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The threat of Asian citrus psyllids to cold-hardy citrus does not mean growers should ignore other insects and their potential impacts in North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama. The citrus red mite should be a concern for growers, especially in the spring and if certain weather conditions persist, explains Apurba Barman, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor of entomology …
By Frank Giles When you tackle a big topic like the Specialty Crop Grower Magazine’s August cover story on inflation in agriculture, it is impossible to fit all the information related to the issue in the limited space of a magazine. Sharply rising inputs and production expenses have been a challenge for growers dating back to COVID. They have had …
By Clint Thompson Pecan harvests will begin soon across the Southeast. With harvest season on the horizon in Georgia and Alabama, growers are also winding down their fungicide sprays for scab disease. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, talked about what fungicide sprays remain for growers, which largely depends on the variety. “Pawnee, which is of course is …
Weekly Field Update Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Lowcountry Report Anna Sara Hill Midlands Report Rob Last Sarah Scott Upstate Report Andy Rollins
By Clint Thompson Scab disease may be becoming harder to control on the Pawnee pecan variety. That’s a concern shared by Lenny Wells, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan specialist. Wells noted in the UGA Pecan Blog that his team saw more scab on Pawnee last year than what is observed in Desirables, a notoriously scab susceptible variety. “I had …
By Clint Thompson Stress is synonymous with farming these days. Increased costs have amplified those concerns for producers, whether they are in row crop production or are producing fruits and vegetables. Diesel prices are averaging $5.35 per gallon. Fertilizer prices remain high, as are chemical costs. The spike in input expenses are worsened since market prices have not improved for …
By Clint Thompson The ongoing threat of the yellow-legged hornet (YLH) to honey bee populations in the Southeast should concern the region’s fruit and vegetable producers, says University of Georgia Honey Bee Program Director Jamie Ellis. “Honey bees are incredibly important providers of pollination services. Many of the crops grown in Georgia, for example, blueberries, watermelons, cucumbers, cantaloupes, squashes; are …
By Frank Giles Whiteflies, aphids and other pests continue to be significant problems in Southeastern vegetable production. Recently, the Emerging Viruses in Cucurbits Working Group hosted a series of webinars addressing several important viruses pests may carry. The group’s mission is to improve communication and knowledge about viruses across the cucurbit industry and develop strategies to successfully identify and mitigate …
By Clint Thompson Last week’s Farm to Table Dinner in Auburn, Alabama, hosted by Sweet Grown Alabama, included farmers and industry leaders. Approximately 150 guests attended the event on Thursday, Aug. 13 and sampled Alabama-grown foods. This included jam from Hornsby Farms in Auburn and watermelon samples, provided by the Gulf Coast Watermelon Association watermelon queen. Sweet Grown Alabama Director …
By Clint Thompson The frustrating aspect of the Senate Ag Committee’s failure to advance the farm bill was it mostly had nothing to do with agriculture. The political discourse over Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was reportedly the main point of contingent that kept both republicans and democrats from agreeing to this key piece of legislation. What’s important now for …
