Pests Archives - Specialty Crop Industry

Survey Says: Georgia Growers Asked About Impact of Deer

Jim Rogers — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Deer can be a destructive pest across all growers of the agricultural industry in Georgia. The Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Department of Agriculture and University of Georgia Cooperative Extension want to know how destructive. The three organizations are collaborating on a deer impact survey to help determine the financial losses due to deer in Georgia over the past five years. ...

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Chilli Thrips: Primary Pest of Florida Blueberries

Jim Rogers — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 09:30:00 +0000

By Oscar Liburd and Doug Phillips Over the past few years, chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis) have become the most important insect pest of Florida blueberries, causing substantial injury to plant foliage and typically requiring significant and costly chemical control measures. Chilli thrips have been an economically important pest of vegetable, fruit and ornamental crops throughout Asia, Africa, Oceania the Caribbean ...

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Thrips Update: Populations Vary in Central, Southern Florida

Jim Rogers — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Thrips pressure is low across central and southern Florida, according to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline. Scouts are observing low numbers in pepper in central Florida, with thrips only found in the bloom. Dak Seal, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences entomologist at the Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida, reports low ...

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South Georgia Whitefly Populations Currently High

Jim Rogers — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 11:30:00 +0000

By Clint Thompson Whitefly populations are not at abnormally high levels, but they are high according to one expert. Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension vegetable entomologist, talked about the insect and what it might take to decrease the current populations. “They’re pretty high. We’re hoping as it cools off, it’s going to stretch out the life cycle and ...

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Whitefly Populations Vary in South Florida

Jim Rogers — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Whitefly populations vary in areas across South Florida, according to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline. Watermelon fields in central Florida are experiencing low to moderate numbers. Moderate levels were also reported in squash. In tomato, reports indicate whiteflies are at three or less per plants, while others showed populations increasing to high levels over the previous week. Populations ...

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Be on the Lookout for Invasive Spotted Lanternfly

Jim Rogers — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

By Emily Cabrera State governments are asking people to be on the lookout for an invasive insect pest called spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula). University of Georgia (UGA) experts say vigilant prevention strategies, early detection and timely interventions can help keep them from spreading into Georgia. Native to China, India, Vietnam and parts of Eastern Asia, the spotted lanternfly is now ...

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Scouting Remains Vital Step in Pepper Weevil Control

Jim Rogers — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 14:15:00 +0000

By Clint Thompson Pepper weevils continue to be a nuisance for Florida vegetable growers. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experts are providing guidance for producers on how to manage the pest. Jawwad Qureshi, associate professor of entomology at UF/IFAS, discussed the situation during the recent Citrus and Specialty Crop Expo. He emphasized that any management ...

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Yellow-Legged Hornet a Threat to Agriculture

Jim Rogers — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 10:45:00 +0000

By Clint Thompson The presence of the yellow-legged hornet in Georgia has specialty crop producers in the Southeast on high alert. Their presence is a threat to the region’s honey bee population and subsequent crops that rely on honey bees for pollination, explains Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University assistant professor and Extension specialist. “Similar to what people were calling the murder ...

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UF/IFAS Research: Lahiri Studies Chilli Thrips on Borders of Fields

Jim Rogers — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 11:00:00 +0000

By Clint Thompson University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research has yielded confirmation on why chilli thrips are an annual problem for strawberry growers, especially early in the season. Sriyanka Lahiri, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor of entomology and nematology at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, talked ...

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Whitefly Populations Remain Low

Jim Rogers — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 10:45:00 +0000

By Clint Thompson Whitefly populations remain low across the Southeast. Fall vegetable growers have the Christmas freeze event last December to thank for that, believes Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension vegetable entomologist. “I think that’s a lot of it. We’ve had some wet weather, too, but I think that’s a lot of it. It knocked them way back. ...

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