By Clint Thompson How specialty crop growers manage weeds when the field is not being sown is just as important as what fumigant they choose prior to planting season. Nathan Boyd, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate center director and professor of horticulture/weed science at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, has conducted years …
Nematode Control Important for Turf Producers
By Clint Thompson The booming housing market in Florida means a spike in sod sales for the turfgrass industry. But it also means increased risk for nematode damage. Billy Crow, University of Florida professor of nematology in the entomology and nematology department, discusses the importance of nematode control. “You’ll have slower growth in which increases the amount of time the …
Grafting in Tomato: A Practical Tool for Root-Knot Nematode Control
By Abolfazl Hajihassani Control of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) is a severe challenge for growers because the pests have abroad host range and can survive in the soil for several years. This makes crop rotation impractical and inefficient for nematode management. Other major management options for root-knot nematodes in tomato include chemical controls using fumigant and non-fumigant nematicides and resistant varieties/rootstocks. …