Posted on June 8, 2018 by rhallberg
By Clint Thompson, University of Georgia
Silverleaf whiteflies devastated Georgia’s cotton and fall vegetable crops last year. In response to this crisis, a team of University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences research and UGA Cooperative Extension specialists is studying the pests statewide to help cotton and vegetable farmers avoid another year of disappointing crops.
“Teams are an important part of UGA. Many of the issues agriculturists face today require a collection of scientists from differing disciplines with differing expertise to address complex issues. The silverleaf whitefly fits the bill here,” said Phillip Roberts, UGA Extension cotton and soybean entomologist and Whitefly Team member. “Not only are whiteflies a direct pest of plants as a result of feeding, but they also transmit several viruses to vegetables that can have a devastating effect on virus-susceptible crops.” Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: biocontrol, insect pest control, Phillip Roberts, silverleaf whitefly, Stormy Sparks, UGA Extension, University of Georgia, whiteflies, Whitefly Team | Leave a comment »
Posted on May 30, 2018 by rhallberg
In Southeast Farm Press
by Clint Thompson, University of Georgia
Pepper weevils are such a threat to Georgia’s pepper crop that University of Georgia vegetable entomologist David Riley says Georgia farmers and agricultural workers should immediately kill any weevils found on fruit, equipment or clothes.
This year’s cold winter temperatures helped to wipe out fall vegetable plants like peppers and eggplants that host the weevils. However, weevils can hitchhike on peppers that the U.S. imports from Mexico and infect Georgia’s pepper fields. Seventy percent of the winter peppers imported into the U.S. are grown in Mexico, where pepper weevils originate. Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: David Riley, insect control, invasive insects, invasive species, pepper weevil, pyrethroid, University of Georgia | 2 Comments »
Posted on May 29, 2018 by rhallberg
By Becky Griffin, University of Georgia
Whether you work on a large family farm, in a home vegetable garden, or in a small, community garden vegetable plot, routinely scouting for insects should be an important part of your vegetable-growing plan.
Insect pests can be a costly problem in vegetables. The life cycles of some insect pests are so short that missing just one week of scouting can lead to an increase in pests and damaged crops. Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: insect scouting, IPM, scouting, threshold, University of Georgia, urban IPM | Leave a comment »
Posted on May 4, 2018 by rhallberg
By Clint Thompson, University of Georgia
Georgia watermelon growers who have a targeted, informed disease management plan for gummy stem blight disease could save money and lessen the environmental impact of producing this favorite summertime fruit.
University of Georgia horticulturist Cecilia McGregor, along with fellow UGA scientists Marin Brewer and Bhabesh Dutta, studies the impact of reduced fungicide use through early detection of gummy stem blight in watermelons. Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: Cecilia McGregor, gummy stem blight, IPM, LAMP assay, plant disease, University of Georgia | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 9, 2018 by rhallberg
By Sharon Dowdy, University of Georgia
Fire ant research is not a hot topic in the scientific community because effective control products are available, but fire ants can kill people, so management of this pest remains an ongoing issue, according to Will Hudson, University of Georgia entomology professor.
“It’s a measure of the state of entomology. We used to have a fair amount of fire ant research going on in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,” said Hudson, who has studied the control of turf insects for the past 30 years. “But fire ants are still important because other ants aren’t going to kill you. If you are allergic and you get stung by a whole lot of fire ants, you could die.” Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: allergies to fire ants, fire ants, insect control, invasive species, University of Georgia | Leave a comment »
Posted on February 9, 2018 by rhallberg
By Clint Thompson, University of Georgia
The key to managing Exobasidium leaf and fruit spot disease in blueberries, which makes the fruit unmarketable, is one application of lime sulfur approximately two weeks prior to bud break, according to Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension fruit pathologist.
Exobasidium disease causes spots on the leaves and fruit, decreases the fruit’s size and, because of the fruit’s immaturity, gives it a bitter taste. The leaf spots eventually turn velvety and white and lead to early defoliation, and the spotted fruit is not fit for sale. Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: blueberry diseases, Exobasidium disease, fungal diseases, Jonathan Oliver, plant disease, sulfur, University of Georgia | Leave a comment »
Posted on February 2, 2018 by rhallberg
By Christina Conner, University of Georgia
Hundreds of people get sick each year from inappropriate pesticide use, but those who don’t deal with pesticides daily may not think about it very often.
Pesticides are used in homes, workplaces, apartments, farms and other places where humans need to control pests such as weeds, insects, fungi, rodents and even viruses. Of the 11 states participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) pesticide safety program, workers reported 853 serious injuries from pesticides in 2011, according to the CDC. Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: CDC, National Pesticide Safety Education Month, pesticide safety, pesticides, University of Georgia, weed control | 1 Comment »
