By Clint Thompson Overall disease pressure in North Florida watermelons remains low. A big reason for that is the lack of fusarium wilt. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) regional specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, believes the unseasonably warm weather conditions in late February and early March contributed to the lack of …
New App is Quick Reference for Perishable Transport Pros
FoodTransport, a new free smartphone application from University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) postharvest experts, provides brief but authoritative recommendations for shipping perishable foods via truck or rail. The user-friendly app is the next step in a years-long project that started in 2017 when UF/IFAS scientists began working to revise and digitize a USDA handbook last …
Inflation Could Reset Watermelon Industry
By Clint Thompson The current agricultural landscape has one South Georgia watermelon producer in survival mode. Instead of looking ahead five to 10 years down the road, Crisp County’s Greg Leger is taking it one season at a time. “How long can we sustain what’s happening right now? They’re not challenges that we haven’t faced in agriculture before. But we …
Plant Bug Alert for North Florida Watermelon Producers
By Clint Thompson Plant bugs are making their way into some watermelon fields in the North Florida region. Producers need to take action to avoid having a small population explode into a much larger one, according to Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “There’s spots where we’re …
North Florida Watermelon Producers: Manage Plant Bugs Now
By Clint Thompson Plant bugs are making their way into some watermelon fields in the North Florida region. Producers need to take action to avoid having a small population explode into a much larger one, according to Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “There’s spots where …
Last Chance to Preregister!
The last chance to preregister for the Florida Grower Citrus Show is Friday, April 7, at 12:00 p.m. Here is all you need to know before you go. Show Agenda Thursday, April 13 8:00 a.m. Registration begins/Breakfast served 9:00 a.m. General session begins 11:10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch break 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Concurrent citrus and vegetable sessions Tailgate …
Pheromones Helping Reduce Pest Populations
Citrus growers should emphasize leafminer management this year to preserve new flushes. This is especially important for those producers affected by the Christmas freeze event. The management strategy should include pheromone disruptions, which can help reduce pest populations. Xavier Martini, assistant professor of entomology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), …
Tips for Managing Summer Weeds
Summer is “a field day for weeds,” Ramdas Kanissery said in a March 29 presentation about weed control for citrus. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences assistant professor provided a progressive step-by-step approach to suppressing weeds during the summer. CONTROL EXISTING WEEDSGrowers can get off to a good start by controlling existing weeds with post-emergent herbicides. …
Pheromones Essential in Leafminer Management
By Clint Thompson Citrus growers should emphasize leafminer management this year to preserve new flushes. This is especially important for those producers affected by the Christmas freeze event. The management strategy should include pheromone disruptions, which can help reduce pest populations. Xavier Martini, assistant professor of entomology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research …
Disposal of Waste Pesticides Throughout South Carolina
COLUMBIA — The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) is offering South Carolina residents the opportunity to safely dispose of outdated, unusable or unwanted pesticides. The pesticide and chemical program is open to all private, commercial and non-commercial pesticide applicators in the state, as well as homeowners. SCDA staff will be on site to monitor pesticide collection and disposal and …