By Clint Thompson The secret to Florida blueberry growers’ future success may rest with the advancement of mechanical harvesters. Especially as producers try to compete with rising imports amid the disparity between labor wages, farmers need the advantage of not having to depend on H-2A workers to harvest their crops. Doug Phillips, University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and …
Fumigation a StopGap Measure for Fusarium Wilt, Nematodes in Tomatoes
By Clint Thompson Fumigation remains a key component of a Florida tomato grower’s management program for nematodes and fusarium wilt disease. It is just not the silver bullet. Gary Vallad, professor of Plant Pathology at the UF/IFAS GCREC, stresses that fumigation programs that producers implement are just a stopgap measure until resistant varieties are developed. “This is something we’ve been …
Florida Blueberry Growers Remain Cautiously Optimistic
By Clint Thompson Increased blueberry imports may have snatched away some of Florida growers’ market share, but they haven’t taken away the producers’ optimistic outlook. That’s evident with some of the larger growers establishing new plantings, says Doug Phillips, University of Florida/IFAS Blueberry Extension Coordinator. “I would say from a market perspective, imports into the U.S. continue to be a …
Artificial Intelligence: Could Be Secret Weapon for Florida Tomato Producers
By Clint Thompson The Florida tomato industry struggles to stay afloat amid rising imports and a decreasing labor force. Artificial iIntelligence (AI) may be the secret weapon to help Florida growers combat these significant challenges, says Nathan Boyd, Associate Center Director of the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center and Professor of Horticulture and Weed Science. “Production wise, it’s …
Registration Underway for Florida Ag Expo
By Clint Thompson Registration is underway for this year’s Florida Ag Expo, scheduled for Nov. 18 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) in Wimauma, Florida. Florida Ag Expo is a partnership between AgNet Media, Inc. and the UF/IFAS. Vegetable and specialty crop producers interested in attending can …
Update on Hop Variety Trials, Breeding
By Zhanao Deng, Shinsuke Agehara, Hugh Smith, Gary Vallad, Johan Desaeger, Zhengfei Guan, Jack Rechcigl and Simon Bollin In 2015, the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) began field trials to grow hops in Central Florida. A research and Extension team consisting of approximately 20 faculty and staff members (Figure …
Why This Lifelong Citrus Grower Is Taking a Deep Dive Into Regenerative Agriculture
Brad Turner has a passion for learning. His new focus: alternative means of growing Florida’s signature crop.
Sanitation Remains Key in Whitefly Control
By Clint Thompson Sanitation of vegetable crops susceptible to whiteflies remains a key management strategy for Florida producers. Hugh Smith, an associate professor of entomology and nematology at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, encourages growers to clean up their fields properly following harvest to reduce the risk of feeding damage and potential viruses. “If you don’t make …
Weed Management with Fumigants
By Nathan Boyd Fumigants are the cornerstone of pest management programs in most high-intensity plasticulture production systems. They are used to manage soil-borne pathogens, nematodes and weeds. Fumigants have been broadly adopted because they reduce pest populations prior to crop establishment and provide a means to control pests for which there are no other viable alternatives. In addition, fumigants enable …
Sanitation Key for Whitefly Management in Tomatoes
By Clint Thompson Planting season is under way for Florida’s tomato producers. Hopefully, farmers have done their due diligence and planned for whiteflies with proper sanitation of previous crops. That is one of the best management tactics growers can implement, says Hugh Smith, Associate Professor of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. …











