Weekly Field Update – 11/7/22 Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Strawberry plants have arrived in the last two weeks and are in the ground. Overall, plantings look good. One thing to consider is using overhead irrigation to …
Weevil Pest a Threat to Celery, Parsley
By Clint Thompson An emerging weevil pest is cause for concern for celery and parsley producers in South Florida. Julien Beuzelin, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor in entomology, discussed the impact that Listronotus sparsus could have on those two crops. It could stunt the growth of celery plants and cause a quality issue. …
Alabama Update: Growers Be Wary of Insect-Transmitted Diseases
By Clint Thompson The current drought-like conditions sweeping across the Southeast should have specialty crop producers wary of insect-transmitted virus diseases. The hot and dry weather favors pests like aphids and whiteflies. Growers should be concerned about subsequent diseases, says Ed Sikora, Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University. He discussed …
October Management Tips for Blueberries
Blueberry specialists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) remind growers about management options they need to be mindful of during October. Producers should monitor and manage leaf diseases, especially in evergreen systems. It is important to scout for algal stem blotch and selectively prune out canes infected with algal stem blotch, Botryosphaeria stem blight …
Whitefly Populations on Rise in Alabama Crops
By Clint Thompson Alabama cucurbit growers are already seeing increased whitefly populations in their fall crops. Whitefly-transmitted viruses are not far behind, says Ed Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the department of entomology and plant pathology at Auburn University. “My guess is with the number of whiteflies and with these crops we’ll start seeing symptoms with some of …
Transitioning Tips for Summer to Fall Vegetable Crops
By Ayanava Majumdar, Chip East and Eric Schavey The southeastern United States is the hotbed of insect and disease issues in vegetable crops. Growers constantly have to deal with not only established pest and weed issues, but also the invasive ones. Organic farming of vegetables is a challenge for producers everywhere in the United States, and the battle against insect …
Citrus Growers Stymied by Snails
By Clint Thompson Florida citrus growers can add bulimulus snails to their growing list of pest problems. The snails are challenging some citrus groves across the state, says Lauren Diepenbrock, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences assistant professor and entomologist. The Damage They Do While the bulimulus snails do not do much in terms of physical damage …
Rethinking the way we use botanical oil-based biopesticides
Specialty crop growers are always thinking long-term to prepare for upcoming production seasons. Insecticide resistance is a concern all growers have pertaining to specific pests. Will certain chemistries against certain insects continue to be effective years from now? Some farmers are already encountering resistance issues. Michael Hull, technical services manager at Kemin Crop Technologies, speaks with growers on this subject …
Potential Organophosphate Ban Latest Challenge for Vegetable Producers
By Clint Thompson First chlorpyrifos. Now, potentially, all organophosphate pesticides. What’s the next resource that the Environmental Protection Agency could be petitioned to take away from specialty crop producers? “At some point it becomes a threat to the food supply,” said Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia Extension vegetable entomologist. It’s a concern for Sparks, who believes carbamates could be next. …
Florida Growers Seeing Uptick in Stink Bug Problems
By Clint Thompson The stink bug has increasingly become problematic for Florida tomato growers. Not only must producers scout regularly to see if there are stink bugs in their fields, but they must also decipher what species is impacting their crops. That’s what makes controlling stink bugs such a challenge, says Amanda Hodges, an Extension scientist at the University of Florida …