According to the UGA Extension blog, Pam Knox, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agricultural Climatologist, said the impacts for the Southeast from soon-to-be Hurricane Delta remain the same, with the biggest effects in Alabama, western Georgia and western end of the Florida Panhandle. A stronger storm means that storm surge along the coast is likely to be higher than it …
Water War Arguments to be Held ‘In Due Course’
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday indicated it will hear oral arguments in the long-running water battle between Florida and Georgia but did not specify when. The court issued an order that said the dispute is “set for oral argument in due course.” The case involves divvying up water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system, which stretches from northern Georgia to …
COVID-19 risk factors vary by farm workers’ legal status; shows need for tailored measures
University of Florida/IFAS As laborers return to the fields this fall in Florida, both unauthorized workers and those authorized to plant and pick crops through a guest worker visa are vulnerable to the coronavirus. In fact, an estimated 75% of Florida crop workers have at least one underlying health issue that puts them at risk of developing COVID-19 complications, new …
Breeding Better Cucurbits
By Cecilia McGregor and George Boyhan Cucurbit crops are some of the most widely grown vegetable crops in the Southeast. However, the hot and humid climate is conducive to pest and disease development, which presents a challenge to growers. Cucurbit breeding at the University of Georgia (UGA) is focused on breeding pumpkin, watermelon and squash with excellent fruit quality and …
Hop Stunt Viroid Infecting Citrus Trees in Georgia
According to UGA Extension IPM blog, hop stunt viroid has been discovered in Georgia. Citrus production in Georgia is rapidly increasing each year. There are citrus plantings in backyards, production, and plant nurseries within at least 32 GA counties. The growth of citrus in Georgia is only expected to increase over time. However, there are some threats to expansion. Citrus …
Fungicide Resistance a Growing Problem in Strawberries
Fungicide resistance in strawberries is a major problem, says University of Georgia Cooperative Extension plant pathologist Phil Brannen. He encourages producers to help researchers understand which fungicides are still active and provide protection against diseases like anthracnose and botrytis. “(Fungicide resistance) has really come to the forefront in the last few years. In the last two or three years, we …
New AI Technology ‘Agroview’ Named UF Invention of the Year
September 23, 2020 By: Brad Buck, 813-757-2224, bradbuck@ufl.edu Yiannis Ampatzidis and his research team combined their collective minds to find the artificial intelligence technology to best help farmers save money and better care for their crops. Out of that process, they invented a system known as Agroview. The system utilizes images from drones and satellites and from the ground – …
Tropics Continue to be Active
According to the UGA Extension Climate and Agriculture blog, the tropics continue to be active with different systems expected to impact the Southeast this week. Pam Knox, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agricultural Climatologist, said the latest map shows several tropical centers of activity. Wilfred has declined to a tropical depression and should not be a threat to anyone. Alpha …
New NIFA-Funded Research to Examine Cover Crops in Organic Vegetable Production Systems
By: Kirsten Romaguera, 352-294-3313, kromaguera@ufl.edu The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture just announced funding for a project comprising an interdisciplinary team from the University of Florida. The three-year project, “Quantifying the nitrogen cycling benefits of different cover crops across different Florida organic vegetable production systems,” received a $496,271 grant as part of USDA-NIFA’s Organic Agriculture …
As Organic Food Sales Soar, Growers Look to Essential Oils to Suppress Pests, Diseases
By: Brad Buck, 813-757-2224, bradbuck@ufl.edu, 352-875-2641 (cell) Organic food sales topped $50 billion in the United States in 2018. Statistics from the Organic Trade Association tell part of the story of this growing market: Fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops combined to make up 36.3% of total organic sales — up 5.6% from the previous year. Naturally, farmers want to …