The wine grape industry in Georgia is on the rise. While vineyards have been present in Georgia for the past four decades, the industry has been gaining significant traction in the last 10 to 15 years. Since the industry is relatively new, it is still fragile and some of the challenges, like downy mildew resistance, are unpredictable. Downy mildew is …
Florida Hop Production Appears Promising
Findings from the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center hop trials are helping make strides in this new frontier. By Zhanao Deng, Shinsuke Agehara, Gary Vallad, Hugh Smith and Johan Desaeger Hops are an essential ingredient of beer. Breweries use different varieties and amounts of hops during the brewing process to attain the desirable levels of bitterness and flavors associated …
Spotted Wing Drosophila Spells Trouble for Grape Growers
By Breanna Kendrick Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) are small fruit flies that resemble the flies commonly seen indoors buzzing around rotting fruit. Adult male SWD have a little spot on each of their wings, making them easy to identify. Females are more difficult to identify. At the rear of the female SWD abdomen is an egg-laying structure called an ovipositor. …
FAMU Center Boosts Florida Viticulture Industry
“When the grapes are out, we are out,” said Violeta Tsolova, professor and director of the Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). She was referring to the researchers and students at the center working to help grape growers be successful in the Southeast viticulture industry. NATIVE GRAPES Growers in the Southeast have …