Soil Arsenic in Miami-Dade County

A power plant in South Florida where Robert Stamp and others cleaned up arsenic in an area of the property using ferns. UF/IFAS Photo: courtesy of Robert Stamps.

This new 6-page factsheet provides information about soil arsenic (As) in Miami-Dade County, including basics, background concentrations, cleanup guidelines of soil As, and bioavailability of soil As related to plant and human health. Written by Yuncong Li, Ashley Smyth, Jonathan Crane, Christopher Teaf, and Guangliang Liu, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Soil and Water Sciences.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss696

The Passion Fruit in Florida

Passion fruit cross section, showing juice-filled arils and black seeds. Credits: Mark Bailey, UF/IFAS

Passion fruit is a short-lived evergreen perennial vine that produces an aromatic and tropical-tasting fruit. This new 13-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department provides a description of passion fruit and its various species and cultivars, as well as a guide to culture and management, harvest and storage, its pests and diseases, and food and marketing. Written by Mark Bailey, Ali Sarkhosh, Amir Rezazadeh, Joshua Anderson, Alan Chambers, and Jonathan Crane.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1406

Sampling Guidelines and Recommendations for Submitting Samples for Diagnosing Laurel Wilt in Avocado Trees (Persea americana L.)

Laurel wilt symptoms in avocado trees include green leaf wilting, desiccated (brown) leaves, and stem and limb dieback. Credits: J. H. Crane, UF/IFAS TREC

Laurel wilt (LW) is a vascular disease caused by a fungal pathogen transmitted to avocado trees by several ambrosia beetle species and through root grafts among adjacent avocado trees. A critical part of preventing and controlling plant diseases is determining the causal agent so that the appropriate management practices can be implemented to eradicate or contain the outbreak. Proper sampling is a critical step in disease diagnosis and in the determination of the causal agent of disease. This new 3-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department was written by Jonathan Crane, Romina Gazis, Jeff Wasielewski, Daniel Carrillo, Bruce Schaffer, Fredy Ballen, and Edward Evans.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1394

Programacion de Riego Basado en el Metodo de Evapotranspiracion Para Papaya (Carica papaya) en Florida

Fruiting papaya trees at the Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, FL. UF/IFAS Photo: Thomas Wright

La papaya es un importante cultivo frutícola que se cultiva en el sur de Florida con un área estimada de 356 acres. Este documento se centra en las técnicas de programación de riego basadas en ET para la papaya en las condiciones de Florida. Written by Haimanote K. Bayabil, Jonathan H. Crane, Kati W. Migliaccio, Yuncong Li, Fredy Ballen, and Sandra Guzmán, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, November 2020.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae547

Planning for a Successful Commercial Subtropical/Tropical Fruit Grove

Row of Mango trees. Photographed on 06-27-18.  Photo Credits:  UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones

Planning is the key to successful grove establishment, maintenance, and production. Developing a detailed infrastructure description and plan, cultural program, and financial and marketing plan for a new or existing grove with a new fruit crop will save you time and money and help minimize mistakes. Prospective growers should compile and analyze information needed to select a grove site, establish the needed infrastructure, and develop maintenance plans for the plants and how the production will be marketed. This new 15-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department presents an outline of the type of information growers need when establishing a tropical fruit grove or contemplating management or modification of an existing grove. Written by Jonathan Crane, Yuncong Li, Edward Evans, Fredy Ballen, and Jeff Wasielewski.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1387

Recomendaciones para la Detección y Mitigación de la Marchitez del Laurel en Árboles de Aguacates y Especies Relacionadas en Jardines y Patios Hogareños

Avocados growing on a tree. Avocado fruit. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones.

This is the Spanish translation of HS1358, Recommendations for the Detection and Mitigation of Laurel Wilt Disease in Avocado and Related Tree Species in the Home Landscape. Avocado trees are a popular choice for homeowners in Florida, with over 600,000 growing in Florida home landscapes. However, avocado trees as well as others in the Lauraceae family are susceptible to laurel wilt disease, which can kill a tree in as few as three weeks. This new 8-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department provides home owners recommendations for identifying and mitigating laurel wilt disease in the home landscape. Written by Jonathan H. Crane, Jeff Wasielewski, Daniel Carrillo, Romina Gazis, Bruce Schaffer, Fredy Ballen, and Edwards Evans.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1384

Recomendaciones para el Control y Mitigación de la Marchitez del Laurel y sus Vectores, los Escarabajos Ambrosia, en Arboledas Comerciales de Aguacate en Florida

Avocado. UF/IFAS Photo: Thomas Wright.

This is the Spanish translation of Recommendations for Control and Mitigation of Laurel Wilt and Ambrosia Beetle Vectors in Commercial Avocado Groves in Florida (HS1360). Laurel wilt and the ambrosia beetle vectors that transmit this lethal disease have and will continue to affect avocado production in Florida. At least 50% of the commercial producers are Hispanic Americans and some are more comfortable with publications in Spanish. The translator, Rubén Regalado, and reviewer, Carlos Balerdi, are both previous employees of UF/IFAS.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1379

Irrigation System Descriptions for Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Crops in Florida

Irrigation. The Fort Lauderdale Research Addresses the unique concerns of the highly urbanized commercial horticulture and pest control industries and related urban/suburban consumer population of subtropical Southern Florida and agricultural producers, land and water managers , and consumers throughout Florida.  Photo Credits:  UF/IFAS File Photo

Florida’s tropical and subtropical fruit crop industries use various irrigation systems, including high-volume systems designed for irrigation and freeze protection, drip systems for herbaceous fruit crops (papaya, banana), and microsprinkler types, mainly for irrigation and fertigation. There continues to be a steady stream of potential tropical and subtropical fruit producers in Florida, many with little to no knowledge of the various types or purposes of various irrigation system that have been used successfully for the past 60 years. This new 9-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department includes potential producers, Extension faculty and agents, and irrigation companies. Written by Jonathan Crane, Haimanote Bayabil, Edward A. Evans, and Fredy Ballen.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1375

Hand Pruning and Training of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Trees

Heading cuts (tipping) are made toward the end of a branch near a node or growing point. Credits: R. J. Campbell, UF/IFAS

This new 6-page document explains the proper way to prune fruit trees using hand tools. An important aspect of growing tropical and subtropical fruit trees is size control through pruning. In addition to size control, pruning also makes it easier to spray the tree and harvest fruit from the tree. Pruning also makes the tree more hardy to wind events and healthier in general because you can remove damaged or unhealthy parts of the tree. Written by Jeff Wasielewski, Jonathan Crane, and Carlos Balerdi, and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1372

Bacterial Black Spot (BBS) of Mango in Florida

Mangos on trees. Photo taken 06-27-18.  Photo Credits:  UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones

Bacterial black spot, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas citri pv. mangiferaeindicae, is a relatively new (~2015) bacterial disease in Florida that has the potential to limit mango production of some cultivars. This new 6-page fact sheet provides the current knowledge and status of the disease potential on various cultivars. Written by Jonathan Crane and Romina Gazis, and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1369

Sample Profitability and Cost Estimates of Producing Sweet Flavored Carambola (Averrhoa carambola) in south Florida.

a close-up photo of carambola fruits.

This 7-page fact sheet written by Fredy H. Ballen, Aditya Singh, Edward A. Evans, and Jonathan H. Crane and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department reports the costs and returns of operating an established sweet-flavored carambola grove in south Florida. It is intended to provide a reference to help estimate the financial requirements of running an established grove. Information was collected through field interviews with growers and industry specialists about a wide range of production practices used on small farms of five acres or fewer.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1079

ET-Based Irrigation Scheduling for Papaya (Carica papaya) in Florida

Fruiting papaya trees at the Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, FL. UF/IFAS Photo: Thomas Wright.

Three irrigation scheduling methods (set schedule, ET-based, and tensiometer-based) were tested for papaya production in south Florida. ET-based irrigation scheduling was found to conserve water effectively. This 6-page document primarily focuses on the ET-based irrigation scheduling techniques for papaya under Florida conditions. Written by Haimanote K. Bayabil, Jonathan H. Crane, Kati W. Migliaccio, Yuncong Li, and Fredy Ballen, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, March 2020.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae540

Recommendations for Control and Mitigation of Laurel Wilt and Ambrosia Beetle Vectors in Commercial Avocado Groves in Florida

Avocado. UF/IFAS Photo: Thomas Wright.

The lethal laurel wilt epidemic affecting avocado trees in Florida is caused by a fungal pathogen-ambrosia beetle complex (LW-AB). The death of over 120,000 commercial avocado trees in Florida may be attributed to LW-AB. Recommendations for control and mitigation of this epidemic are needed to guide commercial producers in their decision-making process. This new 8-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department outlines the LW-AB epidemic, provides information on the pathogen and ambrosia beetle vectors, provides a brief outline of current research findings, and offers recommendations for the control and mitigation of LW-AB. Written by Jonathan H. Crane, Daniel Carrillo, Edward A. Evans, Romina Gazis, Bruce Schaffer, Fredy Ballen, and Jeff Wasielewski.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1360

Recommendations for the Detection and Mitigation of Laurel Wilt Disease in Avocado and Related Tree Species in the Home Landscape

Avocados growing on a tree. Avocado fruit. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones.

Avocado trees are a popular choice for homeowners in Florida, with over 600,000 growing in Florida home landscapes. However, avocado trees as well as others in the Lauraceae family are susceptible to laurel wilt disease, which can kill a tree in as few as three weeks. This new 7-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department provides home owners recommendations for identifying and mitigating laurel wilt disease in the home landscape. Written by Jonathan H. Crane, Jeff Wasielewski, Daniel Carrillo, Romina Gazis, Bruce Schaffer, Fredy Ballen, and Edwards Evans.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1358

Stem and Fruit Canker of Dragon Fruit in South Florida

Red dragon fruit

Dragon fruit, also known as pitahaya, pitaya, and strawberry pear, is a group of vine-like, climbing cacti. In south Florida, production of dragon fruit has been steadily increasing since the 2000s, and growers in Florida consider dragon fruit as a potential alternative fruit crop to avocado and citrus, two economically important fruit crops largely impacted by laurel wilt and huanglongbing, respectively. This new 4-page article focuses on the symptomology and epidemiology of stem and fruit canker, a prevailing disease on dragon fruit. Suggested management strategies for the disease are also discussed based on recent studies conducted in south Florida. Written by Cheng-Fang Hong, Shouan Zhang, Romina Gazis, Jonathan H. Crane, and Jeff Wasielewski, and published by the UF/IFAS Plant Pathology Department.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp355

Cost Estimates of Producing Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa L.) in South Florida

Sugar apples

Because of the growing interest in alternative tropical fruit crops to diversify farm income, this 6-page fact sheet written by Fredy H. Ballen, Aditya Singh, Edward Evans, and Jonathan Crane and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department offers an estimate of costs and returns associated with operating an established sugar apple orchard in south Florida.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1053

Sample Productivity and Cost Estimates of Producing Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) in South Florida


Interest is growing in minor tropical fruit crops. This 6-page publication written by Fredy H. Ballen, Edward A. Evans, Aditya Singh, and Jonathan H. Crane and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department provides an estimate of the costs and returns associated with the operation of an established longan grove in south Florida. Information presented in this article was obtained through field interviews with growers and industry experts; it reflects a wide variety of production practices in small longan orchards of 1 to 4 acres and should help estimate the financial requirements of operating an established grove.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1049

Cost and Return Estimates of a Mamey Sapote Grove in South Florida, 2017

The objective of this 6-page fact sheet written by Fredy H. Ballen, Aditya Singh, Edward A. Evans, and Jonathan Crane and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department is to provide an estimate of the costs and returns associated with an established mamey sapote orchard in south Florida.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1039

Cost Estimates of Producing Pink Guava (Psidium guajava L.) in South Florida

pink guava photo usda

This 6-page fact sheet written by Edward Evans, Fredy H. Ballen, Jonathan Crane, and Aditya Singh and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department presents the estimated costs and returns associated with the operation of an established pink guava grove in south Florida. The information presented was collected through field interviews with growers and industry specialists; it reflects a wide diversity of production techniques in small guava orchards. The information presented is intended only as a reference to estimate the financial requirements of operating an established pink guava grove.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1036

Cost Estimates of Producing Sapodilla in South Florida, 2017

Sapodilla fruit on tree Jonathan Crane, UF/IFAS TREC

This 6-page fact sheet written by Edward A. Evans, Fredy H. Ballen, Aditya Singh, and Jonathan H. Crane and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department provides an estimate of the costs and returns associated with an established sapodilla orchard in south Florida. The information presented is based on a wide range of production practices collected through field interviews with growers and industry specialists and is intended as a guide to estimate the financial aspects of operating an established sapodilla grove. Please note that sapodilla has been assessed by the UF/IFAS Invasive Plants Working Group as potentially invasive in south and central Florida. It should not be planted in home landscapes or in groves near natural areas. Sapodilla plantings must be fenced, and the fruit must be moved in covered vehicles to prevent fruit being eaten by wildlife and the plant from infesting areas outside the grove.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1015