Last year, AgNet Media incorporated vegetable and specialty crop seminars into the 28-year-old citrus event, Citrus Expo. The change was met with positive feedback from both growers and industry members. Therefore, AgNet Media decided to expand that side of the program and debut the Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo, which will be held in conjunction with Citrus Expo. The two …
Bacterial Spot Presents Challenges for Peach Growers
Peach growers are currently in need of ways to control bacterial spot, a severe disease that is at its worst when rain is frequent. Dave Ritchie, a plant pathologist at North Carolina State University, spoke about the disease and management options for growers at the 2019 Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Bacterial spot is particularly challenging because of the …
2019 Trade Prognosis
Trade is always a top-of-mind issue for growers and industry leaders, and it can keep the industry on its toes as it is constantly changing. Bill Lane, executive director of Trade for America, gave his opinion on what the trade environment is going to look like in 2019 during his presentation at the recent Flower and Vegetable Seed Conference held …
Some Avocados Voluntarily Recalled
By Alison DeLoach Henry Avocado Corporation in California has voluntarily recalled its avocados in response to fear the fruit might be contaminated with listeria. The avocados were packaged and distributed to six states, including California, Arizona, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Wisconsin. The company decided to voluntarily recall its avocados after a test for listeria came back positive during …
Suppress the Weeds, Not the Crop
Understanding herbicide injury in tomatoes can help growers protect their investment. By Ramdas Kanissery, Nathan Boyd and Camille McAvoy Herbicides are designed to control undesired plants within a cropping system. Crop injury can occur when herbicides are applied incorrectly. For example, injury can be the result of drift, volatilization, runoff, tank contamination or misapplication of a product. INJURY SYMPTOMS Injury …
Sneak Peek: April VSCNews Magazine
The April issue of VSCNews magazine is packed with information for conventional and organic growers. Readers will learn about pest management methods and ongoing challenges faced by an organic commodity in Georgia in next month’s issue. An article by researchers with the University of Georgia and the U.S. Department of Agriculture — Bhabesh Dutta, Carroll Johnson and Jason Schmidt — …
Florida Tomato Exchange Wants Pact with Mexico Terminated
On March 21, the Florida Tomato Exchange appeared in front of the U.S. Trade Commission to argue why a pact known as the Tomato Suspension Agreement should be terminated. The pact was put in place to help Florida’s and Mexico’s tomato industries coincide peacefully. It’s no secret that Florida growers have struggled due to heavy competition from Mexico, and the …
Nematode Management in Strawberries
By Alison DeLoach Nematodes, worm-like pests found all over the globe, can damage strawberry growers’ crops. Johan Desaeger, a professor in nematology at the University of Florida, presented his research on nematodes at the Strawberry Growers Symposium last month. In his presentation, he discussed integrated management of nematodes in Florida strawberries. Desaeger touched on the different types of nematodes growers …
Drone Technology on the Rise
Many growers are adopting new technologies, including drones, to aid their production systems. According to Jim Fletcher, a University of Florida (UF) regional water specialist and interim BMP coordinator, drones could bring growers to the next level. Currently, Fletcher says drones can fly over fields and identify areas where there may be an issue with the plants. Then the grower …
Artwork Helps Growers Better Understand Strawberry Diseases
By Alison DeLoach To help growers better understand Extension materials, Madeline Dowling, a post-doctoral researcher at Clemson University under Guido Schnabel, created artwork showcasing the disease cycles of gray mold and anthracnose on strawberries. Dowling has a background in digital arts and studied plant pathology for her master’s and doctoral degrees. Dowling wants to combine her passion for plant pathology …