(UF/IFAS) — The UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Project Workshop scheduled for Sept 4 in Quincy, FL is postponed on account of Hurricane Dorian. We have not yet determined a future status of the workshop and will follow-up as soon as we can. You can view the recording of the workshop held in Gainesville in these two video links (Video 1 / Video …
More Ways to Manage Fusarium Wilt
By Karla Arboleda Five years ago, there was no solid foundation for managing fusarium wilt in watermelons. Now, researchers have identified several techniques watermelon growers can use to help combat the disease. Nicholas Dufault, associate professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), says his research on the pathogen is leading to …
Sneak Peek: September VSCNews Magazine
The September issue of VSCNews magazine is packed with information ranging from breeding updates to peach production. Florida growers will recognize the man on the cover next month. On July 31, University of Florida (UF) Extension Agent Gene McAvoy retired. The September VSCNews cover story dives deep into McAvoy’s career and tells how he went from world traveler to Florida …
Disease Watch for Florida Vegetables and Specialty Crops
By Karla Arboleda Gene McAvoy, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) emeritus vegetable Extension agent, discussed South Florida crop diseases during the 2019 Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo seminars. McAvoy mentioned diseases that are currently prevalent in the United States, like black tar spot in field corn, and how basil downy mildew has affected production in …
New UF Extension Specialist Aims to Assist Small Fruit Growers
By Karla Arboleda Southwest Florida growers can expect help from new small fruit Extension specialist Sriyanka Lahiri. At the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), Lahiri works with strawberries and blueberries to develop a pest management program that uses less broad-spectrum insecticides. Appointed in February, Lahiri helps the small …
A Look Inside the GCREC
Faculty members at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) pride themselves on providing cutting-edge research for Florida’s agriculture industries. Located in Wimauma, the 475-acre facility sits in the heart of Hillsborough County. The center features large fields of research plots, laboratories, educational programs and space for student living. …
VSC Expo Sees Success
The 2019 Vegetable & Specialty Crop (VSC) Expo, held in conjunction with the 28-year-old Citrus Expo, saw great success with the largest crowd in Expo history on Aug. 14–15 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. With more than 200 exhibitors and a stellar educational program, themed “Growing Stronger,” growers were able to meet with suppliers, mingle …
What’s Keeping Growers From Adopting Technology?
By Karla Arboleda Precision agriculture technologies are not as widely used as they are available, and researchers want to figure out why this is the case for Florida growers. Tara Wade, assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) in the Food and Resource Economics Department, is studying this issue. She says global positioning …
Cutting Costs With Smart Sprayers
By Yiannis Ampatzidis Traditional broadcast sprayers usually treat the entire field to control pest populations, potentially resulting in unnecessary application to areas that do not require treatment. These sprayers apply agrochemicals uniformly, even though distribution of weeds is typically patchy. This results in wastage of valuable compounds, increased costs, crop damage risk, pest resistance to chemicals, environmental pollution and contamination …
Speaker Spotlight: Nick Dufault
By Ashley Robinson Florida watermelon growers continue to struggle with fusarium wilt. Nick Dufault, plant pathologist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), will be discussing this disease during his seminar presentation at the Vegetable & Specialty Crop Expo. Fusarium wilt is a soilborne fungal disease that can affect watermelon plants at any point from …