Approximately 68% of the 16 million square miles of agricultural land worldwide is used for permanent pastures for livestock production. Fortunately, ruminants can convert plant matter that is inedible or of low nutritional value for monogastrics (i.e., swine or poultry) into calorically dense products of high nutritional value. However, the process of converting poor quality plant matter into useful nutrients for ruminants is complex. This 3-page fact sheet provides an overview and understanding of how forage composition and structure affect the nutritive value and nutrient availability to ruminants. Written by Kalyn M. Waters, Nicolas DiLorenzo, and G. Cliff Lamb, and published by the UF Department of Animal Sciences, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an288
Category: Agriculture
Storage Limitation Statements: Temperature – Herbicides (PI123/PI160)
This 8-page guide provides information about how temperature affects storage of agricultural herbicides. A table is included that lists many common agricultural herbicides registered for use in Florida, with storage limitation statements. Written by Frederick M. Fishel, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, April 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi160
Managing Diamide Resistance in Florida Tomato (ENY867/IN978)
As with any insecticide, repeated use of diamide insecticides on successive generations of the same pest may lead to the development of insecticide resistance. In order to avoid the development of resistance to diamides by targeted pests of tomato, group 28 insecticides, including diamides, must be rotated with insecticides possessing different modes of action. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Hugh A. Smith, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in978
Citrus Canker Symptoms on Nursery Trees (PP304)
This document is a two-page illustrated identification sheet for citrus canker symptoms that appear in citrus nurseries. Written by Timothy D. Riley, Megan M. Dewdney, and Jamie D. Burrow, and published by the UF Department of Plant Pathology, April 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp304
Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) for Enhanced Water Distribution: SDI – Seepage Hybrid System (HS1217)
In terms of water use efficiency, the traditional seepage irrigation systems commonly used in areas with high water tables are one of the most inefficient methods of irrigation, though some irrigation management practices can contribute to better soil moisture uniformity. Subsurface drip irrigation systems apply water below the soil surface by microirrigation, improving the water distribution and time required to raise the water table for seepage irrigation. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Lincoln Zotarelli, Libby Rens, Charles Barrett, Daniel J. Cantliffe, Michael D. Dukes, Mark Clark, and Steven Lands, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1217
Reducing Fumigant Application Rates and Soil Emissions with Plastic Mulch Technology (ENY046/IN403)
With the new fumigant regulations and rising cost of crop production, including fumigants, it would be desirable to reduce the standard use rate of soil fumigants. The use of higher-barrier, gas-impermeable mulches may make it possible to reduce fumigant application rates by helping to contain the fumigant longer within the soil and reduce overall emissions into the atmosphere. The results of field studies show that fumigant application rates can be reduced by 20 to as much as 40% through the use of virtually impermeable or the more gas-tight TIF mulch films at the time of application. This 5-page fact sheet was written by J. W. Noling, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in403
Effect of Age at Castration on Beef Calf Performance (AN289)
A study in Florida was conducted to examine the issue of age at castration to determine if castration timing resulted in significant differences in growth rate and weaning weight in nursing calves. In addition, the study included a comparison between Angus and Brangus calves in the treatment groups to determine if there was a breed by castration effect. No differences in calf growth rates were observed in early compared to late castration. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Amie Imler, Todd Thrift, Matt Hersom, and Joel Yelich, and published by the UF Department of Animal Sciences, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an289
Allelopathy: How Plants Suppress Other Plants (HS944/HS186)
Allelopathy refers to the beneficial or harmful effects of one plant on another plant, both crop and weed species, from the release of biochemicals, known as allelochemicals, from plant parts by leaching, root exudation, volatilization, residue decomposition, and other processes in both natural and agricultural systems. This 5-page fact sheet introduces the concept of allelopathy and mentions potential applications as an alternative weed management strategy. Written by James J. Ferguson, Bala Rathinasabapathi, and Carlene A. Chase, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs186
Energy Valuation Methods for Biofuels in South Florida: Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment and Emergy Approaches (SL377/SS579)
This 5-page fact sheet gives an overview of two methods for evaluating energy transformations in biofuels production. The Life Cycle Assessment approach involves measurements affecting greenhouse gases, which can be linked to the energy considerations used in the Emergy Assessment. Although these two methods have their basis in energy or greenhouse gas emission evaluations, their approaches can lead to a reliable judgment regarding a biofuel process. We can use them to evaluate the economic environmental component of a biofuel process, and decide which biofuel processes favor sustainability. The intended audiences of this publication are growers, researchers, students, and any other readers interested in agriculture and ecology. Written by J. Van Treese II, E. A. Hanlon, N. Y. Amponsah, J. L. Izursa, and J. C. Capece, and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss579
Storage Limitation Statements: Temperature – Fungicides (PI122/PI159)
This 7-page fact sheet provides information about how temperature affects storage of agricultural fungicides. A table is included that lists many common agricultural fungicides registered for use in Florida along with storage limitations. was written by Frederick M. Fishel, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi159
Fumigant Nematicides Registered for Vegetable Crop Use in Florida (ENY064/IN980)
This 3-page fact sheet lists of multispectrum fumigant nematicides currently registered for use on different Florida crops (Table 1); their maximum rates and specific details for field application (Table 2); and a generalized summary of maximum use rate and relative effectiveness of various soil fumigants for nematode, soilborne disease, and weed control in Florida (Table 3). Written by J. W. Noling, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, January 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in980
Is Our Food Safe from Pesticides? (PI230)
Growers of the food supply have adopted the use of integrated pest management (IPM) because it is no longer possible to rely solely on chemical pesticides to prevent unacceptable crop losses. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), IPM is the coordinated use of pest and environmental information and available pest control methods to prevent unacceptable levels of damage by the most economical means with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment. Scientific IPM strategies give the grower economic incentives for sustaining long-term crop protection with minimal disruption to the environment. The agricultural community typically will use pesticides sparingly as part of the IPM strategy whenever proven alternatives are not available for pest control. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Frederick M. Fishel, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi230
Thousand Cankers Disease: A Threat to Black Walnut in Florida (FOR308/FR376)
Thousand cankers disease of walnut is a tree disease of the edible nut-producing and ornamental tree, black walnut. The first diseased trees were observed in New Mexico in the 1990s. The disease has since spread to most of the western states. Until 2009, diseased black walnut trees were only found outside of the natural range of black walnut, which occurs from the mid-Atlantic states to just west of the Mississippi River. In 2009, it was found near Knoxville, Tennessee; it has since spread to Pennsylvania and Virginia. It is possible that within the next decade this disease could naturally spread to Florida. However, if people continue to move TCD infested walnut logs from place to place, this disease could arrive in Florida tomorrow. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Don Spence and Jason A. Smith, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr376
EPA’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) (PI227)
People have asked questions in recent years concerning the effects that certain chemicals may have on the endocrine system of humans and wildlife. Laboratory studies have produced evidence that show various chemicals disrupt the endocrine systems of animals. Other evidence has shown that the endocrine systems of certain fish and wildlife species have been affected by chemical contaminants. Do some of these same chemical contaminants also affect the human endocrine system? Do pesticides cause these effects? The relationship between human diseases of the endocrine system and exposure to environmental contaminants is poorly understood and controversial. This 2-page fact sheet discusses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) screening program for potential effects to the endocrine system caused by pesticide exposure. Written by F.M. Fishel, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi227
Costos Estimados en el 2010 para Establecer y Producir Pitaya (Fruta Dragón) en el Sur de Florida (FE921)
Como consecuencia de la creciente competencia extranjera y la disminución de rendimientos de los productos agrícolas tradicionales, muchos productores en el Sur de la Florida se han embarcado en una búsqueda agresiva de productos agrícolas que sean alternativas viables. Un producto que ha llamado la atención es la pitaya, una especie de cactus trepador autóctona de las regiones de bosques tropicales de México, Centroamérica y América del Sur. De menos de 50 hectáreas plantadas en la Florida en fecha tan reciente como 2006, la producción se ha multiplicado por seis y ahora se estima en alrededor de 320 acres. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Edward A. Evans, Jordan Huntley, Jonathan Crane, and Allen F. Wysocki, and published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe921
Opciones de gestion agronomica para la variabilidad y para el cambio climatico: El riego localizado (HS1212)
Esta publicación se enfoca en el uso del riego localizado para mejorar los sistemas de producción. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Lincoln Zotarelli, Clyde Fraisse, and Daniel Dourte, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, January 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1212
Trastornos fisiologicos de la papa: Centro marron y Corazon hueco (HS1214)
El centro marrón y el corazón hueco son trastornos fisiológicos internos no-infecciosos del tubérculo de la papa. Un centro marrón (también llamado corazón incipiente y hueco, corazón marrón o centro de azúcar) se caracteriza por una región muerta en las células de la médula de los tubérculos lo que resulta en un tejido de color marrón. This 3-page fact sheet was written by L. Zotarelli, C. Hutchinson, S. Byrd, D. Gergela, y D. L. Rowland, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, January 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1214
Manejo de malezas en las papas (HS1213)
Las malezas causan problemas en la producción de patata en Florida y puede reducir rendimientos a través de competencia directa por la luz, la humedad y los nutrientes, o por albergar insectos y enfermedades que atacan las patatas. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Peter Dittmar, Seth Byrd, Lincoln Zotarelli, Diane Rowland, and William Stall, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, January 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1213
Trastornos fisiologicos de la papa: Grietas de Crecimiento (HS1211)
Las grietas de crecimiento son un trastorno fisiológigo externo no infeccioso del tubérculo de la papa en el que el tubérculo se agrieta durante el crecimiento. La bendidura se cura, pero deja una fisura en el tubérculo. This 3-page fact sheet was written by L. Zotarelli, C. Hutchinson, S. Byrd, D. Gergela, y D. L. Rowland, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, January 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1211
Children and Pesticides (PI226)
Children act fast, but so do poisons, including pesticides. Fortunately for most parents, their children are not harmed when the parents have a momentary lapse and aren’t supervising them for a short time. But how would parents respond if they suddenly turn around, and their toddler is holding a can of household aerosol insect killer? This 3-page fact sheet outlines some facts and precautionary measures regarding children and pesticides in the home environment, so parents have a better idea of how to keep harmful chemical products away from their children. Written by F.M. Fishel, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi226