Trees in the Sweet Valley Citrus region have been in high demand in recent years. Plantings of satsuma mandarins and other citrus varieties have steadily risen the past few years in Georgia, Alabama and North Florida. That steady climb is expected to stall this year, however. Following the Christmas freeze event that rattled the industry in the Southeast in December 2022, growers …
Florida Blueberry Harvests Should Begin Soon
By Clint Thompson Blueberry harvests are only days away for some growers in Florida. Location will determine when producers will start harvesting fruit, believes Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator. “Some places will start picking early March, depending on the location. Some of the South Florida farms that didn’t have a …
UF/IFAS Shares Pest Management Findings
Foliar sprays of insecticides timed to citrus flushing provided a significant reduction in Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) populations compared to standard pest management practices, researcher Jawwad Qureshi reported. Timing sprays to flushing also led to a reduction in sprays, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor of entomology said in a virtual presentation on Feb. 22. Qureshi …
Low Supply, High Prices for Tomatoes
By Clint Thompson Tomato prices are high right now for producers. They should be able to take advantage for a couple of more weeks, if they have a crop. “If” is the operative word, because supply is low. Bob Spencer, president of West Coast Tomato in Palmetto, Florida, attributes the low supply to the Christmas freeze event. Growers experienced significant …
BMP Highlights at UF/IFAS Workshop
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted a water and nutrient management workshop at the Citrus Research and Education Center in mid-February. In addition to seminars, a grove tour was provided to demonstrate a nutrient-rate trial currently underway at the center. Kelly Morgan, UF/IFAS professor of crop nutrition, spoke on recent activity to update citrus best management …
You’re Invited to The Florida Grower Citrus Show Tailgate Party
The game has officially changed! The Florida Grower tailgate party during the Florida Grower Citrus Show is the Indian River’s newest most anticipated event. It will feature a smorgasbord of mouthwatering eats, America’s favorite tailgate game and more than 50 exhibitors! Now under AgNet Media management, the Florida Grower Citrus Show is introducing a fun new format for the event. …
Blueberry Alert: Better to be Proactive Instead of Reactive When Managing Fruit Rots
By Clint Thompson Disease management is crucial to blueberry growers producing a viable crop. But producers need to know what diseases are problematic in their fields. “Scouting is critical to know what diseases you have and also to know what diseases you’ve had in the past. That’s often a good predictor of what you’re going to have in the future. …
Ag Leader: Everybody Jockeying for Position Has Complicated Labor Issue
By Clint Thompson The agricultural labor issue should not be as complicated as legislators are making it out to be. That’s the belief shared by Jimmy Parnell, president of the Alabama Farmers Federation. Specialty crop producers need a seasonal labor force. Citizens of other countries want to work. It’s a match made in agricultural heaven. “There’s a large group of …
Producers Beware: Downy Mildew Disease a Threat for Vidalia Onions
By Clint Thompson Increased rainfall and extended periods of leaf wetness means conditions have improved for downy mildew disease in Vidalia onions. Growers should be wary of the disease as harvest season draws near, said Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension vegetable plant pathologist. “We always monitor downy mildew and the weather conditions that favor downy mildew. We follow …
Why There Is a Lack of HLB in Georgia
HLB has yet to become a major problem for Georgia’s citrus producers. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, attributes the disease’s lack of presence in Georgia’s commercial groves to multiple factors. “It still comes down to the fact that, number one, you don’t see symptoms for a while. A lot of our trees are young,” Oliver says. …