Protect Against Whiteflies by Destroying Plants After Harvest

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By Clint Thompson University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable entomologist Stormy Sparks says cole crop growers need to destroy their plants once they’re done harvesting this winter. Cole crops, such as cabbage, serve as hosts for whiteflies. Therefore, the crops must to be destroyed once harvest season concludes in order to prevent the risk of a whitefly infestation. “If you’ve …

Scientists Seeking New Solutions for Fruit Fly Control

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(UF/IFAS) — In the home, they seem to appear out of nowhere. A piece of fruit is placed on the kitchen counter, and suddenly there’s a fruit fly. But the bug commonly referred to as a fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, may more accurately be called a vinegar fly, with an appetite for rotting fruits. Instead, it’s a cousin, Drosophila suzukii, also known …

Managing Spotted Wing Drosophila in Organic Fruit Production

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By Ashley Robinson Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), a fruit fly originally from southeast Asia, has emerged as the most devastating pest of small fruits globally. Losses due to SWD can be as high as 100 percent and have been especially devastating for organic producers due to the lack of insecticide options to fend off the pest. RESEARCH PROJECT Researchers are …

New Precision Ag Facility Adds to UF/IFAS Arsenal to Fight Pests, Diseases

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(UF/IFAS) — In a new, 8,500-square-foot building at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, weed scientist Nathan Boyd uses images of weeds to train computers to identify them. Those pictures can be used to help growers know when, where and how to control pests. Using this form of precision …

Root-Knot Nematode Update

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“Root-knot nematode is really our number one nematode problem in Florida,” nematologist Johan Desaeger said at Florida Ag Expo in November. Desaeger is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. “It’s the most widespread nematode we have in Florida, and the most damaging,” he added. Florida has at …

Managing Pests in Florida Blueberries

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By Karla Arboleda Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are working on techniques for managing pests in Florida blueberries. Both blueberry gall midge and chilli thrips are problematic for several blueberry varieties. Oscar Liburd, a professor of entomology at UF/IFAS, shared findings from the past season on managing pests. PEST ACTIVITY AND IDENTIFICATION …

New Method to Combat Brazilian Peppertree Problem

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By Karla Arboleda Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are now approved to release a specific type of thrips to help control the Brazilian peppertree problem. INVASIVE SPECIES Brazilian peppertrees are an invasive shrub that cover about 700,000 acres of Florida. Carey Minteer, an assistant professor at UF/IFAS, worked on a portion of …

Two-Spotted Spider Mites: Serious Pest in Strawberries

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By Shane Curry and Jeff Cook With fall planting upon us, the southeastern strawberry season is underway. In this part of the country, strawberry plants are set annually from September to November with fruit ripening from April to June. From the time the plants arrive on the farm in the fall through harvest time in spring, growers must thoroughly inspect …

Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs Getting Ready for Winter

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By Karla Arboleda As the weather cools down, brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSBs) in the deep Southeast are seeking to stay in dry areas away from crops. BMSBs will typically affect peaches, apples, tomatoes, peppers, corn and soybeans throughout North Carolina and South Carolina, but not for much longer. According to Jim Walgenbach, an Extension entomologist at North Carolina State …

Steaming for Weed Management

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By Ramdas Kanissery and Yiannis Ampatzidis Weeds are a significant problem in horticultural production and must be controlled to maintain good crop yield. Concerns related to non-judicious use of herbicides, which include ground and surface water contamination and pesticide residues in food, has sparked public awareness and restrictions on herbicide use. For these reasons, alternative and integrated systems for weed …