaauw, assistant professor at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the ban of chlorpyrifos will impact growers differently …
Low to High: Whitefly Populations Vary in South Florida
Whitefly populations remain a problem in some vegetable crops in the Manatee Ruskin area, according to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline. Growers and scouts report that whitefly adult and immature numbers are high in tomatoes and squash. They have also reached moderate levels in cucumber and eggplant. Whitefly pressure is also increasing around the southwest Florida area. The …
Alabama Extension Entomologist: Residual Insecticides Key Against Armyworms
By Clint Thompson Last year’s persistent rains contributed to armyworms being more of a nuisance in Alabama’s specialty crop fields. “If you can control weather, you can control armyworms,” joked Ayanava Majumdar, Extension professor of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University. “We had an extremely wet summer. The weather was just perfect for those insects.” Majumdar believes growers can …
Alabama 2022 Private Pesticide Applicator Training Calendar
Alabama Extension has released its Private Pesticide Applicator Training and Testing for the 2022 calendar year. The classes are designed for producers who need to take the private pesticide applicator test in order to purchase restricted use products. They will also be discussing chemical safety and sprayer calibration during the class. Any farmer or applicator who applies pesticides on a …
ABT Populations Vary Across South Florida
According to UF/IFAS, scouts in south Hendry County detected the highest populations of Asian bean thrips (ABT) this week. In south Hendry County, an infestation of 0.2 adult ABT per bloom were reported, though population increases could surge over the next few weeks due to many larvae present. ABT populations were up to 0.1 per bloom in the Moore Haven …
Proclaim Insecticide a Valuable Option for Growers Against Diamondback Moth
By Clint Thompson One of the leading insecticide treatments for diamondback moth could still be vulnerable to overuse and eventual resistance. That’s why John Taylor, agronomic service representative for Syngenta, implores producers to rotate different modes of action so resistance does not develop. “Proclaim® is one of the stalwarts, so to speak, of diamondback moth management. With that being said, …