Gary England, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) regional specialized Extension agent and director of the Hastings Agricultural Extension Center, is excited to have an artichoke harvest this year at the Cowpen Branch Road Demonstration and Research Farm in Hastings. Although many research projects occur at the 50-acre farm, England says he would not call the …
Hydrogen Cyanamide for Low-Chill Peaches in Florida
By Tripti Vashisth and Mercy Olmstead Interest in Florida peach production remains steady, with approximately 2,000 acres in the state. Florida peach growers have a number of advantages: 1) Early flowering and fruit set result in the ability to harvest fruit earlier in the domestic market window, yielding higher economic returns. 2) Recent surveys show that consumers prefer local produce, …
Florida NRCS Offers Sign-up for Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Rivers Project
GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 13, 2018 — USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications from agricultural producers until April 30 for a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project that improves water quality and quantity. The “Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Rivers (ACFR) Conservation Partnership for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia” project in the ACFR basin covers 13 million acres in eastern Alabama, western Georgia …
The Complex World of Insecticide Modes of Action
Selecting insecticides can be extremely cumbersome and complex. Ayanava Majumdar, Auburn University Extension entomologist, says there are five different “mode of action” categories that can help conventional growers decide what kind of insecticide will be most effective in their production systems. The five categories are contact poisons, insect growth regulators, mitochondrial or cellular respiration inhibitors, Bacillus thuringiensis and the unknown. …
Cool Temperatures May Pose a Threat to Southeastern Ag
Southeastern regions experienced some cold temperatures this past week, and it appears the cold is sticking around throughout next week. These temperatures pose a big threat to blooming fruit crops. After seeing high temperatures in February, some 10 degrees higher than the average, crops like blueberries and peaches may have some freeze damage as temperatures continue to drop next week. …
Hops and Root-Knot Nematodes
By Jaci Schreckengost As interest in hops as a southeastern crop grows, researchers are taking a look at the best varieties for growers and how to prevent certain problems. Johan Desaeger, an assistant professor of entomology and nematology at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), said demand has continued to increase for hops. The GCREC is part of …
Blueberry Field Day Aims to Increase Grower Competitiveness
New varieties were a hot topic at the Florida Blueberry Growers Association’s (FBGA) spring field day. The event was held on March 7 at the University of Florida (UF) Plant Science Research and Education Unit in Citra. Ryan Atwood, a blueberry grower and vice president of the FBGA, says new varieties from UF will make Florida blueberries more competitive in …
Growers Can Get Help with High Tunnels
By Jaci Schreckengost The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has an initiative to assist growers with the installation of high tunnels in their production systems. Monica Jones, a district conservationist with the NRCS in Florida, said the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers a High Tunnel System Initiative to help growers with installing a high tunnel. The NRCS is an …
Effective Methyl Bromide Alternatives
By Jenna C. Vance and Stanley Culpepper Effective alternatives to methyl bromide do exist for fruiting vegetable and cucurbit cropping systems in the Southeast; albeit these alternatives are much more complex than in the “golden” methyl bromide days. Growers need to be much smarter and more efficient in their decision-making process, and they need to better understand the factors that …
Crop Insurance, Immigration Debate Critical for Produce Industry
Crop insurance and the current immigration debate continue to be hot topics in the fruit and vegetable industry. Robert Guenther, senior vice president of public policy for the United Fresh Produce Association, recently discussed these issues with AgNet Media Founder and President Gary Cooper. They spoke during the recent Crop Insurance Industry Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona. “There’s diverse opinions on …