By Clint Thompson A focal point of research at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will be highlighted during the Florida Ag Expo on Nov. 18. Nathan Boyd, associate center director of the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center and professor of horticulture and weed science, believes artificial intelligence (AI) to be the future …
Weed Control Essential for Container Nurseries
By Clint Thompson It is essential for container nurseries to keep plants weed free from start to finish. According to Alabama Extension, weeds can reduce the growth and marketability of nursery crops. Jeremy Pickens, Alabama Assistant Extension Professor in Horticulture at Auburn University, says when selling ornamentals, “aesthetics is everything.” “There’s really no margin for error. You’ve got to have …
Labor Crisis: Farmers Continue to Struggle to Find Workforce
By Clint Thompson The top two issues that vegetable and specialty crop workers encounter are trade and labor. The impact of imports on domestic farmers doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Neither do concerns over having an adequate number of workers on the farm every year, according to Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) President Mike Joyner. “During …
Organic Herbicide Options
By Ruby Tiwari and Ramdas Kanissery Organic growers in Florida fight weeds throughout the year, as it is one of their significant challenges in production (Figure 1). Organic producers typically use various mechanical and cultural methods like tillage, cultivation, hand-weeding, mulching, etc., to keep weeds in check on their farms. While there is a general conception that there is no …
Crops Update: Clemson Extension Agents Provide Updates Across State
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in the The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Rob Last reports, “As we mentioned last week, cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed in cucumber crops locally. All cucurbit growers should be applying downy-mildew specific fungicides, such as Ranman tank mixed with either chlorothalonil …
Alabama Extension Offers Weed Management Tips for Fruit Producers
By Clint Thompson Weeds can be a problem no matter what vegetable or specialty crop a farmer is producing. They contend for nutrients and water and can present major problems for a producer once harvest time arrives. Steve Li, Alabama Extension weed specialist, offered tips for Alabama fruit producers in a recent Alabama Extension Commercial Horticulture Facebook webinar. Blueberries for …
The Future of Precision Weed Control
By Yiannis Ampatzidis Farmers use mainly agrochemicals for weed control and follow conventional crop protection strategies that use a vast amount of chemicals, despite some negative impacts on the environment and human health. More than 90% of the acreage of crops in the United States is sprayed with herbicides. It is estimated that around $31.5 billion was spent on herbicides …
Cultivating a New Generation of Farmers
By Sarah Bostick Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service conducts a census. The 2017 Census of Agriculture captured in numbers what we see happening all around us: Farming is changing. GREENER GROWERS One of the most notable changes is that a growing number of farms in America are run by new and beginner producers …
Produce Industry Responds to Accusations
Several produce organizations, including the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association and the Florida Tomato Exchange, issued a letter to legislative leaders in defense of accusations regarding the treatment of farm workers, amid COVID-19. The letter was sent to Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House; Charles Schumer, Senate Minority Leader; …
Using Steam for Weed Management
By Ramdas Kanissery and Yiannis Ampatzidis Weeds are a significant problem in horticultural production and must be controlled to maintain good crop yield. Concerns related to non-judicious use of herbicides, which include ground and surface water contamination and pesticide residues in food, have sparked public awareness and restrictions on herbicide use. For these reasons, alternative and integrated systems for weed …