By Clint Thompson The extreme heat this summer nearly took its toll on farmer Bill Brim’s specialty crops. The persistent rains the past couple of weeks definitely did. Bill Brim, part owner of Lewis Taylor Farms in Tifton, Georgia, discussed the impact that the saturated conditions had on his specialty crops like pepper and squash. “On pepper it finished us …
Southeast Alabama Specialty Crops Fizzle Under High Temperatures
By Clint Thompson Southeast Alabama specialty crops prefer dry weather conditions. This season’s prolonged drought was not detrimental to production season. However, they don’t like it extremely hot at the peak of harvest season. But that was the scenario farmers faced in the Southeast in June. It significantly impacted fruits and vegetables in the Wiregrass region of Alabama, said Neil …
Clemson Extension Provides Weekly Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide crop updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various specialty crops being produced throughout the state. Statewide Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath reports, “With the wet weather the past two weeks, gummy stem blight is spreading rapidly on watermelon. Because of widespread resistance to tebuconazole and the need for systemic fungicides, growers …
What’s Happening? Clemson Extension Agents Provide Weekly Crop Updates
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 Zack Snipes reports, “The recent rains have yet again made fields sloppy and hard to harvest. Most of our tomato crop is about finished as are zucchini and cukes. We have had an unusually high amount …
Hot and Dry Weather: Spider Mites Thriving
By Clint Thompson Hot and dry weather conditions in the Southeast this summer are ideal for spider mites. Unfortunately, they have appeared in multiple crops, according to University of Georgia (UGA) Extension specialists. “The dry weather and heat is bad for (San Jose) scale but it is fantastic for mites. I’ve seen more mites in peaches than I probably have …
What’s Happening? Clemson Extension Provides Weekly Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide crop updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Disease pressure is likely to continue to increase given the recent welcome rainfall. Gummy stem blight can be found in cucurbit fields along with downy mildew in cucumbers and watermelons. Maintain …
Charcoal Rot Showing Up in Cantaloupe
Charcoal rot was identified in a cantaloupe crop in South Carolina last week, according to The South Carolina Grower. The fungus responsible for the disease is Macrophomina phaseolina. It is a soil-borne fungus that survives as microsclerotia. Typically, the disease is more prevalent in hot, dry conditions, which has been the norm across the state in recent weeks. In cantaloupes, …
Alabama Diseases Update: What to Watch for
By Clint Thompson Alabama Extension reminds specialty crop producers that Alabama diseases are prevalent and widespread across the state. Ed Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the department of entomology and plant pathology at Auburn University, highlighted three Alabama diseases that growers should be wary of, especially during the current hot and dry conditions. “One is powdery mildew. I’m …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Weekly Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide crop updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Pests and diseases are beginning to increase in the area. Powdery mildew is apparent in cucurbit crops. The most efficacious treatments are Vivando and Gatten. Rotation is critical to protect these …
Resistance to Tebuconazole is Widespread in Gummy Stem Blight Fungus in South Carolina
South Carolina cucurbit growers should reduce tebuconazole applications in managing gummy stem blight. The pathogenic fungus has become moderately resistant to this very commonly used fungicide, according to Clemson plant pathologist Tony Keinath in The South Carolina Grower. Seven watermelon fields were sampled in 2019 (six fields) and 2021 (one field) in Beaufort, Bamberg, Barnwell and Hampton counties. Of 229 …