By Sen. Ben Albritton I have enormous respect for Congressman Francis Rooney and his life of public service. However, I have grave concerns about the congressman’s recent misinformed, inaccurate and hostile comments about agriculture in Florida. Describing any sector of Florida agriculture as a “menace” clearly shows a lack of understanding of how agriculture has been a highly successful partner …
The Buzz on Blueberry Pollinators
Although blueberry growers spend much of their time and money keeping insects away, there are certain insects that are critical for their crop’s survival. Those insects are pollinators, bees in particular. If there are low populations of pollinators in the field, growers will eventually start to notice the repercussions. Rachel Mallinger, assistant professor in the University of Florida Entomology and …
Blueberry Fruit Size Improved with Pollination
By Juanita Popenoe Honey bee pollination increases fruit set and yields in many fruit, but not all. Blueberries are supposed to respond to increased pollinator activity with greater yields. Some fruit growers routinely bring in bee hives to increase pollination, but how many are necessary? Highbush blueberry growers in Washington usually rent 10 hives of Italian honey bees per acre …
Biofortified Fruits and Vegetables Bring Benefits
By Jaya Joshi Every morning, more than half the American population takes a multivitamin in the belief that the pharmaceutical industry has boiled down the benefits of bananas, sweet potatoes, broccoli and tomatoes into a pill. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey program, 10 percent of Americans rely on five or more supplements of some kind for …
Sneak Peek: January VSCNews Magazine
Biotechnology may change the agricultural world as we know it today. In fact, it has already changed the industry in many ways. The January issue of VSCNews magazine will explore biotechnology and the opportunities it holds. Kevin Folta, University of Florida (UF) professor, discusses what gene editing really means and the need for public support. He gives an overview of …
The Search for an Alternative Blueberry Chemical
By Breanna Kendrick Alternative chemicals are being researched to replace hydrogen cyanamide, a plant growth regulator that is used in Florida on blueberries to improve fruit earliness and develop more concentrated fruit set. Shinsuke Agehara, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences assistant professor at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm, is conducting research on …
Georgia Produce Industry Disappointed by U.S.-Mexico Trade Deal
A deal that could be the beginning of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) 2.0 was made between the United States and Mexico earlier this week. Although this may look good for NAFTA renegotiation talks, Georgia produce growers are not happy about the deal and what it could mean for NAFTA going forward. Charles Hall, executive director of the …
Selecting Herbicides for Stone Fruit
By Breanna Kendrick With perennial crops such as stone fruits, growers are limited in their weed management options because they can’t choose practices like crop rotation. Therefore, selection of proper herbicides is critical for effective weed control. Peter Dittmar, assistant professor with the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, specializes in weed …
Precision Application of Dry Fertilizer in Wild Blueberry Fields
By Arnold Schumann, Qamar Zaman, Hassan Chattha, Scott Read and Aitazaz Farooque The wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) is a perennial, shrubby, slow-growing plant that is native to northeastern North America. Commercial wild blueberry fields are developed by removing competing vegetation and debris from natural mixed forest, because they cannot be successfully planted. Establishment of a commercially productive field of wild …
Vegetable and Specialty Crop Seminars Pack a Punch
The 27th year of Citrus Expo is expected to be the biggest year yet with an added vegetable and specialty crop educational program. AgNet Media has always relied on University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences professionals to help create an informative program for growers. This year, Gene McAvoy, a regional vegetable Extension agent, led the efforts in …