By Karla Arboleda Desirable pepper qualities for consumers include taste, color and spice. And for growers, that list includes nematode resistance. Bala “Saba” Rathinasabapathi, professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services, is breeding seeds to give consumers the best peppers possible. His lab takes an angle toward quality improvement and working with …
EPA Registers Long-Term Uses of Sulfoxaflor While Ensuring Strong Pollinator Protection
Registration provides benefits to growers and is supported by strong science that shows minimal risks for pollinators. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a long-term approval for the insecticide sulfoxaflor— an effective tool to control challenging pests with fewer environmental impacts. After conducting an extensive risk analysis, including the review of one of the agency’s largest datasets on …
Fusarium Wilt Management in Watermelons
By Karla Arboleda Watermelons this season have suffered through the hot weather, and researchers in Jackson County, Florida, have been seeing mixed results with fusarium wilt management. Josh Freeman, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor of horticultural sciences, works on how to deal with the watermelon disease. “It’s really the primary soilborne disease that growers …
New Tool to Navigate the H-2A Program
Navigating the H-2A program can be confusing and cumbersome. But, thanks to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), growers applying to the program now have a new tool in the form of an interactive H-2A checklist. According to Kaveh Sadeghzadeh, deputy director of communications for USDA farm production and conservation, “The H-2A checklist tool is the first phase of an …
2019 Legislative Sessions Wrap-Up
The 2019 legislative sessions in Florida, Georgia and Alabama have officially ended. Each year, agriculture advocates from all three states work tirelessly to fight for their industry. This article serves as a summary of how agriculture fared in the Florida, Georgia and Alabama sessions. Florida: Some Success, but More Work to Be Done By Adam Basford Going into the 2019 …
New Watermelon Rootstock Proves Pest, Disease Resistant
By Karla Arboleda Southeastern watermelon growers have struggled with fusarium wilt and nematodes for decades. A new rootstock may be the light at the end of the tunnel. Carolina Strongback, a new watermelon rootstock, is resistant toward fusarium wilt and nematodes. Researchers developed the watermelon line at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Clemson University. They …
Agriculture Advancements Get Boost from Technology Advocate
By Karla Arboleda Nikolas Badminton says he has spent his career helping the world move forward by adopting technology. As CEO of Exponential Minds, a company that helps people invest in advanced technologies, Badminton sees plenty of opportunity to work with growers. “We’ve got more data than we’ve ever had before,” he says. Badminton summarizes information he presented at the …
Managing Southern Blight in the Southeast
By Gary Vallad Southern blight is a severe disease of vegetables that favors warm and wet weather common to production in the Southeast. The disease is caused by the soilborne fungus Athelia rolfsii (synonymous with Sclerotium rolfsii), which has a broad host range of over 1,200 plants. Since the phaseout of methyl bromide, outbreaks of southern blight have increased on …
How to Deal with Blueberries in Summer
By Karla Arboleda Summer weather is in full swing in affecting Florida crops, and blueberries are no exception. During the summer, algal stem blotch can dominate blueberry fields if not handled quickly and properly. Doug Phillips, blueberry Extension coordinator for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, explains the important steps to take. “In the summer when …
Florida Meetings Increase Hemp Hype
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) recently held a series of workshops on the status of an industrial hemp industry in Florida. Since the passage of the 2018 farm bill, growers throughout the state have been wondering how and when they can begin producing the crop. The question-and-answer meetings were designed to address uncertainties and introduce a …