Source: The South Carolina Grower From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath. Gummy stem blight is more common and more severe on fall cucurbit crops than crops grown in the spring. The cooler weather and longer dew periods in the fall provide an ideal environment for the fungal pathogen to grow and spread. Gummy stem blight is most common on watermelon …
Technological Advancements Helpful in Preserving Florida’s Water Supply
By Clint Thompson Water is one of the most valuable resources Florida vegetable and specialty crop producers utilize every season. But that doesn’t mean there’s an endless supply. “I think it is easy for us to forget it is a finite resource and there are limits. It’s easy for us to forget because we just got five inches of rain …
UF Scientist: Understanding the Past is Really a Window to the Future
LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — University of Florida scientists aiming to find a solution to citrus greening disease are looking to the past to hopefully find the answer. In a new study, published in Nature Communications, UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences collaborated with an international team of scientists and analyzed 69 genomes from the East Asian mandarin family, alongside their …
What’s Happening? Fruit, Vegetable Crop Updates in South Carolina
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in the The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Statewide The SC Specialty Crop Association is offering a new grant opportunity, the Enhancing Crop Packaging Cost Share Program. With this new cost share program, growers can receive reimbursement up to $1,800 per grower for packaging …
AFBF President Duvall Hosts Mexico Leaders for Wide-Ranging Discussion
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall met with Tatiana Clouthier, Mexico’s Secretary of the Economy, and Esteban Moctezuma Barragón, Mexico’s Ambassador to the U.S., last week to discuss various trade matters, the use of technology to advance agriculture and the border crisis. Mexico is the third largest destination for U.S. agricultural exports. “It was a pleasure to host …
Monitoring Update: Insect Pressure Remains High Across Alabama
Insect pressure remains high across Alabama. According to the Alabama Insect Pest Monitoring Update, released Friday, July 23, fall armyworms, southern armyworms, corn earworms and squash vine borers are all reporting higher numbers than compared to this time last year. Alabama Extension recorded the moth numbers in 19 locations across Alabama. There were 585 fall armyworms, compared to 114 in …
Sticker Ban: French Legislation Threatens Millions of Dollars to Produce Exports
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service, a new French ban on the sales of fruit and vegetables with identifying stickers could threaten future exports of U.S. sweet potatoes and grapefruits. The ban is slated to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2022. The report states that most U.S. grapefruits and some sweet potatoes shipped overseas have stickers …
UF’s Natalia Peres ‘Optimistic’ About Strawberry’s Future in Florida
By Clint Thompson Natalia Peres, Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, is confident Florida’s strawberry industry will survive Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot Disease. But it will take time. “The industry has faced challenges before with other diseases like anthracnose. It’s one that has been devastating in the past, and we have been …
UGA Vegetable Specialist: If it Dries Up (This) Week, We Should be in Good Shape
By Clint Thompson Daily rainfall this summer is not ideal for Georgia’s vegetable and specialty crop farmers. It is especially concerning for those growers gearing up for fall plantings. But it could be a lot worse, says Tim Coolong, associate professor in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “I will say, particularly for South Georgia, we’re …
International Pepper Conference Postponed Until 2022
The International Pepper Conference has been postponed for a second straight year due to continuing coronavirus pandemic concerns and ensuing traveling conditions. The next conference will be held Sept. 26-28, 2022 with the academic program taking place in Tucson, Arizona and the chie pepper variety trial, mechanical harvest, field and equipment demonstrations occurring at the Curry Chile and Seed Co. …