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 …
Late Registration Looms for FFVA Convention
By Clint Thompson Late registration for this year’s Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) convention ends Aug. 30. The 77th annual convention is slated for Sept. 13-15 in Naples, Florida. FFVA President Mike Joyner said the organization is excited about this year’s event. “We are expecting just a great turnout. I think people are just really anxious to get out …
Another Scab Management Spray or Two Projected for Pecan Crop
By Clint Thompson Pecan producers in Alabama and Georgia need to stay vigilant with their scab management sprays this late in the production season. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist, said due to the crop lagging behind in development this year, growers will need to apply fungicides later than normal. “The crop is a little behind what …
How Citrus Tree Nutrition Has Changed During the HLB Era
Q&A with 2021 Citrus Achievement Award winner Larry Black yields his take on fertilizer programs, psyllid control, and the family co-op.
Whitefly Populations Increasing in Georgia
By Clint Thompson Whitefly populations are on the rise in South Georgia. While their numbers are not overwhelming, they have increased in recent weeks, says Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable specialist. “Whiteflies have increased over the last week or so, not dramatically, but they’ve obviously increased. Phillip (Roberts) tells me in cotton there’s not high numbers, but …
Registration Deadline Looms for Florida Tomato Conference
The registration deadline for the 2021 Florida Tomato Conference is Wednesday, Aug. 25. The event is scheduled for Sept. 8 at the LaBelle Civic Center in LaBelle, Florida. Registration is free for employees of Florida tomato growers/packers, sponsors, presenters and university affiliates. The cost for other attendees is $50. The event will start at 9 a.m. and conclude at 5 …
Sour Future: Florida Citrus Production Faces Further Decline
Source: Citrus Industry Florida orange and red grapefruit production, already at historically low levels, will likely decline for years, according to a leading citrus economist. Tom Spreen, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences professor emeritus, calculated Florida crop output through the 2031-32 season based on various yield and tree replacement assumptions. Oranges and red grapefruit are Florida’s …
Artificial Intelligence: UF Scientists Use AI to Predict Citrus Yield More Accurately
IMMOKALEE, Fla. – The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) helps citrus growers better forecast their production. So far, they’ve found in a University of Florida preliminary study, its technology predicts yields with 98% accuracy. That’s a substantial increase from the 75% to 85% accuracy growers get when they count their trees manually, said Yiannis Ampatzidis, a UF/IFAS associate professor of …
How to Prevent Accidentally Infesting Fields When Moving Equipment
Source: The South Carolina Grower From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath Most growers probably have heard that it’s possible to infest a “clean” (pathogen-free) field by moving soil on equipment. The question is how much infested soil is too much. The answer depends on the pathogen and where the soil is deposited. Some pathogens are present in the soil at …
Tropical System Could Impact Florida Vegetable Production
By Clint Thompson Vegetable and specialty crop producers are bracing for a potential tropical storm this weekend as Tropical Storm Fred churns towards the Gulf of Mexico. As University of Florida/IFAS Associate Professor in Horticultural Science Josh Freeman says, “ It’s part of doing business,” in Florida this time of year. “I think depending on where the track goes, it’s …