December 10, 2020 By: Samantha Murray, grenrosa@ufl.edu, 949-735-1076 GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Chew on this the next time you eat a blueberry: Every single blueberry is the result of a flower that was pollinated by a bee. In other words: no buzz, no berry. With that in mind, it’s no wonder blueberry growers bring in hives of honey bees or bumble …
UF/IFAS-Developed Blueberry App to Help Growers Battle Diseases, Pests
By: Brad Buck, bradbuck@ufl.edu, 352-875-2641 (cell) A new University of Florida app will help the state’s blueberry growers identify and manage disease and insect injuries commonly encountered in Florida before their crop is ruined. Collectively, blueberries are a $60 million-per-year crop in Florida. Patricio Munoz, the UF/IFAS blueberry breeder and an assistant professor of horticultural sciences, came up with the …
Managing Root-Knot Nematodes in Vegetables
By Johan Desaeger Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are one of the most rapidly spreading of all pests and pathogens. The southeastern United States (Florida, in particular) is a paradise for these parasites. Nematodes cause damage to vegetables all over the world, and anyone who has had to deal with root-knot nematodes knows how difficult they are to control. Root-knot nematode …
UF/IFAS Findings Show Less Need for Pesticide to Control Strawberry Pest
By: Brad Buck, 352-875-2641 (cell), bradbuck@ufl.edu It’s harvest season for Florida’s $300 million-per-year strawberry season, so those who grow this fruit need help to control pests such as the tiny (up to 2-millimeters long), destructive chilli thrips. Farmers often use pesticides to control thrips, but they would like to use minimal chemicals. University of Florida scientists may have found a …
Four to Join Citrus Hall of Fame
The Florida Citrus Hall of Fame will induct four new members in 2021. They are John L. Jackson of Sorrento, Florida; the late Lew J. Prosser of Plant City, Florida; Adam H. Putnam of Memphis, Tennessee; and Steven D. “Steve” Sorrells of Arcadia, Florida. They will be inducted during a luncheon tentatively scheduled for Nov. 5 at Florida Southern College …
December 2020 Final Outlook Shows No Strong Trend
According to the UGA Extension Climate and Agriculture blog, the NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released the latest 30-day climate outlook on Monday. It shows that there is no strong trend towards warmer or colder conditions in December except in southern Florida. Early December will be colder than normal. It is still expected to be warmer than normal in late December. …
Uncertainties for 2021 Growing Season
While 2020 is nearly in the books, farmers are looking ahead to 2021 with the same outlook of uncertainty they had this year following the coronavirus outbreak in March. There’s uncertainty regarding COVID-19 and a risk of not knowing if there will be another nationwide shutdown that could lead to more market disruptions like the ones that impacted Florida farmer …
Sneak Peek: December 2020 VSCNews Magazine
By Ashley Robinson Georgia growers may recognize the man on the cover of the December issue of VSCNews Magazine. Stanley Culpepper, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension Weed Agronomist, has more than two decades of experience working with vegetable crops. Learn more about Culpepper’s expertise and his impact on the vegetable industry in the magazine. Also discussed in the magazine are …
Why You Should Re-Check Your Citrus Fertility Recommendations
Updates have been made to the ‘Nutrition of Florida Citrus Trees’ manual from UF/IFAS. Learn how it reflects a new thinking since HLB’s arrival.
La Nina a Concern for Fruit, Vegetable Producers
A La Nina weather pattern is expected to last through early spring and bring warm and dry conditions to the Southeast. According to the Climate and Agriculture in the Southeast blog, Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension Agricultural Climatologist, said that the NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center predicts a 100% chance of a La Nina through the winter and better than …