By Clint Thompson A drier year meant a good production season for Florida strawberries regarding a lack of diseases. A state known for its high-quality strawberry crop was ravaged in prior seasons because of neopestalotiopsis fruit rot disease. But rainy seasons exacerbated the problem. This year’s dry weather led to minimal disease impact, said Vance Whitaker, University of Florida Institute …
Strawberry Growers Be Wary of Potential Frost
A potential for a frost event this weekend should have strawberry growers in North Carolina on high alert. North Carolina (N.C.) State Extension says that producers will need to protect their crop if the weather forecast predicts frost. The greatest potential for frost will be Sunday and Monday mornings, though some regions in the western part of the state could …
Little Impact from Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot This Season for Florida Strawberry Growers
By Clint Thompson A calm disease year for Florida’s strawberry growers meant fewer instances of Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot disease. After the previous couple of seasons, producers welcomed the break, says Natalia Peres, professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. “It’s been pretty quiet with few exceptions from growers that got plants that …
Little Impact from Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot This Season for Florida Strawberry Growers
By Clint Thompson A calm disease year for Florida’s strawberry growers meant fewer instances of Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot disease. After the previous couple of seasons, producers welcomed the break, says Natalia Peres, professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. “It’s been pretty quiet with few exceptions from growers that got plants that …
Hard Freeze Forecast for the Weekend
South Carolina’s specialty crop producers need to be mindful of their crops ahead of this weekend’s sub-freezing temperatures, according to The South Carolina Grower. Here are a few considerations for each crop. Strawberries Growers should plan to cover their strawberries to protect blooms and developing fruit. Row covers of at least 1.2 oz thickness will protect plants down to 22 …
Thermotherapy for Production of Nematode-Free Plant Material
By Johan Desaeger Producing nematode-free plant material is one of the most important steps in nematode management. Many nematodes can hide in plant material such as tubers, bulbs, roots, cuttings and seed. The seed gall nematode (Anguina tritici), a seedborne pest infecting seed heads in wheat and rye, was the first plant-parasitic nematode ever to be described (by Needham in …
Integrated Pest Management of Chilli Thrips in Strawberries
By Sriyanka Lahiri Currently, strawberry production in Florida is particularly susceptible to infestation by chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis). Although chilli thrips had been reported as a pest of ornamentals in Florida before, it wasn’t until 2015 when strawberry fields started to be severely impacted by this invasive pest. CHEMICAL CONTROLSChemical control is the predominant tool to manage chilli thrips. However, …
Neopestalotiopsis Discovered in Alabama
The strawberry disease that has impacted Florida production since 2017 and also Georgia’s crop has finally been discovered on plants in South Alabama. The first report of Neopestalotiopsis leaf spot disease was confirmed recently, according to Alabama Extension. Kassie Conner, Alabama Extension Specialist II, said the disease appears to have traveled in on the transplants. The disease is important to …
Botrytis Problem for a Florida Strawberry Grower
By Clint Thompson One Florida strawberry grower emerged relatively unscathed from last weekend’s freeze event. But now Dustin Grooms is coping with a new problem for his strawberry crop. “We did okay. We definitely did lose a little bit of bloom, not too bad. Some of the berries got bit a little bit on the ends, but not real bad,” …
Cool October Impacts Development of South Carolina Strawberries
By Clint Thompson Cooler fall temperatures in South Carolina have delayed the development of some of the state’s strawberry crop. It is evident in most of the crop, says Bruce McLean, Clemson Extension Area Commercial Horticulture Agent in the Pee Dee Region. “The strawberry crop, for the most part, is looking behind from where it should be. There’s a lot …