Jeff Wasielewski – EDIS Update

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

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

Planning for a Successful Commercial Subtropical/Tropical Fruit Grove

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

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

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

Hand Pruning and Training of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Trees

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

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

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

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

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

Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Propagation

Propagation is an important technique used by tropical and subtropical fruit growers worldwide, allowing plants to be grown cheaply and efficiently. While sexual propagation (by seed) results in plants that are not genetically the same as the mother plant, asexual propagation (cuttings, division, air-layers, and grafting) creates offspring that are clones of the mother plant. Cloning fruit trees is important because it allows different cultivars to be preserved over time. This new 7-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department explains both sexual and asexual propagation techniques, why they are used, and what type of propagation is best for which species of tropical fruit. Written by Jeff Wasielewski and Carlos Balerdi.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1349

Finger Lime: An Alternative Crop with Great Potential in South Florida

Cylindrical Australian finger limes (Microcitrus australasica) taste like a combination of lemon, lime, and grapefruit, come in a rainbow of colors, and have a texture like caviar. Like other citrus fruits, finger limes are nutritious, low in calories, and vitamin-rich. So far in the United States only California grows finger limes commercially, but this 4-page fact sheet written by Aditya Singh, Edward Evans, Jeff Wasielewski, Manjul Dutt, and Jude Grosser and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department makes the case that exotic, colorful finger limes would likely grow well in Florida, where they would appeal to hoteliers and restaurants and to adventurous, health-conscious consumers on the lookout for a delicious new fresh fruit snack to try.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1033

Spondias Growing in the Florida Home Landscape

Spondias species (whose common names among English speakers include ambarella, Ataheite apple, mombins, and hog plums) are flowering trees native to tropical and subtropical regions. They are known for their sweet fruit and grow well in the warmest parts of Florida. This 8-page fact sheet discusses biology, distribution and uses, as well as guidelines for propagation and maintenance. Written by Jonathan H. Crane and Jeffrey Wasielewski, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, April 2015. (Photo by Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg059