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Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “South Florida”
By Clint Thompson The prolonged dry weather conditions in parts of Alabama have been conducive for insect populations to build up. One insect pest is a concern this time of year, especially for tomato growers, explains Paulo Gimenez Cremonez, Auburn Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist. “Right now, we are looking for some thrips,” Cremonez said. “They’re starting to show up …
By Clint Thompson Diversification is a key to Georgia’s citrus industry finding sustained success. But producers also need to pinpoint what they can specialize in. It needs to be a couple of specific varieties, emphasizes Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association and member of the Georgia Citrus Commission. “We want people to diversify to have a larger …
By Clint Thompson Current dry conditions in the Southeast are not expected to improve in the short term, which is challenging news for producers who are preparing to plant or currently are planting their crops. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released its spring outlook for climate conditions. Southeast growers must be aware that the prolonged drought may …
In this month’s sneak peek, the April issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights Florida fourth-generation farmer BJ Wilkerson and how his farming family seeks to solve the sustainability puzzle. Wilkerson is based in Gilchrist County, grows watermelon and attributes long-term sustainability to multiple factors like crop diversification, crop rotation and grafting watermelon plants to combat fusarium wilt disease. The …
By Clint Thompson Plant source remains the best way for Southeast strawberry producers to manage neopestalotiopsis (Neo). Growers who obtained plants from nurseries with histories of Neo contamination have observed the disease this year. Those producers who got plants from disease-free nurseries out west have enjoyed Neo-free production seasons, says Phil Brannen, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension fruit disease …
Growers Gather To Tackle Crop Threats and Safety Standards By Clint Thompson and Frank Giles The Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference convened in January in Savannah, Georgia. The Savannah Convention Center, where the event is held, recently expanded, so attendees had a bigger trade show to enjoy. The conference provides more than 80 hours of educational programming on specialty …
By Clint Thompson One of the most devastating watermelon diseases in the Southeast can be overcome. But it comes with a high cost for growers. Fusarium wilt is an annual problem that North Florida and South Georgia watermelon producers must contend with every year. Some growers are resorting to grafted plants in hopes of overcoming the disease. Grafting is a …
By Clint Thompson Choanephora rot is a fungal disease that causes a soft, wet rot on plants. It thrives in warm, humid conditions and is recognized by a fuzzy, “hairy” or pinhead-like fungal growth on infected areas. Where Is It? Choanephora rot is native to tropical and subtropical Asia and parts of Africa. The disease was first documented in the …
Florida citrus producers have long used copper as a way to protect against citrus canker. However, it’s time for growers to have other options. That’s a message shared by Ozgur Batuman, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor and citrus pathologist at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. He spoke on this …
The Georgia Citrus Association celebrated its 10th anniversary at its recent annual meeting. Much has changed in the industry over the past decade, specifically how growers have diversified their production to include more than just satsuma mandarins. “The industry was initially built on satsumas, being that they’re cold hardy, so that is still the majority of the varieties in Georgia,” …
