AgNet DEMO

Author: Clint

  • Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates

    Clemson Extension agents provided updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state.

    Weekly Field Update – 10/19/20

    Posted on by Justin Ballew

    Coastal

    Rob Last reports, “As we approach the time where strawberry plants will be delivered, I would urge all growers to inspect plants before planting.  Whiteflies continue to be numerous along with caterpillars in fall brassica crops. Scouting, as always, will remain very important.”

    Zack Snipes reports, “Hide ya collards, hide ya tomatoes, they eatin’ everything! The Southern Armyworm is wreaking havoc on crops in the Lowcountry. The Southern Armyworm is a heavy feeder on a wide range of crops. They are dark in color, with yellow to cream colored horizontal lines and a reddish/orange head. If inspected closely, one will find a yellow “Y” shape on their head. I see this pest in fields with a variety of crops as well as weedy field borders. We have a full offering of insecticides to battle this pest but remember to rotate insecticides each time you spray. We are also finding some Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLC) in tomato. This virus is transmitted via the whitefly. Strawberry cut-offs and plugs are going in. Be sure to inspect roots and crown before planting. Give me a shout if you need an extra pair of eyes to check them out.”

    Two Southern Armyworm larvae that are just about large enough to pupate. Photo from Zack Snipes.

    Midlands

    Justin Ballew reports, “We had a welcome light rain towards the end of last week and the temperatures cooled off nicely. Strawberry planting has begun and is progressing well. Remember to supervise planting crews closely to make sure plants are being set at the proper depth. Now is also the time to get deer fences up. Once the plants develop new leaves, it won’t take the deer long to find them. We’re still seeing a fair amount of powdery mildew and downy mildew in cucurbits and anthracnose in pepper. Caterpillar populations remain high in brassicas as well.

    We’re seeing a fair amount of anthracnose fruit rot on pepper in the midlands. Photo from Justin Ballew.

    Pee Dee

    Tony Melton reports, “Greens are loving cool weather and growing well.  Very little disease or insect problems. Large numbers of armyworm moths in some green fields but they are not feeding on greens but on the purslane, pigweed, and other weeds – control the weeds. Sweet potatoes are being harvested as quickly as possible. Many strawberries are planted – already seen some deer damage. I have seen large fields of peas without a pea left on top of the plants – from deer damage. Pickle harvest is finished for the year. Cool weather is slowing bean and pea growth and production. Agri-tourism is flourishing because people want to get out of the house.”

  • North Carolina Forestry Association, N.C. Forest Service Promote National Forest Products Week

    RALEIGH – National Forest Products Week is celebrated the third week in October every year, and in celebration, the North Carolina Forestry Association and the N.C Forest Service recognizes the $33.6 billion contribution of the forest products industry to our state’s economy.

    Troxler

    NCFA Executive Director John Hatcher says, “Forestry is a significant economic driver for our state, ensuring jobs and tax dollars necessary to the livelihoods of the many people who depend on this industry.”

    According to economic contribution data from Rajan Parajuli and Robert Bardon with N.C. State University, in 2018 the forest products industry in North Carolina — including forestry and logging operations, sawmills, furniture mills, and pulp and paper industries — was the top employer among manufacturing sectors in the state, supporting more than 150,400 jobs.

    The N.C. Forest Service protects, manages and promotes forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina.

    “The partnership between the NCFS and landowners is an integral part of keeping forests and our forest products industry productive, vibrant and healthy, ensuring our greatest natural resources are around to benefit our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.

    For more information about the economic contribution of the forest sector in North Carolina, visit https://forestry.ces.ncsu.edu/economic-impact-data/. Media interested in learning more about National Forest Products Week should contact Amanda Murphy at amurphy@ncforestry.org.

  • Cold Outbreak at End of October Could End Growing Season in Northern Alabama, Georgia

    Map from UGA Extension blog.

    According to Pam Knox, University of Georgia agricultural climatologist, in her UGA Extension blog, the forecasts are starting to show a strong cold front passing through the Southeast at the end of October.

    This will usher in a period of much colder air which could include frost across northern Alabama and Georgia as well as western parts of the Carolinas and Virginia.

    Some of the mountainous areas have already experienced frost conditions, but this looks like it could be a much more widespread event. The latest models put the front through the region on Wednesday, Oct. 28, with lingering cold conditions in the mornings for the next few days after the front passes.

    It is important to be mindful that this is still 10 days out. Changes in the timing and strength of the cold air are likely, but it is something to watch out for, especially if you have plants that are sensitive to freezing conditions.

  • Wait to Prune Fruit Trees

    Pruning of southern highbush blueberries is required to open the middles of the plants for machine harvesting from the top.

    Pruning fruit trees is an important management tactic that producers and homeowners need to implement every year. Industry experts emphasize, though, the importance of growers waiting until the winter dormancy period before beginning the pruning process.

    Gray

    In doing so, producers will avoid damage from colder temperatures.

    “Years ago, we used to prune our peach orchards, for example, in the fall. A lot of our growers did that to get it done. They had a lot of pruning to do. We learned over the years, (though), that makes the fruit trees bloom earlier,” said Gary Gray, Alabama Regional Extension agent.

    More Susceptible to Colder Temps

    According to a University of Georgia Extension blog, pruning stimulates the growth of the trees. That’s why industry experts insist growers wait until later in the dormant season to prune. If trees bloom early, they’re more susceptible to damage from a potential freeze.

    “When we prune, that sets them up to bloom a little earlier and it causes them to be more cold sensitive as a result. The one aspect of that would be, for example, whenever you go in and prune and lets say we’re pruning … after Jan. 1 up until bloom, basically is a good time to get it done…a commercial grower who has a lot of trees, he can’t wait too late to get it done,” Gray said. “There’s a risk that if we had a freeze immediately following or really cold weather immediately following pruning that we might get increased damage on those trees.”

    If growers wait until later in the dormancy period, it reduces the risk of being impacted by freezing temperatures since the weather starts to warm with the impending arrival of spring.

    Why Prune?

    UGA Extension says pruning is one of the most important cultural practices for maintaining woody plants. For fruiting plants, like peach trees, pruning plays an important role in improving overall fruit quality, primarily by increasing light penetration into the tree. But proper pruning requires understanding of how plants respond to the different pruning cuts.

    That’s why it is essential that growers wait as long as possible before implementing the pruning process.  

    “If a grower or a home (owner) can wait, the later those trees are going to bloom. You’re not promoting the dormancy breaking process that happens when you prune. For example, if the buds are still dormant, we’d like for them to stay that way to reduce our risk of freeze damage in the spring,” Gray said.

  • Collins, Scott Work to Increase International Market Access for U.S. Pecans

    Collins

    WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) joined Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) and 31 of their colleagues in sending a letter with bipartisan support to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer encouraging the Administration to prioritize reducing India’s tariffs on American pecans as trade negotiations continue.

    “As you may know, American pecan producers have faced many challenges due to rising imports from Mexico, Chinese tariffs, natural disasters like Hurricane Michael, and the COVID-19 pandemic,” they wrote. “Gaining access to new markets for pecans will help ease the pain while orchards are replanted and a trade deal is negotiated with China.” 

    India’s current tariff rate for U.S. pecans is 36%, much higher than its 10% rate for pistachios and almonds. Lowering these high tariffs will allow American pecan farmers to compete in this important market.

    “Lowering the tariff on pecans would provide the Indian people with more economical access to tree nut varieties, while providing a much-needed economic boost to rural America,” they continued.

    Scott

    Read the full letter here.

  • Supergene in Fire Ants May Lead to Understanding of Developmental Behaviors

    UGA CAES photo/A trio of winged fire ants perched on a branch.

    By Sean Montgomery for UGA CAES News

    A unique study conducted by University of Georgia entomologists led to the discovery of a distinctive supergene in fire ant colonies that determines whether young queen ants will leave their birth colony to start their own new colony or if they will join one with multiple queens. Researchers also found that ants were more aggressive toward queens who don’t possess the supergene, causing colony workers to kill them. This critical finding opens the door to new pest control methods that may be more efficient in eradicating problematic fire ant colonies. 

    “Learning about the way fire ants behave is very important baseline information,” said Ken Ross, a longtime professor of entomology at the university. “This information is key to helping us manage pest populations and predict what dissimilarities can happen in their environment.”

    What is a supergene?

    A supergene is a collection of neighboring genes located on a chromosome that are inherited together due to close genetic linkage. Studying these unique genes is important to understanding the potential causes for differences among the social structure of fire ants, specifically for controlling the species and building upon the existing knowledge base.

    Researchers focused on young queen fire ants embarking on nuptial flights. They compared the supergene’s impact on the fire ants’ two primary types of social structures: monogyne, which is reproduction from queens that form a new nest, and pologyne, reproduction from queens that join an existing nest.

    Ross initially worked alongside colleagues in his lab to discover a remarkable example of genetically encoded differences in social organization within the fire ant species Solenopsis invicta. The next step was to understand how these genetic differences result in complex behavioral and physiological variations among ants from single queen colonies versus colonies with multiple queens. Compounding this knowledge helps scientists further understand patterns of development in the species, increasing alternatives to combat invasive populations.                                                                  

    Led by a pair of UGA entomology graduate alumni, Joanie King, who earned her master’s degree in 2017, and Samuel Arsenault, who earned his doctoral degree in 2020, the team developed an experimental design that utilized a collection of samples from two fire ant organs — brain and ovarian tissues — and the complete range of social chromosome genotypes and social forms within this fire ant species.

    Scientific Methods

    The innovative study incorporated various scientific methods, leading to a collaboration of tools and resources throughout many different areas of the institution.

    “UGA was a very supportive environment to conduct this research,” said Brendan Hunt, associate professor of entomology. “We received help preparing samples for RNA-sequencing from Dr. Bob Schmitz’s lab in the Genetics department, performed the sequencing at the Georgia Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, and utilized computational resources from the Georgia Advanced Computing Resource Center to analyze the data.”

    These types of student-led projects give young researchers the chance to grow in a hands-on environment with mentorship and guidance from scientists with proven track records in the field.

    “The graduate students gained experience that helped them transition to the next stages of their careers,” said Hunt. “Both have gone on to continue their studies of ant genetics.”

    After earning their degrees and completing the research at UGA, King began pursuing a doctorate at Texas A&M University to study alongside Edward Vargo, and Arsenault works as a postdoctoral researcher with Harvard University’s Buck Trible Lab.

    To read the full published research, check out the Wiley Online Library digital archive. For more information on the UGA department of entomology, visit ent.uga.edu.  

  • Spray Program Top Factor When Considering What Pecan Varieties to Plant

    University of Georgia photo compares Pawnee varieties to Desirables and Stuarts.

    Pecan producers will soon be planting trees throughout the Southeast. But first, growers must decide what variety they’re going to plant.

    Scab susceptibility is the No. 1 factor that should influence what variety producers plant this year, according to Shane Curry, University of Georgia Appling County Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources agent.

    If growers are going to plant a variety like Cape Fear, it is going to require a high input of spray applications to protect against scab disease. If producers want low input varieties, they can choose Avalon, Excel or Lakota. Those varieties don’t require as much spray applications.

    Producer’s Preference

    It’s just a matter of how much time a grower wants to devote to taking care of their trees and whether they possess the spray equipment to make the necessary applications.

    “They definitely have a lot they have to consider. Or I guess really, one thing in particular, and that’s are they going to be able to spray as far as what we would say a high input of sprays from a fungicide standpoint or are they not going to be able to do that?” Curry said.

    “Obviously, if somebody is planting 50 trees, they’re probably not going to go buy a $20,000 or $30,000 sprayer, and some of those even cost more than that. Money’s just not going to work out on the end in small acres. A lower input variety would be more of the way to go. If someone is set up to spray, meaning they already have them or they’re going to put in enough to justify the equipment, they’ve got a few more options.”

    Early Varieties

    Lakota and Pawnee are the two varieties that produce a crop the earliest, which might generate a higher market price. However, Pawnee is very susceptible to scab disease, so it will require a high input spray program.

    “If pecan prices are high and quality is great, we can offset those costs. Every year (though) that’s not the case,” Curry said.

    Curry said planting is normally done during December and January when the trees are dormant.

  • NCDA&CS Announces Specialty Crop Block Grant Recipients

    RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced the recipients of more than $1.25 million in funding from the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The funding will be used for projects that enhance the quality of specialty crops grown in North Carolina.

    Troxler

    “North Carolina is one of the most agriculturally diverse states in the nation, and much of that has to do with the variety of specialty crops we are able to grow,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “This year, 12 projects were selected that focus on pest and disease control, improved breeding and branding initiatives. These projects seek to improve specialty crops and strengthen our agricultural economy.”

    Grant proposals were submitted by nonprofit organizations, commodity groups, government agencies and universities. The following organizations and projects received funding:

    • N.C. A&T State University – Bianchetto Truffle Production by Small Farmers; Micropropagation of Disease-Free Hazelnut for Truffle Production;
    • N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – Spotted Lanternfly: A Threat to North Carolina Agriculture;
    • N.C. Potato Association – Continuing Expansion of N.C. Potato Markets;
    • N.C. Sod Producers Association – N.C. Sod Brand Awareness Campaign;
    • N.C. State University – Breeding Tomatoes for Spotted Wilt Resistance; Drone Use to Improve N.C. Pumpkin Production; Genome Editing for Superior Christmas Trees; Improved Management of Primocane-Fruiting Blackberry; Management of Grape Trunk Diseases; Managing European Pepper Moth in Nurseries;
    • N.C. SweetPotato Commission – Controlling Root-Knot Nematode in Sweet Potatoes.

    The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is administered by the department and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the 2018 farm bill. More information about the program is available at www.NCSpecialtyCropGrant.org.

  • NASS: Georgia Pecan Producers Forecast Big Production Gain in 2020

    georgia pecans

    According to Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia pecan corn, hay, peanut, oat and wheat producers are set to harvest significantly larger crops in 2020 than they did in 2019, according to the October Crop Production Report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

    NASS forecast Georgia pecan production in 2020 at 125 million pounds, an increase of 71% from 2019. If realized, this would be the state’s largest crop since 2007.

    Georgia corn growers are forecast to yield a record-high 182 bushels per acre. Corn for grain production in 2020 is forecast at 69.2 million bushels, up 24% from 2019.

    Hay producers in Georgia are expected to produce 1.8 million tons in 2020, up 19% from 2019.

  • Alabama Extension Agent: Plant Now to Get Head Start on Spring

    Alabama farmers interested in producing blueberries or any other containerized plant are encouraged to plant now, says Gary Gray. The Alabama Regional Extension Agent emphasizes the importance of keeping them watered, however.

    Gray

    “I do prefer now. If you’ve got containerized plants, plant them now and they’ll have a head start on spring. They’ll be ahead of the game, as opposed to, lets say you’re planting them in February or March,” said Gray, who also emphasizes the importance of plants being watered consistently, especially if there are prolonged dry conditions.

    “In October, if we’re dry and we are right now, you’re going to need to keep them watered because we’re still hot and dry. Hopefully, it won’t be long and that’ll be a different situation.”

    Current Weather Situation

    According to the US Drought Monitor, parts of Alabama are classified as “D0” or abnormally dry, including Choctaw County, Sumter County and Pickens County in the western part of the state; and Tuscaloosa County, Jefferson County and Walker County in the central part.

    Gray said if growers wait until the spring to plant, they risk the plant succumbing to the hot temperatures when the young plants are in the early stage of production. He estimates that growers have a little more than a month left to plant this fall.

    “Our soil temperatures are still warm. We’re not in the heat of summer, although we’ve got some pretty warm days right now. But getting into November for example, we’re usually past all that heat, but we still have warm soil temperatures,” Gray said.

    “So, over the next six weeks, we will have some good planting time. Now, if I was planting blueberries, whether you plant them in the fall or spring for example, you definitely want to irrigate those especially in the first year, because they will die on you. A blueberry plant will dry out and die pretty quick. It’s very important to make sure you’ve got those irrigated, especially in that year of establishment.”