By Breanna Kendrick Cory Penca, a speaker at the recent Stone Fruit Field Day, covered lots of pests that are potentially devastating to peach growers. Penca is an entomology Ph.D. candidate and a student in the Doctor of Plant Medicine Program at the University of Florida. The last pest he discussed at the event was the two-spotted spider mite. Mites …
Drones: Decision-Making Tools for Weed Management
By Ramdas Kanissery, Aditya Singh and Jim Fletcher Effective weed management in the field is one of many operational challenges faced by farmers across vegetable production systems. Spraying herbicide on emerged weeds, often termed as post-emergent sprays or burn-down applications, is essential for row-middle (inter-row) vegetation control in commercial vegetable production. EFFICACY EVALUATION Spray programs are usually conducted early in …
Jack Payne on New SWFREC Director
By Jack Payne, jackpayne@ufl.edu, @JackPayneIFAS Kelly Morgan is a more reliable water source than rain is. You don’t know when or if you’ll get water from the sky, but what Morgan can teach you makes every drop you have go farther. His focus on the farmer as customer is what has made him so successful as the state’s best management …
Phil Stansly to Discuss Whiteflies at Citrus Expo
Whiteflies vector diseases that can deteriorate crops and drastically reduce yield. Whiteflies have proven to be a major pest in Florida tomatoes and cucurbits. According to Stansly, whiteflies can cause severe problems in tomatoes. “You can have irregular ripening, so even if you’re using a variety that’s resistant to the viruses, you can still run into trouble if the populations …
Using Peach History to Aid the Future
By Breanna Kendrick Without the accumulated knowledge and development of peach rootstocks, the Florida peach industry would not be where it is at today. There are still many challenges facing peach growers, but with the experience of people like Tom Beckman, who has 30 years of peach research under his belt, solutions will be found in the near future. Beckman …
UF ‘Dream Team’ Plans to Change Face of South Florida Ag, Natural Resources
Contact: Beverly James, 352-273-3566, beverlymjames@ufl.edu HOMESTEAD, Fla. – They don’t wear capes and tights, but the new University of Florida (UF) faculty members hope their research will help grow the state’s agriculture and natural resources, and stave off enemies that threaten industry. The eight scientists, based at the Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC) in Homestead, Florida, are bringing new …
Mechanical Strawberry Harvester Could Solve Labor Shortage
Labor continues to be a pressing issue for southeastern agriculture. However, in Florida, new technology on the horizon may offer a glimmer of hope. Gary Wishnatzki, owner of Wish Farms and co-founder of Harvest CROO Robotics, is working to create a mechanical harvester that could revolutionize the strawberry industry. LOOKING AHEAD TO LABOR Wishnatzki said he started seeing changes in …
Georgia Farmers Enjoying Improved Peach Crop
Last year, the peach crop in Georgia really suffered. But according to Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Taylor and Peach counties, this year’s crop has rebounded following colder temperatures this past December and January. In an article written by Clint Thompson, news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and …
Sneak Peek: July VSCNews Magazine
The July issue of VSCNews magazine explores new technologies emerging in the field. Charles Barrett, an Extension agent with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), discusses his research with soil moisture sensors and how this technology can help improve irrigation practices. Precision application of fertilizer is on the horizon. UF/IFAS professor Arnold Schumann and his …
Managing Spider Mites in Florida Strawberries
As two-spotted spider mites continue to be a serious issue in Florida strawberry fields, Justin Renkema, former assistant professor at the University of Florida, has been working with his colleagues to figure out where these spider mites come from and how best to manage them. He has conducted spider mite research over the past two strawberry seasons. Renkema presented his …