By Clint Thompson The May issue of Specialty Crop Industry Magazine highlights management options available for blueberry farmers in combating anthracnose fruit rot (AFR). Philip Harmon, professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), and Doug Phillips, UF/IFAS blueberry Extension coordinator, discuss the different options available for blueberry farmers. These include minimizing the use of …
Peach Production Management Strategies
By Clint Thompson Peaches’ popularity in Florida continues to bloom, but the crop has its production challenges in the Sunshine State. That’s why days like Tuesday’s Stone Fruit Field Day at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Plant Science Research and Education Unit in Citra, Florida, are so vital to the industry’s future. Whether it was …
How to Manage Botrytis in Strawberries
By Clint Thompson Botrytis gray mold is an annual disease of strawberry producers. It may continue to worsen the more resistant it becomes to certain fungicides. Ed Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University, said he and other colleagues have examined strawberry fields for more than a year. In about …
Powdery Mildew Detected in North Florida Watermelon
By Clint Thompson Lab testing has confirmed powdery mildew disease in watermelon in the Suwanee Valley region of Florida. Growers should be proactive in beginning their fungicide spray programs, says Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “We got the first confirmation, and it was very good …
N.C. State’s Suchoff to Lead New Hemp Research Consortium
David Suchoff, North Carolina (N.C.) State assistant professor of alternative crops, was selected as the director of the new Hemp Research Consortium, initially funded by the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) for up to $2.5 million. The consortium is a public-private partnership designed to align research-intensive and land grant universities’ research efforts with the hemp industry. The venture …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Weekly Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide crop updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Some welcome rainfall last week will help establish cucumbers and watermelon. Cucumber beetles are present in a large number of fields at present. While this is the first flux of the …
Starting in Strawberries? Input Expenses Costly but Reward is Potentially Great
By Clint Thompson Strawberries have the potential to be a lucrative commodity for interested specialty crop producers. But they can also be extremely expensive to grow. Farmers need to understand the investment before diving head first into the industry next season, says Jessie Rowan, Alabama regional Extension agent, who specializes in commercial horticulture and farm and agribusiness management. “To me, …
Sweet Corn Production: Yields Up, Market Down
By Clint Thompson John L. Hundley, veteran farmer and newest member of the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame, produced a quick response when asked how sweet corn production has treated growers this year. “Production’s going good, the marketing isn’t,” Hundley said. “That’s the summary. Nothing else I can tell you other than that.” That’s all growers and consumers need to …
#EveryBiteCounts: New Marketing Campaign Highlights Domestically Grown Produce
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association’s new consumer-focused social media marketing campaign, #EveryBiteCounts, continues the organization’s effort to educate consumers about the importance of supporting local farmers. With the hashtag #EveryBiteCounts, the goal is to educate consumers about the impact of purchasing in-season domestically grown fruits and vegetables, says Chris Butts, executive vice president of the …
North Florida Watching for Powdery Mildew
By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon farmers and industry leaders have yet to see a widespread attack of any one disease, such as powdery mildew. But they are paying close attention to the plants that are in the ground. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) regional specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, is …