Temperatures are increasing across Florida. Unfortunately, so is the risk for citrus greening disease. While the southern and central portions of the state remain vulnerable to Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening, and Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) – the vectors that cause the most economically damaging citrus disease in the world – growers in North Florida and South Georgia are still …
Watermelon Field Day in North Florida
University of Florida/IFAS will host a Watermelon Field Day on Monday, May 3 at Watson’s Farm in Levy County. The event will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a dinner to follow. Mark Warren, UF/IFAS Extension agent in Levy County, will discuss nutritional management as part of an BMP program. Bob Hochmuth, the UF Regional Specialized Extension …
So Far So Good for Florida Peach Crop
So far, so good for Florida’s peach crop. According to Jose Chaparro, UF/IFAS Associate Professor in the Horticultural Sciences Department, the peach season is going well throughout the state. “This has been really the best spring season we’ve had in a few years,” Chaparro said. “We got adequate chilling. We have good weather, and we haven’t had too much rain. …
Secret Weapon? AI Could Help Strawberry Farmers against Twospotted Spider Mite
Artificial intelligence (AI) maybe the secret weapon in strawberry farmers’ fight against the twospotted spider mite. University of Florida scientists have developed a smartphone application to detect the annual pest of Florida strawberries. If farmers could detect the pest quicker, they could utilize lower levels of chemicals that could otherwise harm the environment. For Example For a 50-acre farm, every …
Sneak Peek: May 2021 VSCNews Magazine
By Ashley Robinson The future of weed control is here. The May issue of VSCNews Magazine provides the inside scoop on all things weed control. First up, Yiannis Ampatzidis, an assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) covers the future of precision weed control. …
Impact: UF Study Focuses on How Soil Health Impacts Citrus, Other Tree Crops
How can changes in soil health impact citrus and other sub-tropical tree crops? That’s a question UF/IFAS researchers hope to answer in a four-year, $500,000 project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Specifically, they will examine how quickly soil health can change in Florida’s sub-tropical sandy soils and how changes in the soil’s …
Alert: Florida Watermelon Producers Wary of Increased Disease Pressure
Rainfall over the weekend in north Florida has watermelon producers wary of potential diseases that could potentially occur. Bob Hochmuth, UF/IFAS Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, cautions farmers to look for any new symptoms that could occur. “Most of our fungicides are in fact preventative. Trying to play catch-up with a preventative fungicide after a disease has …
New Chair: Gunter to Lead UF Horticulture Programs
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will soon have a new chair of the Horticultural Sciences Department. Christopher Gunter will join UF/IFAS, with an official start date of June 7. Gunter will lead experts and programs specialize in research, plant breeding and genetics, fruit and vegetable production and related disciplines that continue …
Rainy Forecast: Florida to Receive Heavy Rains This Weekend
Florida is on track to receive heavy rainfall thunderstorm activity through this weekend, says Gary England, UF/IFAS Extension Agent Emeritus. In his email, England alerted producers that the main precipitation accumulation is expected Saturday through early next week, mainly Monday and Tuesday. Most of north and north central Florida could receive at least two inches of rainfall with some locations …
AI: UF Researchers Using Artificial Intelligence to Study Nematodes
Artificial intelligence (AI) may help Florida producers combat one of the most destructive pests farmers encounter every year. University of Florida (UF) scientists are using AI to identify parasitic nematodes more rapidly. Some nematodes live in the ground and harm plants, while others are beneficial. It is important to distinguish which ones are which, said Peter DiGennaro, a UF/IFAS assistant …