Georgia watermelon producers should be wary of potential diseases that could fester because of excessive rains on Saturday. Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension plant pathologist, says there are multiple diseases that could play a factor in the production season moving forward. “Apart from the physical nature of the storm, there’s a physical damage to the crop itself. Some …
Secret Weapon? AI Could Help Strawberry Farmers against Twospotted Spider Mite
Artificial intelligence (AI) maybe the secret weapon in strawberry farmers’ fight against the twospotted spider mite. University of Florida scientists have developed a smartphone application to detect the annual pest of Florida strawberries. If farmers could detect the pest quicker, they could utilize lower levels of chemicals that could otherwise harm the environment. For Example For a 50-acre farm, every …
Capitalize on Conservation Funding and Enhance Produce Safety
By Kristin Woods Conservation funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) can help growers implement good land stewardship practices in an economically sustainable way. While these practices may affect pathogen movement in the farm environment, they are not meant to reduce produce safety risk. Additional consideration must be given around how implementing specific practices …
Florida Farmer: It Needs to be Fair
Almost a month after testifying before the U.S. International Trade Commission, Florida vegetable farmer Marie Bedner is optimistic about potential change to imports of cucumbers and squash flooding the domestic market. “I am optimistic. They’re listening to us. The fact that we had these hearings, the one back in August for the bell peppers and this one for the cucumbers …
Sneak Peek: May 2021 VSCNews Magazine
By Ashley Robinson The future of weed control is here. The May issue of VSCNews Magazine provides the inside scoop on all things weed control. First up, Yiannis Ampatzidis, an assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) covers the future of precision weed control. …
Growing Matters: Communication Key for Growers and Beekeepers
“Many of the issues we see with pesticide misapplications really come down to communication. Essentially an applicator not necessarily knowing what a beekeeper is doing and visa-versa,” Bayer Industry Affairs Lead Frank Wong said in the latest episode of the BeSure! campaign from the Growing Matters Coalition. The episode details the importance of growers and beekeepers being on the same …
North Florida to Feature More Late-Season Watermelons
North Florida watermelons will be in supply later than normal, says Branford, Florida producer Laura Land. Land, who is also a member of the Florida Watermelon Association, says there will be more late-season watermelons this year in North Florida. “The increase in acreage that I’m seeing here in the North Florida area is pretty much that later crop,” Land said. …
Twig Dieback: What to Look for and How to Protect Peaches
While peaches can be a sweet summertime treat, if trees are impacted by twig dieback, that can leave a sour taste in producers’ mouths. Plant diseases cause the twigs, branches and shoots of a peach tree to die. Alabama Cooperative Extension System Plant Pathologist Ed Sikora offers tips about what causes twig dieback, its symptoms and how to manage the …
Georgia Farmer: It’s Just a Mess Right Now
South Georgia vegetable farmer Bill Brim had a couple of days to survey the damage following more than seven inches of rainfall on Saturday. The Tifton, Georgia producer’s response was simple: “It’s just a mess right now.” Brim was one producer impacted by the excessive rainfall, high winds and some hail damage throughout Saturday in South Georgia. What started in …
Be on Alert: Gray Mold in Strawberries Can be Devastating
One of the most common diseases of strawberries has already been observed this year in Alabama. Gray mold, also known as Botrytis blight or Botrytis fruit rot, can devastate a crop and cause millions in lost revenue if not managed, according to Alabama Extension. No part of the strawberry plant is immune from the disease. Gray mold can affect the …