University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) reminds Florida producers about what blueberry management tactics they need to consider as the calendar turns to July. Growers should scout for algal stem blotch, a key disease in southern highbush blueberries. It can stunt growth and cause yellowing in leaves. Farmers should also monitor and manage leaf diseases. They …
UGA Expert’s Senate Testimony Calls for Predictable, Equitable Trade Policies
By Jordan Powers When visualizing the daily life of farmers, we often think of green fields, hardworking families and harvest time. Often missing from the picture of the modern American farmer is his daily concern with fuel and fertilizer prices, crop yields and trade issues. On June 9, Gopinath “Gopi” Munisamy, distinguished professor of agricultural marketing and interim head of …
Whiteflies Non-Existent So Far This Season
By Clint Thompson Insect pests normally thrive in hot and dry weather conditions. But whiteflies have yet to flourish this year, though conditions are ripe for infestations to take off, according to Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable entomologist. “Surprisingly, we have not had whiteflies yet. The hot and dry weather is perfect for them, but apparently, we …
Management Update for Spotted-Wing Drosophila
By Clint Thompson Even in a year when hot and dry weather conditions prevailed across the Southeast region, spotted-wing drosophila was still a problem for blueberry producers. Ash Sial, University of Georgia entomologist, discusses the challenging characteristics of the spotted-wing drosophila and what growers should remember for future seasons. “This is the unique thing about this pest is that dry …
Florida Tomato Season Recap
By Frank Giles The Florida tomato season is in the books. We asked Michael Schadler, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange, how the season went and what are the Exchange’s priorities heading into next year. Here’s what he had to say. How did the season go for your grower members? Schadler: From a production perspective, we had a …
Keeping Pecans Watered During Dry Weather
Temperatures may be high and dry conditions may be widespread across the Southeast, but pecan growers should not panic and apply too much water, according to the University of Georgia Extension pecan blog. Because pecan trees can adapt in extreme weather conditions, growers can continue on the normal recommended irrigation schedule and nuts will continue to size properly, says Lenny …
UF/IFAS Scientists Finding Grapes to Grow in Florida
Florida farmers and other businesspeople are bubbling with enthusiasm to make wine. There are about 40 wineries around Florida. As of 2017, growers in the Sunshine State were producing more than 1,500 acres of muscadine grapes. That’s a 74% increase in 10 years, and producers will be harvesting in July and August. To meet the increasing market for Florida-grown grapes, Ali Sarkhosh, …
Brix Addressed in Proposed U.S. Legislation
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida introduced the Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act. The legislation would direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lower the required Brix level of not-from-concentrate pasteurized orange juice from 10.5% to 10%. U.S. Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Stephanie Murphy, Kat Cammack, Daniel Webster, Maria Elvira Salazar, Darren Soto, Al …
Mating Disruptions for Grape Root Borer
By Clint Thompson Now is the time in the production season that grape root borer adults begin emerging. Growers need to implement mating disruption now as a management tactic, says Brett Blaauw, assistant professor at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in the UGA Extension Viticulture Blog. Grape root borers tunnel into larger roots and …
UF/IFAS Scientists Finding Grapes to Grow in Florida
Florida farmers and other businesspeople are bubbling with enthusiasm to make wine. There are about 40 wineries around Florida. As of 2017, growers in the Sunshine State were producing more than 1,500 acres of muscadine grapes. That’s a 74% increase in 10 years, and producers will be harvesting in July and August. To meet the increasing market for Florida-grown grapes, …