By Clint Thompson Increased rain events in June mean a potential increase in disease development for Georgia’s watermelon producers. Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension plant pathologist, said there are a few diseases that growers need to be mindful of following excessive rain in parts of South Georgia over the past week. “I would say I’ve been seeing a …
Ideal Weather Conditions Helpful for Georgia Blueberries
By Clint Thompson There’s a fine line for how much rainfall blueberries can receive during the growing season and still maximize yields come harvest season. Too much rain can lead to disease, or the berries will split. Not enough rain and the berries start to shrivel, becoming unmarketable. Georgia blueberries received rainfall at just the right time this season, which …
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 …
Keep Crops Watered Amid Dry Conditions
By Clint Thompson With hot temperatures expected to get hotter and dry conditions only expected to get drier, irrigation management is a top priority for Alabama vegetable and specialty crop producers. “They need to make sure their irrigation system is working correctly, obviously,” said Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist. “The nice thing about most vegetable growers is that they …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in the The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Weekly Field Update-5/3/21 Coastal Rob Last reports, “Botrytis (gray mold) is evident in places following rainfall. Sanitation and removal of the infected berries are critical to reducing inoculum loading. Fungicide applications will also be required to prevent spore …
Georgia Watermelon Plants Vulnerable to Diseases Following Excessive Rains
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 …
Fungicide Sprays Vary for Various Pecan Varieties
By Clint Thompson It’s that time of year when Georgia pecan producers need to start protecting their trees against fungal diseases, including scab. According to the University of Georgia Extension pecan blog, sprays vary among the different cultivars and their specific level of resistance. Low Input Cultivars Those that are considered low input cultivars include Avalon, Elliot, Excel, Kanza, Lakota …
Beware: Fungal Foliar Diseases Alive and Well in Alabama
Weather conditions are conducive to certain plant diseases being a problem this year. Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, cautions Alabama producers about certain fungal diseases that could become problematic. “One of the things that’s important this time of the year is there are a lot of foliar fungal diseases. They cause problems in strawberries, but they also cause problems …
Making Sense of Biologicals: Crop Optimization With Seaweed
Sometimes vegetable and specialty crop growers must think outside the box to remain sustainable amid high input costs and devastating diseases. What if seaweed could be used to aid in the quality of strawberries, bell peppers or tomatoes? Seaweed is a biostimulant that is part of the biological crop protection products that vegetable and specialty crop producers are increasingly using …
Sweet Success: Syngenta Watermelon Excursion Excels in Diverse Climates
Watermelon research remains a key focus for scientists at Syngenta. Watermelon varieties need to withstand any type of diverse climate, especially for growers in Florida, Georgia, Indiana and California. Rebecca Wente-Naylor, breeding trial specialist at Syngenta, discussed the challenges of finding new varieties amid climate change during an American Seed Trade Association webinar. “With climate change, we’re already seeing a …