Microbial Marauder of Potato, Tomato Crops Has an Accomplice

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(USDA/ARS) — Descendants of the fungus-like pathogen that caused the Irish potato famine in the 1840s — Phytopthora infestans — may have had a “helping hand” in recent U.S. outbreaks of the costly blight disease. Reporting in the September 2019 issue of Virus Research, a team of Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Cornell University (CU) and Rutgers University scientists announced they had identified a virus that …

USDA Invests $11M In Research That Will Support Specialty Crop Farmers

Web AdminAvocado, Berries, Fruit, Grapes, Hemp, Hops, Horticulture, Industry News Release, Leafy Vegetables, Mangos, Mushrooms, Nuts, Olives, Onion, Organic, Peaches, Pecan, Pomegranates, potato, Produce, Stone Fruit, Strawberry, Sugar, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Tropical Fruit, Vegetables, Watermelon

WASHINGTON (USDA-Oct. 3, 2019) — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary Scott Hutchins announced that the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has invested $11 million in research that will support specialty crop farmers. “This collaborative public-private research effort will focus on applying innovative solutions to pest management problems that often are otherwise not available to specialty …

Potato Late Blight Detected in Tri-County Area

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By Alison DeLoach Potato late blight genotype US 23 was recently identified in Saint Johns County, Florida. This strain of potato late blight is susceptible to fungicides with the active ingredient mefenoxam, found in the commonly used product Ridomil Gold SL. Nicholas Dufault, associate professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida, presented a disease update on potato blight …

Crop Diversification Considerations

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By Breanna Kendrick There is a big push on nutrition in our nation right now, so it’s important that farmers are able to diversify to meet the demands of those seeking healthier diets. Wendy Mussoline, a University of Florida multi-county agriculture Extension agent for Flagler and Putnam counties, works with farmers who want to incorporate new crops into their production …

Late Blight: Centuries-Old Pathogen with Deadly Impacts

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Late blight is a deadly, chronic pathogen that occurs annually in potato and tomato crops. Pam Roberts, a professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida, dubbed it a “disease of distinction” during her presentation at the 2018 Citrus Expo. According to Roberts, there is a variety of factors that can contribute to a late blight infection. Once a …

Taking Precautions for Increased Rain

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By Breanna Kendrick With widespread rain in Florida for the past week and a half and another week of rain forecasted, growers are becoming concerned about what this might mean for their crops. For the past seven days, rainfall has ranged from 1.20 to 9.43 inches in Florida. Depending on location, the rain has either been devastating or vital for …

Latest Data from UF Citizen Scientists Show Air Potato Beetles Flourishing in Florida

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Contact: Samantha Grenrock, 352-294-3307 (office), 949-735-1076 (cell), grenrosa@ufl.edu GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Across Florida, thousands of small, red beetles have been battling the invasive air potato vine for the last eight years, one bite at a time. And they appear to be prospering, according to the latest data collected through the collaborative efforts of the University of Florida, the Florida Department …

Fertigation Improves Potato Production

Web Adminpotato, Research, Top Posts, VSCNews magazine

By Guodong Liu Seepage irrigation has been the most commonly used irrigation method for potatoes since the crop was first grown in Florida in the late 1800s. This traditional irrigation method doesn’t require much investment by the grower. Seepage irrigation waters the crop from the bottom by raising the water table, but it lacks water-use efficiency. DRAMATIC WATER SAVINGS Potatoes …