AgNet DEMO

Author: Clint

  • UF Blueberry Breeder on Sentinel Variety: It Can Make You Money

    Photo submitted by Patricio Munoz/Shows Sentinel variety.

    The University of Florida’s (UF) newest blueberry variety possesses the quality all growers want in the Sunshine State.

    “It can make you money,” said Patricio Munoz, UF blueberry breeder.

    Munoz emphasized the attributes that make the Sentinel variety highly sought after from Florida farmers.

    “We can go around to yield, quality and everything but, yes, this one can make you money. I think we have consistent data since 2017 when the plant was already two years old and we started looking at it,” Munoz said.

    “It’s a consistent variety in terms of high yields and a consistent variety in terms of different locations. We have good supporting data for releasing this variety for consistent yields across locations and across years and in the best time of the season, which is early.”

    Years of Research

    Sentinel, released in October, was the culmination of 12 years of research by three different plant breeders, including Munoz. His relationship with Florida growers is vital to producing a variety that exceeds expectations. Communication is key to know what their needs are.

    “If you ask the growers what do they want, they say we want yield, high fruit quality and in the right time of the season, which is early for us in Florida,” Munoz said. “Their wish is long and very complex.”

     Munoz insists there is no perfect variety and doubts there will ever be.

    “In some cases you compromise fruit quality to produce the yield, and in other cases you compromise yield to produce quality. The more fruit you produce, usually the quality decreases,” Munoz said. “We use an index of selection where we combine all of these traits. We give them different weights and based on that, we try to compromise.”

    Sweet Flavor

    One characteristic of Sentinel that does not disappoint, though, is flavor.

    “Flavor is very subjective. One of us, if we tried the same blueberries, we might have different perceptions of how that blueberry tastes. It’s a difficult job for the breeder because he needs to breed for what he believes the people will like,” Munoz said. “We are trying to take subjectivity out of the equation here by doing tasting panels. We provide the fruit to a bunch of people at a tasting panel and they give us scores. What do think about it? In this case, this (Sentinel) cultivar was tasted by over 200 people and they put it in a very good place regarding the commercial cultivars that we have.

    “We need to breed for the growers, but we also need to breed for the consumers, because if the consumers are not happy with the fruit that they are consuming, they’re not going to go back. If they don’t go back to buy more fruit, the growers are not going to have a place to sell the fruit. We need to please the whole chain.”

    Munoz said Sentinel is a good cultivar for central and north Florida. It is not recommended for growers in south Florida where conditions are different.

  • UGA Pecan Production Meetings Virtually in 2021

    The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension will hold pecan production meetings virtually in January, February and March.

    UGA Pecan Team members include Lenny Wells (Extension pecan specialist), Angel Acebes (entomologist), Andrew Sawyer (Area Pecan Agent-Southeast District) and Jason Brock (plant disease diagnostician). All will give presentations and be available for questions over Zoom. Tentative dates for the meetings are as follows:

    Jan. 21-6 p.m.

    Feb. 9-9 a.m.

    March 9-6 p.m.

    According to UGA Extension, the various times are provided so people have the options of the best times that may work for them.

    “We are still working out the details of setting things up for this with regard to registration, pesticide credits, etc., but I will be posting more information here as the plan comes together,” Wells said.

  • Sneak Peek: January 2021 VSCNews Magazine

    By Ashley Robinson

    The January issue of VSCNews magazine will be the blueberry grower’s handbook heading into the 2021 season.

    Chilli thrips are a growing threat for blueberry growers. Without proper management of the pest, overall plant vigor and yields can be affected. Oscar Liburd, a professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) in Gainesville, Fla., shares conventional and organic management tactics that growers can implement to help control these pesky pests.

    UF/IFAS has unveiled its newest blueberry variety, Sentinel, named in honor of UF alumna, Alto Straughn. It is a low-chill southern highbush variety and offers increased yields for growers. Brad Buck, UF/IFAS public relations specialist, mentions that Sentinel was ranked “high” in flavor among flavor panels.

    America was built on its rich agricultural history. Ryan Atwood, co-owner of H&AFarms in Mt. Dora, Florida, shares the struggles blueberry growers faced in 2020 and growers’ optimism for the year to come. Atwood also discusses the increasing Mexican blueberry volume during the Florida harvest window and its impact on the U.S.

    In 2020, mild winter conditions followed by a wet spring contributed to the development of significant disease issues on Georgia blueberries. Jonathan Oliver, an assistant professor at the University of Georgia in Tifton, Georgia, updates Georgia growers on disease management strategies.

    Outside of the blueberry spotlight, Kimberly Morgan, an associate professor and Extension economist, and Tara Wade, an assistant professor, both at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education, share how growers could benefit from enterprise budgets.

    Morgan is also joined by Jessica Ryals, a sustainable food systems agent for UF/IFAS, for another article in this month’s issue. These two discuss how an imperfect market system can yield profitable market opportunities for growers.

    To receive future issues of VSCNews magazine, click here.

  • Chilly December Aiding Southeast Fruit Farmers

    Knox

    A chilly December should have alleviated some concerns of Southeast fruit farmers worried about chill hours in a La Nina winter, according to Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension Agricultural Climatologist.

    “If you look at the plot of chill hours over this year, November was quite warm. I think they were running way below normal in the number of chill hours. That was a real concern for the fruit farmers,” Knox said. “But with the cold outbreaks we’ve had in December and the one we saw (over Christmas), that’s really going to bring up the chill hours. I’m sure the fruit farmers are going to be happy. You always wonder about that in a La Nina year.”

    Previous Concerns

    It was a concern for Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University. He was worried about peach producers lagging in chill hours as he projected they only had about 172 in mid-December. But with cold outbreaks, the most recent of which came last week over the Christmas holidays, it should have increased those chill hours needed to produce a crop.  

    Knox said that while a La Nina weather pattern is characterized by warmer temperatures and drier conditions, cold outbreaks are not uncommon.

    “The thing about La Nina is, even though the winter as a whole may be warmer than normal, we’re still going to get these cold outbreaks. This definitely is not the kind of weather we expect in a La Nina, but it goes up and down a lot in the winter,” Knox said.

    “Every La Nina is different, too. Even though statistically we expect it to be warmer and drier than usual, there still are outliers. It’s possible we could have a colder winter than usual, even in a La Nina, although it would be unlikely.

    “It’s winter, we expect some cold weather. It’s not surprising that we should have this cold outbreak. The weather depends on what’s going on in other parts of the world. It’s not just La Nina, it’s what is going on in the Arctic and what’s going on in the oceans. It’s part of a big puzzle and we have to try to put that together. A La Nina is certainly one factor but it’s not the only factor.”

  • Drip Irrigation Efficient Means to Deliver Water to Plants

    File photo shows drip irrigation in a tomato field.

    Drip irrigation vs. overhead irrigation? That truly is the question for vegetable and specialty crop producers in Alabama who are poised to produce a crop in 2021.

    Eric Schavey, Regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama, advises producers to choose drip irrigation. It is more efficient in delivering water to the plant roots.

    “As far as a production standpoint, the drip irrigation is more efficient. You’re actually putting the water where it needs to be,” Schavey said. “Drip irrigation puts it there at the plant where it can go into the ground where the roots can take it up. You don’t get any of that splash from an overhead droplet like you get during a rain. If we have any fungus or anything that is on our soil surface and it splashes up, it gets on the lower leaves, especially tomatoes.

    “When you’re looking at early blight (disease), it’s naturally in our soil. When we get rainfall or overhead irrigation it splashes up and starts on the bottom leaves first and moves its way up the plant.”

    Water Lost Using Overhead Irrigation

    There is also a misconception that if farmers are using overhead irrigation, all of that water is getting to to the plants. However, much of that water evaporates before hitting the soil.

    “Depending on how our weather has been, you take a July day here in Alabama, 90 degrees and you go to water and that air is dry with overhead, you’re probably losing 40% of it, at least,” Schavey said. “And it’s not on target. I know water is cheap. In Alabama, we have an abundance of water, but we’re two weeks away from a drought at any time.”

    Why is Drip Irrigation so Efficient?

    Sub-surface drip irrigation is primarily used for vegetable production. Most commercial farmers grow vegetables on a plastic covering that lies above the drip irrigation system. The water is applied directly to the plants’ roots. It is thereby more efficient.

    “Once it starts dripping, that emitter or that drip tape is dripping it out right on that soil surface, then it actually fans out in a ‘V’ in that soil column. It’s really narrow to the plant at first and then widens out,” Schavey said. “It’s good, because you want those roots going deeper. If you’ve got a triangle and it’s inverted down in the ground, those roots that ran left and right, they’re going to run down to that water and you’re going to have a deeper root system.”

  • Will 2021 Be Any Different?

    Mexican imports still a problem for Southeast producers.

    This year was a season unlike any other for produce farmers in the Southeast.

    Not only did COVID-19 strike at the worst time, but lingering international trade issues with Mexico resulted in diminished market prices for producers like Tifton, Georgia farmer Bill Brim.

    If something isn’t done soon, 2021 will be no different than 2020.

    “We’ve been fighting Mexico since probably the last week of October through now. It’s just been one battle after another with squash prices dipping down to $3, $2, whatever you can get for it to cucumbers at $9 when it ought to be $20. Squash at $3 or $2 should be $12 or $14,” Brim said.

    “It’s hard when you don’t make any money. It’s one of those things where farmers are resilient thinking, they’re going to make a million dollars next year instead of losing a million. We’re kind of stupid, I guess. We think we can outsmart them, but I don’t think we’re smart enough to do that anymore.”

    Virtual Hearings

    Brim and fellow farmers testified in August during virtual hearings with the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office regarding unfair trade practices with Mexico. The hearings provided the U.S. Department of Commerce and Trump Administration an opportunity to hear from growers in Georgia about the urgent need for federal action regarding unfair trade.

    Federal agencies responded in September by outlining the Trump Administration’s plan to address the threat posed by increased imports. The plan included a request to the International Trade Commission to initiate a Section 201 global safeguard investigation into imports of blueberries.

    In November, Georgia Congressmen requested a Section 332 Investigation on squash and cucumbers which was already being done for strawberries and bell pepper.

    Cucumbers, Squash Included

    On Dec. 4, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer requested that the U.S. ITC include in its investigations the import of cucumbers and squash and the effect on the domestic seasonal markets.

    Hopefully, a long-term solution is in the works and will be imminent. It will not be a moment too soon.

    “The last four seasons have been the toughest. We did benefit in the fall, early a little bit, so that helped us. In the spring late, in the last week of May and the first week or two of June, we did fairly well because Mexico wasn’t in. Of course, they weren’t in early on the fall deal. But as soon as they open that door, it’s like somebody just shut the lights off,” Brim said.

    “Pepper undoubtedly must have been a little later in Mexico because they didn’t hit in our market until right at the tail end of it. It went from like $22 to like $14 overnight. It doesn’t seem to change. People just don’t get it.

    “We’ve got to have something, or we won’t survive. I just don’t know how they can continue to think we can survive when (Mexico is) paying their people down there 81 cents an hour and we’re paying $11.77 plus free housing, free transportation and everything else. We’ve got about $15 an hour in it by the time we finish up doing everything for them.”

  • Florida Farmer Looking Forward to 2021

    Here’s hoping for a bountiful blueberry crop and good market in 2021.

    Florida farmers are used to adversity. Between occasional hurricanes, unpredictable market prices and challenging international trade from competitors like Mexico, no season is stress free in the Sunshine State.

    “It’s not an easy profession. It seems like more paperwork, more everything all the time; more disease, more pests, more regulations,” said Florida blueberry producer Ryan Atwood. “You throw the (coronavirus) pandemic on top of it.”

    COVID-19 was an added challenge no one saw coming which makes producers like Atwood glad this year is nearly over and can focus on the 2021 season.

    “It was a difficult year as you know. The coronavirus hit right in the middle of our season. It was a big challenge. Thankfully, we limped our way through it. I’m looking forward to a better year next year, I can tell you that,” said Atwood, who lives in Mount Dora, Florida and is one of the state’s blueberry leaders. “I’m kind of beyond it now. It’s in the past. It’s in the rearview mirror. I’m looking forward to 2021 and looking at what does that bring us. I’m looking forward instead of looking back nowadays.”

    COVID-19 Impact

    If there ever was a time of not reflecting on the past, it is this season. Atwood’s blueberry crop was early in 2020 due to a mild winter and high temperatures that accelerated growth. However, when Atwood started picking high volumes of blueberries, which was around March 18, is when the pandemic shut down the country.

    Blueberry growers in Florida and Georgia adapted to restaurants being closed and new guidelines and regulations for keeping their workforce healthy. But part of Atwood looking forward is understanding the challenge of producing a crop during a global pandemic. He and others will not be caught off guard when harvest season rolls around in 2021.

    “When it hit last year, it was totally unknown. Sometimes the fear of the unknown is the greatest fear. You’re not sure if you should stop. You don’t know if you should keep going,” Atwood said. “I think this year it’s better in the sense at least you know what you’re dealing with. You have systems and procedures in place, which we implemented last year, too. We sanitized our restrooms more. We had things we implemented more and more but you created them as you were on the go. This year we have those procedures in place for this coming season.

    “I feel more confident on handling it. Probably the more important part for us, the marketplace shouldn’t be as disrupted.”

    International Trade

    As if a pandemic was not enough, Atwood and other farmers had to contend with imports from Mexico that drove market prices down. Atwood is fan of America having its own domestic food supply.

    “I just don’t see where it’s in our best interest to allow these foreign competitors into our market when we have a domestic supply of fruit,” Atwood said in April.

    Hopefully, consumers will soon feel the same way.

  • How to Keep Your Holiday Plants Healthy Year-Round

    By Laura Ney for CAES News

    As vibrant holiday plants begin to adorn the shelves of hardware stores, grocery stores and garden centers, consumers are attracted to the pinks, reds and whites atop deep green foliage, which add festive pops of color in winter homes. The appearance of plants like poinsettias and Christmas cacti usher in the holiday season and we love to fill our halls and entryways with their holiday cheer. But what about after the holidays?

    The Christmas cactus is made up of colorful, iridescent bracts. This true cactus, minus thorns, is native to the South American rainforest.

    Most of us accept the demise of these seasonal decorations once the new year begins. But, do we have to? Here are some simple guidelines to keep your poinsettias and Christmas cacti healthy and ready to shine again next year.

    Maintaining Vigor

    The best way to understand how to care for these plants is knowing where they come from and understanding the conditions in which they evolved. Both poinsettias and Christmas cacti have their origins in the tropical mountains of Central and South America. Despite the common name of Christmas cactus, neither poinsettias nor Christmas cacti are adapted to arid conditions.

    It is OK, even preferable, to let soils dry out somewhat before watering, but they cannot withstand long periods of dry soil. Sticking your finger an inch or two into the soil or picking up your pots to see if they are heavy or light are good, easy ways of deciding whether your plants need to be watered. Each time you water, make sure to water deeply, soaking all of the soil and making sure the excess water can run freely away from the pot, so that the soil does not stay saturated.

    While poinsettias will happily take a spot by a window that gets full sun, Christmas cactus in its natural habitat lives on the trunks and branches of other plants and prefers indirect or dappled light. This might mean placing your Christmas cactus just to the side of a window or toward the middle of a room instead of right on the windowsill.

    Both plants will do well in average home temperatures  between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. However, avoid drastic changes in temperature, such as from a draft, a nearby door or being in the path of air from air conditioning and heating vents.

    Maintaining Aesthetics

    Poinsettias naturally grow as a somewhat tall and leggy shrub. In order to maintain an attractive, bushy form, cut back your poinsettia a few times during the year. In the early spring, cut your poinsettia back until about 6 inches of stem remains. Once new growth begins, you can begin fertilizing with a complete fertilizer, following the directions on the fertilizer label. Around July, remove the top of the plants, leaving four to five leaves on each stem. If the plant becomes leggy in early fall, this step can be repeated.

    In order to signal color and bud production, both plants need “short day” conditions, which means 12 to 14 hours of total darkness each night. Poinsettias may require these “short days” for up to 10 weeks. This means that, beginning 10 weeks before you wish to see color, the plants will need at least 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night. Be aware that even a small amount of light can interrupt this process. Christmas cacti do not require as many short days, but should be grown in cooler nighttime temperatures of about 50 to 60 F to initiate bud formation. Once color begins to form on poinsettias or buds begin to form on Christmas cacti, the signaling is complete and you can leave the plants to grow in normal conditions.

    Following these basic guidelines can allow you to enjoy those festive plants again next holiday season.

  • After Holiday Meal, It’s Time to Make Some Yummy Nutritious Leftovers

    Photo attached shows a shepherd’s pie made from leftovers. It is “courtesy, Andrea Nikolai, UF/IFAS.”

    By: Brad Buck, bradbuck@ufl.edu, 352-875-2641 (cell)

    You’ve finished your holiday meal, including perhaps, seconds. The aroma of traditional foods still wafts from the kitchen. Lots of people will make leftovers, whether it’s turkey sandwiches or a veggie dish. But some UF/IFAS Extension agents suggest wise alternatives to prepare.

    From stuffed bell peppers to shepherd’s pie, here are some thoughts from family and consumer sciences (FCS) agents. Each specializes in nutrition.

    For instance, Suzanne Fundingsland, the FCS agent at UF/IFAS Extension Collier County, said she loves to serve cranberry jalapeño relish with holiday meals. 

    “It’s so easy to make: Coarsely chop fresh cranberries, orange segments and a seeded jalapeño in a food processor,” she said. “Some recipes call for more sugar than others. Start with less. You can always add more. It’s low in calories, high in fiber and includes lots of vitamin C and antioxidants.”

    Fundingsland uses the leftover relish on turkey sandwiches and as a partner to a light cream cheese for a cracker spread. It’s also a nice change from all the sweets that are everywhere during the holidays, she said.

    In Hillsborough County, FCS agent Kimberly Bragg-Armatrout, said she likes to use a spin on the “famous stuffed bell pepper.”

    Instead of a traditional stuffed pepper using beef and rice, Bragg-Armatrout uses leftover turkey and stuffing, assuming you made a healthier stuffing. Otherwise, you can use quinoa. If you want to be creative, you can add any of the other fixings you like. You can even top it off with some cranberry sauce.

    “By using turkey instead of beef, you will save on saturated fat and calories,” she said. “Also, to save even more on fat and calories, you can use mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan mix, instead of a cheddar blend. Overall, this would be a healthier option than the traditional stuffed bell pepper.”

    Stuffed bell pepper with turkey has about 272 calories, and a traditional bell pepper will have about 308 calories – and it’s high in potassium.

    “Now, keep in mind that stuffed peppers can be made in many ways, using lots of healthy ingredients. So be creative,” Bragg-Armatrout said.

    Andrea Nikolai, the FCS agent for UF/IFAS Extension Polk County, recommends shepherd’s pie topped with sweet potatoes with a leftover turkey and vegetable mix for the bottom.

    Sweet potatoes are a good source of fiber and potassium, and they are high in vitamins A and C.

    “Sweet potatoes are also great to helping prevent disease and helping you feel your best,” Nikolai said. “Vitamin A, for example, comes from the beta-carotene, an antioxidant that gives sweet potatoes their orange color. Vitamin A is important for eye heath and helping support immune function. Potassium is great for your heart.”

    How about that turkey sandwich?

    “If you are looking for a lean protein, turkey is a winner,” Nikolai said. “Make sure to remove the skin to also get rid of much of the fat. Turkey has B vitamins to help with energy and brain function, and zinc and selenium, both of which are involved in many cell processes from normal growth and development.” 

  • A Southern Fir Christmas Tree is on the Horizon for Ornamental, Timber Industries

    By Mark Czarnota for CAES News

    During the holiday season in the U.S., more than 20 million freshly cut Christmas trees are sold every year, with fir trees topping the most-desired list. Unfortunately growers cannot meet the needs of consumers, and every year, there is a shortage of trees, primarily due to the incredible losses of susceptible firs — including balsam, Fraser, Canaan and others — to the root fungus Phytophthora.

    UGA CAES photo/Momi fir has proven itself over the last 25 years as the only known fir species resistant to Phytophthora root disease and could make a good Christmas tree, ornamental and timber species.

    This affects consumers in Georgia and other Southeastern states, as more than 50% of the region’s fresh-cut trees are imported. Georgia growers offer Leyland cypress (x Cupressocyparis lelandii), Arizona cypress (Cypessus arizonica), red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana). But in recent years the demand for fir trees has continued to rise. With this knowledge, research has progressed to develop a fir tree suitable for growing in the Southeastern U.S.

    In the early 1990s, attempts were made to introduce the Momi fir (Abies firma), a heat-tolerant fir that can grow in the Southeast. The Momi fir has proven itself over the past 25 years as the only known fir species resistant to Phytophthora root disease, making it a good Christmas tree and ornamental or timber species.

    Because of the more desirable Christmas tree characteristics of Fraser fir, many growers In North Carolina have been grafting Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) scion — or shoot — wood to Momi fir rootstock. This enables a grower to grow a Fraser fir that is on Momi fir rootstock in Phytophthora-infested soils. Although grafting can be used to provide a solution to this situation, it can also be problematic. Grafting is very labor intensive, with the central-leader scion wood being difficult to attain, and success in the process can be elusive. Many have attempted to grow the Momi fir as a standalone Christmas tree species, but the process requires selecting for desirable Christmas tree characteristics.

    Unfortunately, it is difficult both to acquire Momi fir seed and germinate it, so growers needed a more reliable source of the species. In 2017, with a grant provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, research began to rescue embryos from Momi firs growing in Georgia. Embryos rescued from these trees could be cultured to produce hundreds of thousands of seedlings in less than six months if this propagation system could be developed. In mid-2019, a research team led by horticulture Associate Professor Mark Czarnota at the University of Georgia Griffin Campus created embryonic callus (a growing mass of plant cells) from rescued embryos of Momi firs growing in Georgia. In the near future, thousands of Momi fir seedlings could be made available to growers for rootstock and standalone Momi firs.

    There are several characteristics of the Momi fir that make it undesirable as a Christmas tree, including picky foliage, an off-green color and the lack of a center leader. However, if the Momi fir could be crossed with other firs such as Fraser (Abies fraseri), balsam (Abies balsamea), Canaan (Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis), Nordman (Abies nordmanniana), Turkish (Abies bornmuelleriana) or the Guatemalan fir (Abies guatemalensis), hybrid embryos could be rescued, cultured into embryos and matured into seedlings. If a hybrid could be developed, it could provide an endless supply of a Phytophthora-resistant hybrid fir trees for the Christmas tree, ornamental and forestry industry in Georgia and the Southeast. This could open up fantastic financial opportunities for all of these industries in the region.

    In order to create these hybrid firs, Momi fir trees growing in Athens, Griffin and Terrytown, Georgia, will be observed for female cone development. Once immature female cones (seed cones) are observed, they will be covered with pollen bags to prevent them from being pollinated by other Momi firs. When male cones are observed releasing pollen on Momi firs, covered female cones should be receptive and would be pollinated with pollen of Fraser or other desirable fir trees. When mature embryos are observed, hybrid cone embryos will be harvested and cultured to produce embryos and eventually seedlings. With any luck, these hybrids will be resistant to Phytophthora, forever changing our ability to grow firs in the Southeast.

    For a current list of Georgia Christmas tree growers, visit the Georgia Christmas Tree Association website at gacta.com.