By Breanna Kendrick Varroa mites have been in the United States since 1987, but there’s still not a good solution for controlling them. These mites impact honeybee colonies by feeding on the bees and vectoring viruses. The mites pass viruses around the colonies and make the bees very sick. Varroa control is tricky because the goal is to kill an …
Certified Crop Advisors Experience the Diversity of Florida Ag
Certified Crop Advisors (CCA) from around the United States and Canada gathered in Bonita Springs, Florida, this week for their annual board meeting. The meetings began on Sept. 18, but several attendees arrived a day early to embark on a tour of South Florida agriculture. Armando Campos, chairmen of the North American CCA board, says he wanted to showcase the …
University of Florida Aims to Improve Sweet Corn
By Breanna Kendrick There’s been a lot of advances in using genomics to help improve plant breeding. Most of the advances in corn have focused on field corn, but now researchers are aiming to improve sweet corn. Mark Settles, University of Florida (UF) horticultural sciences professor, and his team are working to find new traits for sweet corn growers and …
GMOs vs. Cowpea Curculios
By Breanna Kendrick A big issue growers in the Southeast are facing is a weevil called cowpea curculio. This New World insect is very harsh on Old World peas, such as cowpeas. Insects are typically controlled with an insecticide, but this particular weevil has become resistant to many insecticides and can devastate a crop. Cowpea curculio is so hard on …
Putting Florida Peaches in the Spotlight
Believe it or not, many consumers and retailers do not know that peaches are grown in Florida. However, thanks to a Specialty Crop Block Grant, the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation (FSCF) and Fresh From Florida (FFF) are working to raise awareness of Florida peaches. FSCF initially received the grant in 2017. After two successful seasons, the grant has been extended …
UF Study: Buyers Want Environmentally Safe Strawberry Production
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — As buyers browse strawberry packages at the supermarket, they might see labels such as “organically grown” or “locally grown.” But they’d also like to know if the fruit was produced in a way that preserves the environment, a new University of Florida (UF) study shows. Consumers say they’ll pay more for strawberries grown in a manner that …
Technology Increases Productivity
By Breanna Kendrick Some of the biggest advances in agricultural production happen due to technology. Kati Migliaccio, professor and chair of the Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) Department at the University of Florida, focuses on some of the technology used to improve crops and how it helps get food from the field to the table. Engineers in the ABE department …
Alabama’s Produce Industry on a Growth Path
The Alabama fruit and vegetable industry has seen some tremendous increases over the past decade. Ayanava Majumdar, Extension entomologist with Auburn University, chalks this increase up to a growing population in Alabama. Currently, fruit and vegetable production takes up about 7,000 acres of Alabama’s landscape. The industry is valued at about $161 million with a value-added production of about $103 …
Citrus Expo Presentations Now Available
The 27th annual Citrus Expo saw great success as growers piled into the Lee Civic Center on Aug. 15–16 in North Fort Myers, Florida. Growers experienced the biggest trade show in Expo history, as well as newly added vegetables and specialty crops seminar sessions. The educational program, titled “Planting Tomorrow’s Profits,” featured presentations on the latest research from the University …
UF Researchers Seek to Develop Tastier Mangos
Mangos make for a tasty, nutritious snack or side dish. To help meet consumer demand for more flavorful mangos without grit or fibrous flesh, University of Florida (UF) scientists will try to identify superior varieties so mango producers can choose the best types of the fruit to grow in the Sunshine State. Some South Florida farmers already grow mangos, but …