Everyone is talking about inflated prices for just about everything. Citrus is among those items. Why? Because orange production is way down in Florida. HLB, fruit drop, poor quality and a freeze are all conspiring to keep prices rising. Total U.S. orange juice production in the current 2021–22 season is forecast at 286 million single-strength equivalent (SSE) gallons, the U.S. …
Blueberry Management: What to Remember for April
Blueberry harvests are well underway across Florida. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experts provide blueberry management tips that growers need to be mindful of in April. Since it is harvest season, farmers need to harvest their crop promptly and cool the ripe fruit. Growers can use the Blueberry Advisory System (BAS) at www.agroclimate.org/BAS, to determine if …
Whitefly Populations Vary Across Florida
Whitefly populations are high in some areas in the southern region of Florida, while low in other spots, according to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline. Populations are increasing but are still low in tomatoes and squash in central Florida. Higher levels of adults and nymphs are reported in tomatoes, melons and squash in southwest Florida. Whitefly populations range …
U.S. Drought Monitor: Florida’s Drought Conditions Mostly in Southern Region
By Clint Thompson Florida’s drought conditions are now mostly isolated to the southern part of the state, while Georgia is still experiencing moderately dry conditions in the central and southern regions. This is according to Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Recent rainfall helped alleviate some of the drought conditions in North Florida, though abnormally dry conditions are still …
Vidalia Onion Field Day: Information for Industry’s Future
By Clint Thompson Vidalia onion farmers are not just managing their crop for this season. They are planning for future seasons as well. That is why Wednesday’s Vidalia Onion Field Day was an important day for the industry. Research conducted at the University of Georgia Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center (VOVRC) in Lyons, Georgia is vital to the industry’s …
Spanish Version of Blueberry App a Benefit for Florida Industry
By Clint Thompson A new Spanish version of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Blueberry Growers Guide app will benefit a plethora of workers within the industry. Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator, discusses its importance. “There’s a lot of growers, farm managers, field crew where English …
Cucurbit Farmers: Two Diseases Already Observed in North Florida
By Clint Thompson Cucurbit farmers in North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama need to be wary of certain diseases that are already present in some fields. Mathews Paret, associate professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), describes what growers should be concerned about with regards to angular leaf spot and …
Watermelon Anthracnose: Current Trends and Future Directions
By Navjot Kaur and Bhabesh Dutta Watermelon anthracnose is caused by the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum orbiculare, which impacts all above-ground parts of the plant. C. orbiculare also causes anthracnose in other cucurbit crops such as cucumber, muskmelon, squash, gourd, pumpkin, cantaloupe and honeydew. The disease is favored by conditions including high humidity, rainfall, overhead irrigation and warm temperatures in the …
Time to Sample Watermelon Plants
By Clint Thompson It is time for petiole-sap testing or leaf tissue analysis for watermelon producers in North Florida. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, discusses the testing service that UF/IFAS Extension provides to growers. “We collectively provide a service of going out and running petiole …
Watermelon 2021: Domestic Production Down, Imports Up
Domestic watermelon production was down in 2021, though imports from other countries like Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras rose. Domestic production totaled 3.37 billion pounds last year, a decrease of 2% from 2020. This was mostly attributed to a 7% decrease in Georgia production because of a cooler spring and 35% decrease in Texas due to Winter Storm Uri. Florida’s watermelon …