By Nicholas S. Dufault It has been more than 120 years since an unknown watermelon wilt disease was observed to cause heavy losses in the southern United States. The re-emergence of this disease, identified as fusarium wilt (FW) caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon), has led to a need for alternative control practices. MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Numerous …
Sneak Peek: May 2020 VSCNews Magazine
By Ashley Robinson The May issue of VSCNews Magazine targets the best pest management practices for growers. Researchers from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are already looking ahead and making plans to see what more can be learned about growing hemp in Florida, as they reach the midpoint of their pilot project. Lourdes Rodriguez, …
Georgia Farmer Thinking Inside the Box
By Clint Thompson One South Georgia farmer is thinking inside the box when it comes to moving this year’s fruit and vegetable crop. Like his brethren in Florida, Bill Brim’s farming operation has been impacted by the orders of self-quarantine amid the current coronavirus pandemic. The lack of a foodservice market led to a sharp decline in demand for fresh …
Watch out for Invasive Species
By Clint Thompson The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants help in identifying invasive species that threaten our food supply and cause plant diseases. Especially since April is designated “Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month” Samantha Simon, USDA’s Executive Director of Emergency and Domestic Programs, says invasive species can threaten agriculture and many farming operations, especially in the …
N.C. State Specialist: Bumper Crop in Strawberries This Year
By Clint Thompson The country’s No. 3 state in strawberry production is expecting a “bumper crop” this year, according to Mark Hoffmann, North Carolina State small fruits Extension specialist. “If the weather holds up, it’s going to be one of the best strawberry years in a long time,” Hoffmann said. “It’s a bumper crop right now.” Hoffmann made the comments …
Farmers Markets Still Option for Produce Growers
By Clint Thompson Produce farmers in the Southeast are struggling with markets that have disappeared because of the loss of restaurants and closure of schools amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But Max Runge, Extension specialist in agricultural economics and rural sociology at Auburn University, believes farmers markets remain a viable option for fruit and vegetable growers, especially those who operate …
Farmers Need to Beef up Security During Desperate Times
By Clint Thompson Farmers need to beef up their security amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to Gene McAvoy, Associate Director for Stakeholder Relations for the University of Florida IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. As unemployment continues to skyrocket across the country, this often leads to an increase in theft instances. McAvoy said farmers are vulnerable right now since …
Citrus Farmer: Crop not a Cure-All but Definitely Money-Making Opportunity
By Clint Thompson A farmer in north Florida is excited about the potential of citrus in the South Georgia-North Florida region. Kim Jones, who owns a citrus packing facility in Monticello, Florida and is part-owner of a similar facility that will soon open in Tifton, Georgia, believes citrus will be the alternative crop producers are looking for to stabilize their …
Managing Mite Populations in Blueberries
By Ashley Robinson Several mite species have been reported as pests of Florida blueberries. According to Oscar Liburd, professor of entomology at the University of Florida (UF), southern red mites and false spider mites are especially high on growers’ radars this year. SOUTHERN RED MITES Currently, there is little known about the management of southern red mites in southern …
Fruit and Vegetable Producers Already Feeling Effects of Pandemic
By Clint Thompson President Trump signed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) into law on Friday to help provide some financial relief to Americans and jumpstart the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. Monetary help may be on the way for fruit and vegetable growers in the Southeast, but the effects of the pandemic have already …