Photo by Chris Tyson/UGA; Shows pecan plantings being done at the Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center.
The University of Georgia (UGA) broke ground on Wednesday at the UGA Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center for a new 5-acre pecan research and demonstration plot.
Photo by Chris Tyson/UGA: Shows a hole for a pecan tree to be planted.
The planted trees will highlight research that focuses on new and current varieties and be used as a location for producer demonstrations as well as other research projects.
Virtual Production Meeting
The University of Georgia will host virtual production meetings on Feb. 9 at 9 a.m. and March 9 at 6 p.m. Pecan team members including Lenny Wells (Horticulture), Angelita Acebes (Entomology), Jason Brock (Plant Pathology) and Andrew Sawyer (SE Area Pecan Agent) will provide presentations.
Commercial hemp production has taken off in the Southeast. A key takeaway from the different production sites in Georgia and Alabama in 2020 was the alarming number of ant problems reported on production.
“A lot of times it was fire ants, but it wasn’t exclusively fire ants. There were some other types of ants as well,” said Tim Coolong, associate professor in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
“It was actually a significant issue. It was somewhat sporadic because some people didn’t have any problems with it. But in other fields, people were losing 10% to 15% of their plants, if not more.”
Problem in Alabama As Well
It was a similar problem that was reported in Alabama hemp. Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, said last June, “What I’m seeing now is they’ll kill a plant and just move to the next one pretty quickly. You can see this pattern as they move their mounds. They make these mounds around the base of the plant as they’re feeding.”
The ants were especially detrimental to plants that were young and vulnerable.
Ant Feeding
“They actually feed on the plant. I don’t know if they’re actually consuming that or chewing part of the stem off to use for material in the anthill or ant colony, rather,” Coolong said. “They’ll actually chew into the stem and girdle it and actually put little holes into the stem.
“Because there’s many insecticides labeled for hemp, when we are growing other crops that may have received insecticide applications at planting or prior to planting, ants aren’t an issue in many cases. Either that plant or the land around it is treated already. But in hemp that’s not an option in many cases. Therefore, it’s certainly more noteworthy.”
Baits may be the best source of management for producers gearing up for the 2021 season.
“While the baits themselves are not labeled for hemp production, if those baits are placed outside your production area and then therefore that crop is not coming in contact with them, that would not be an off-labeled use,” Coolong said. “That’s probably the best bet for growers.”
Citrus greening remains a focal point of research at the University of Florida/IFAS. Florida’s citrus producers are counting on research to help sustain what’s left of an industry decimated by Huanglongbing (also known as HLB or citrus greening).
Photo taken by UF/IFAS shows the small size-effect HLB can have on citrus.
Scott Angle, Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources at the UF/IFAS, understands the ramifications if improved management options aren’t available soon.
“Citrus greening has obviously devastated the industry in this state. We’re down to less than half of production. That’s despite having spent almost a billion dollars on this disease. To me, it’s hard to imagine, we spend a billion dollars, and we can’t solve a problem,” Angle said.
“It is so complex that it’s just been hard to find those tools that will allow us to manage the disease better. At this point, I don’t even know that we’re looking for a cure. We’re just looking to try to manage the citrus trees in a way that they can hang on longer. So when we do find that cure, that silver bullet that’s not obvious to us at this point; then we can keep those farmers in business.”
Disease Background
Click here for more information about the disease that is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid. Symptoms include asymmetrical yellowing of leaves and leaf veins. Later symptoms include twig dieback and decreased fruit production. What fruit a tree produces is often small, lopsided and unmarketable. Fruit will also drop prematurely from infected trees.
Examining the Problem at All Angles
UF/IFAS is examining the problem from multiple angles.
Led by Claudio Gonzalez, a UF/IFAS microbiology and cell science professor, a team of plant pathologists, horticulturists and citrus breeders have identified new management tactics that have slowed the spread of the bacterium.
Ute Albrecht, Ramdas Kanissery and Sarah Strauss, assistant professors at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, are collaborating with University of California-Riverside on a $10 million grant to examine root decline associated with trees infected with citrus greening.
In another research focused on HLB, Lorenzo Rossi, an assistant professor at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), and Jawwad Quershi, an assistant professor at UF/IFAS SWFREC, will collaborate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service on a grant to examine different ways to deliver therapeutic growing methods to citrus growers.
“We’re going to continue to help citrus farmers stay in business until we can find longer term cures for this. We’ve got all kinds of things we’re looking at; proteins we might spray in the tree that might interact with the psyllid that can spread the organism. We’ve got other people looking at breeding efforts to try to find rootstocks that might be a little more resistant to it,” Angle said. “Then we’re especially looking at nutrition and irrigation as ways to help keep these plants alive for just a little longer, hoping for that day when the cure is here.”
Cool temperatures and wet conditions are impacting South Florida’s vegetable production. According to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline, yields are way below normal. As a result, prices have been good for various crops.
The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor shows South Florida is in good shape with having sufficient rainfall this winter.
“Volumes have been light with yields of many items 30% to 50% of normal or less,” the hotline reported.
South Florida vegetable production has numerous crops coming to market. These include celery, cucumbers, green beans, peppers, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes and watermelons.
According to weather.com, warmer temperatures and drier conditions are expected later this week, with high temperatures in Belle Glade, Florida expected at 82 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday.
South Florida has received sufficient rainfall this winter. According to the US Drought Monitor, the only areas of the state listed as abnormally dry include a portion of north-central Florida. It extends as far south as Orange County, Florida to as far north as Columbia County; along with areas in the Panhandle and on the Georgia-Florida line.
AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. – Whether you’re an amateur gardener or seasoned agriculturalist, there is no denying that pests can sometimes sneak in and ruin a crop. These pests may appear in the form of insects, weeds or plant diseases — and all can be detrimental. Current and former Alabama Cooperative Extension System entomologists, weed scientists, plant pathologists and a pesticide education specialist have compiled an updated list of 2021 integrated pest management guides to keep these pests out of your crop.
Sikora
What Are IPM Guides?
IPM guides, or integrated pest management guides, are updated annually with information usually pertaining to herbicides, insecticides and fungicides that can be used to manage pests on plants.
“They may also include other pest management techniques such as cultural practices and disease resistant varieties that may be appropriate for certain insect pests and plant diseases,” said Alabama Extension plant pathologist and alumni professor Ed Sikora.
The 2021 IPM guides are available for access and download on the Alabama Extension website. The guides include recommendations for commercial horticultural crops; commercial turfgrass; homeowners’ lawns and ornamental and garden crops; houses, buildings and grounds; major row crops; noncropland, commercial trees and ornamental crops; pastures and forage crops and small and stored grains.
Why Are They Important?
The availability of pesticides, as well as application recommendations, are constantly changing, ensuring the need for these annual IPM guides and their up-to-date information. Each guide contains information about the selection, rates, application and proper use.
The 2021 IPM guides allow for the best management decisions to be made for crops or gardens. They are there to help avoid what Sikora warns are “unnecessary and sometimes expensive mistakes.”
“These guides are an excellent resource, and anybody that uses pesticides should have a copy in their truck or have the website easily accessible on their phone or computer,” Sikora said.
Anyone applying these pesticides should make sure to read the manufacturer’s label for directions on proper use and product restrictions. Reading labels ensures the safest application of the product in combination with recommendations included in the IPM guides.
More Information
For more information and access to the integrated pest management guides, visit the IPM page on the Alabama Extension website.
A difficult pecan season was challenging for all and painful for a few. Some farmers compensated for the extremely low prices that lingered all season with bountiful harvests.
However, some producers were not as fortunate. They either had a short crop or marginal crop that were amplified by some of the lowest prices producers haven’t experienced in decades.
Georgia pecan farmer Randy Hudson, who also works with the American Pecan Council, serves on the Pecan Export Trade Committee and is a member of the Georgia Pecan Growers Association, said producers who had a short crop are hurting.
“Not a lot of (the short crop), but there’s some of it. Then we had some growers with some marginal crops that would have paid for themselves had prices been 50 to 75 cents a pound higher or 50 (cents) to a dollar a pound higher. They would have been okay. They would have covered,” Hudson said. “But with the prices that we had and continue to have on marginal crops or short crops or young trees that are just coming into production, they did not cover their experiences.”
A projected La Nina weather pattern consisting of drier conditions and warmer temperatures has been anything but this winter for Georgia fruit and vegetable producers. With colder temperatures and consistent rainfall, producers have had to adjust.
The latest US Drought Monitor shows the majority of Georgia has received enough moisture this winter. Only a few counties are abnormally dry.
“Overall, I think everything’s looking pretty good. It’s been a wet winter and then a cold winter. Now, we’re back into a little bit of a cold snap. I think overall, it was a little wetter than what we would like for it to be. But you have to just deal with what Mother Nature gives you. You can’t be real choosy about that,” said Charles Hall, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Association.
According to the most recent US Drought Monitor, only a few areas of the state are abnormally dry; a small area in north Georgia, a section of about 10 counties in western Georgia and then along the Atlantic Coast, from Effingham County to Camden County and into Echols County along the Georgia-Florida state line.
The cooler temperatures should boost the state’s peach crop potential. Chill hours are needed for peaches to properly mature. The specific chill hour requirements depend on what variety is planted.
“I think they’re where they need to be or better than where they normally are with chill hours at this time. If everything turned warm, the issue would be early bloom. Hopefully, the weather continues on a normal pattern and we move on into the peach season the way we ought to,” Hall said.
Watermelons being researched on the UGA Tifton Campus. By Clint Thompson 6–6-17
It is never too early to start thinking about watermelon season in the Southeast. After all, south Florida’s crop has been in the ground for about a month. Central Florida producers will plant in mid-February. North Florida, Alabama and Georgia are slated to start around mid-March.
It is never too early to start thinking about another dream season to follow last year’s bountiful season.
“I’ve been at this 40-some odd years. Could you have two bountiful years back to back? Yes, indeed. Is it likely? Probably not,” said Carr Hussey, a watermelon farmer in Florida and Alabama, chairman of the board of the Florida Watermelon Association and co-founder of Sweet Mama Produce. “That’s a very difficult question because weather is such a big deterrent. I think it’s going to be an okay year, but I don’t know if it’ll be as bountiful as last year.”
Short Supply, High Demand in 2020
Watermelons were in short supply last year that contributed to higher prices for Southeast farmers. Hussey predicted in May there could be a watermelon shortage by Memorial Day. Prices in mid-May were around 20 cents per pound. Florida’s watermelon supply diminished due to three straight weekends of rain events. Heavy rains on mature vines lead to a quick harvest season.
But those farmers that had a crop were able to sell and sell at high prices for most of the season.
“In my 40-something years I’ve seen about three of those. I hate to say it, but I think COVID had a little bit to do with it last year. People were staying home, doing more Bar-B-Quing. I really think it helped the pricing. The bountifulness was already there, but the demand was higher which kept the price good,” Hussey said. “Will that happen again this year? I hope so. I don’t hope for COVID, of course.”
Prices also could be impacted by an increase in acres. Georgia’s acreage dropped to around 19,000 last year. It was a significant decline from the 23,000-acre average from it had from 2016 to 2018. But with word of higher prices in 2020, it should entice farmers to plant more acres this year.
“Anytime there’s a really good year, everybody and their brother want to get on it next year. That’s what will probably deter the price from being as good,” Hussey said. “But that being said, if they don’t increase it dramatically, it’ll still be a good year; if they don’t increase acreage dramatically.”
According to today’s release of the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline, whitefly numbers are increasing in some older tomato fields across the southwest Florida region. As many as 5 to 10 whiteflies per leaflet have been detected.
Whiteflies are also present in high numbers in cucumbers, squash and eggplant. They are beginning to show up in some young tomato and watermelons as well.
Pressure remains light in the Manatee Ruskin area, though growers are just now planting.
Whitefly infestations are high in some older eggplant and reaching moderate levels in tomato along the East Coast. In Homestead, Florida, whiteflies are increasing in various crops. There are also reports that Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus, a disease caused by whiteflies, is widespread in tomato.
Management of whiteflies later in the season depends on suppression of whitefly populations early in the season. Growers need to be aggressive with the best systemic materials such as Venom, Sivanto Prime and Verimark.
Whiteflies are difficult to control because of their prolific reproductive cycle. A female can lay between 150 and 200 eggs. It only takes those whiteflies two to four weeks to mature into the adult stage and begin reproducing.
File photo shows strawberries packaged in the field.
Cooler temperatures this winter have slowed the growth of Florida’s strawberry crop. But the quality of the berries the state has produced since Thanksgiving remains top-notch.
“With all of this nice cool weather, we’ve had fantastic quality. The flavor has been really good. The size of the fruit has been really good. The firmness of the fruit has been really good. The fruit that we’ve produced has been great quality,” said Vance Whitaker, strawberry breeder at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.
Whitaker said the combination of the hot November temperatures and subsequent cooler temperatures in December and January have slowed the crop’s emergence and ripening of the fruit as well.
He predicts that volume will increase substantially, however, over the next two weeks leading in Valentine’s Day.
