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. Using artificial intelligence, Ampatzidis has shown that new spraying technologies are a significant improvement in efficiency and safety.
Weeds are problematic throughout the entire year in Florida. Peter Dittmar, associate professor at UF in Gainesville, shares pre-emergent herbicides, post-emergent herbicides and nonchemical weed control for blueberries.
In addition, Ramdas Kanissery, an assistant professor and Ruby Tiwari, a Ph.D. graduate student, both at the UF/IFAS SWFREC, discuss a pesky weed of vegetable production.
Cutleaf evening primrose is an annual weed, or sometimes a biennial, commonly found throughout vegetable farms in Florida. The weed is a heavy seed setter and the seeds can remain viable in the soil for several decades. It creates a seed bank in the soil for future infestation if not managed properly. Together, Kanissery and Tiwari discuss management options.
Switching gears, the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is on the horizon, and now is the time to prepare. Pam Knox, agricultural climatologist at the University of Georgia, talks all things hurricane prep and recovery for fruit and vegetable growers.
Lastly, in the Organic Corner column, Tiffany Bailey, owner, and Ida Vandamme, farm manager, at Honeyside Farms in Parrish, Florida, share their top secrets to successfully sell your products online.
Find all these articles and more in the next issue of VSCNews magazine.
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