Clemson Extension agents provide crop updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Statewide Dr. Matt Cutulle reports, “I saw my first nutsedge plants this year pop up in the plastic mulch of a fellow researcher’s trial last week in Charleston. Soil temperatures in plastic mulch systems are going …
Clemson Extension Cautions Growers About Spider Mites
By Clint Thompson Fruit production is well under way in South Carolina’s coastal region. Rob Last, Clemson horticultural Extension agent for Bamberg, Barnewell, Allendale and Hampton counties, provided production updates for various crops, which includes minimal pest and disease pressure. “Everything’s looking very good at the moment,” Last said. “Peaches, blueberries and strawberries are all flowering nicely. We’re looking very …
Wish Farms Celebrates 100 Years Built on Berries
By Frank Giles This year, Wish Farms, a Plant City-based berry grower and marketer, will celebrate a century in operation. Gary Wishnatzki, president of Wish Farms, represents the third generation in the family business. Gary’s grandfather, Gershon Wishnatzki, was the first generation that started with a fruit and vegetable pushcart in New York City. Gershon made his way to Florida …
What’s Happening? Clemson Extension Agents Provide Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Strawberries in the area look good, with some new leaf development emerging from the crown. Boron applications are being applied, either as a foliar application or through the drip system. Remember, we …
UF/IFAS Researchers Creating an ‘Artificial Intelligence Connoisseur’
A computer may not be able to taste a tomato or blueberry, but it can tell University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural (UF/IFAS) scientists which volatiles in those fruits make them taste good. UF/IFAS breeder and geneticist Marcio Resende wants to create what he calls an “Artificial Intelligence Connoisseur,” a model that tells researchers which chemical compounds produce …
Prioritizing Plant Breeding
By J. Scott Angle The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) team that has released more than 250 fruit, vegetable and other plant cultivars in the past decade is getting even stronger. Seven budding scientists from around the world arrived in Florida in August to work with Plant Breeders Working Group faculty in creating Florida crops. …
So Far So Good: Blueberry Growers Still Evaluating Crop After Frigid Temperatures
By Clint Thompson Frigid temperatures this past weekend had blueberry growers across the Southeast on high alert. Some applied frost protection, others did not. Some emerged mostly unscathed, while others experienced some damage. The full extent of the impact will not be fully known until later this week, says Renee Holland, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension area blueberry agent and …
Organic Blueberry Production: Challenging but Profitable
By Clint Thompson Organic blueberry production can be a profitable venture for aspiring producers in the Southeast. While market prices are higher than in conventional systems, growers need to be mindful of the various production challenges. These range from weed control options to selecting the right fertilizer. Gerard Krewer, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Georgia, discusses the obstacles …
Blueberry Market Trends and Implications for Growers
By Kimberly L. Morgan The U.S. commercial blueberry industry value of utilized production was $933 million in 2020. An unchanging trend since 1970, the U.S. consumer continues to eat less than 40% of the federal dietary guidelines of fruits and vegetables [U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2021] and only 12% meet fruit intake requirements (Seung Hee Lee-Kwan et al., 2017). …
2022 SE Regional Conference Event Helps Producers Move Forward
The Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference was just what the doctor ordered for growers yearning to reconnect with fellow farmers and look ahead to the upcoming season. “We are pleased with the continued attendance for this event,” said Drew Echols, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) president. “After our virtual event in 2021, it was encouraging to see our …