By Clint Thompson Small melon producers in the southeast have a few options to choose from if they want to capitalize on new cantaloupe varieties, according to Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist. “It’s one of those crops that we have a lot more potential with. It’s scattered through the state. Most growers, especially if they have roadside stands, all …
Heat Management Strategies for Tomatoes in High Tunnels
By Juan Carlos Diaz-Perez, Sudeep Bag and Tim Coolong Protected agriculture technologies such as high tunnels (HT) are increasing in popularity in the United States, particularly with small and organic growers. High tunnels, also known as hoop houses, typically have a pipe framework covered by a single-layer plastic film (4 or 6 mil thickness). In contrast to greenhouses, high tunnels …
HLB Quarantines Established in Multiple Alabama Counties
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, in conjunction with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI), is putting in place new quarantines for huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening disease. The quarantines are confined to areas in Baldwin and Mobile counties in Alabama. The action is necessary because HLB was detected in plant tissue samples …
Drought Conditions Persist in Southeast
Abnormally dry conditions are persisting across the Southeast, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The majority of Georgia is abnormally dry, with even a few counties in east-central Georgia experiencing moderately dry conditions. This includes Burke, Jefferson, Washington, Richmond, Glascock , McDuffie, Columbia, Wilkinson and Lincoln counties. Southeast Georgia counties have received sufficient rainfall. Abnormally dry conditions are being experienced …
ACES to Host Hemp Licensee Meetings
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) will host five meetings in January for licensed hemp producers in advance of the 2022 season. Growers can choose one meeting to attend based on scheduling and availability. These meetings will replace the one normal mandatory meeting held in previous years. These meetings will cover regulations from the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries …
Pecan Prices Stay Steady; Demand High
Prices remain steady and demand remains high for pecans as the season nears an end in the southeast. Prices for lots in Georgia with less than 20,000 pounds, including truckloads: Native Seedlings, $0.75 per pound; Caddo, 52%-54% meat yield, $2.38-$2.39 per pound; Cape Fear, 56%-57% meat yield, $2.29-$2.36 per pound; Desirables, 50%-52% meat yield, $2.25-$2.35 per pound; Elliott, $1.25-$1.50; Excel, …
ADAI to Host Citrus Industry Meeting
The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) will host a Citrus Industry meeting on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 1 p.m. at the ADAI auditorium in Montgomery, Ala. The in-person meeting will highlight developments from the citrus survey conducted by the department and the potential impact that citrus canker detections have for the industry in Alabama. The current status of …
UF/IFAS GCREC Welcomes Tomlin Middle School STEM Students
Faculty, staff and students at University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) welcomed 65 seventh graders Tuesday from Tomlin Middle School in Plant City on Tuesday. The annual tour provides the students exposure to labs, greenhouses, fields and up-close demonstrations of techniques and research at the center. The morning began with …
Adult Whitefly Populations Increasing Across South Florida Vegetables
According to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline, whitefly numbers remain low in most crops for this time of the season. But according to growers and scouts, adult populations have increased in multiple places, and nymphs are being observed in older tomato, eggplant and watermelon. The spikes seen in some melon fields have led to cucurbit viruses. Populations will …
Asian Bean Thrips Populations Continue to Vary Across South Florida
According to the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), Asian bean thrips (ABT) populations continue to vary throughout south Florida. The highest populations were detected in south Hendry County, though populations were very low in the Palm Beach County region. In south Hendry County, infestations were numbered at 0.2 adult per bloom. Larvae have been observed at …