Category: Agriculture

Blue Orchard Bee, Osmia lignaria Say (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) (EENY549/IN982)

Figure 1. Male Osmia lignaria visiting a crocus flower in early spring in Ontario, Canada.The blue orchard bee, Osmia lignaria Say (Fig. 1), is a solitary mason bee native to the west coast of the United States and Canada. It is of great interest for use as a native pollinator of fruit trees and blueberries, and is easily managed due to its favorable biological characteristics. Blue orchard bees can be purchased online for pollination, and they are shipped as pupae ready to emerge in the spring. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Alden Estep, Catherine Zettel-Nalen, and James Ellis, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in982

Insecticides Currently Used on Vegetables (ENY419/IG018)

Spring and Fall Vegetables. 2008 IFAS Extension Calendar. UF/IFAS Photo: Josh WickhamThis 12-page fact sheet lists many of the common insecticides currently labeled for use on vegetables in Florida. A number of new materials have been registered in the past few years or have had additional crops added to their labels. Some older organophosphate insecticides are now restricted to just a few crops, a result of recent rulings related to the Food Quality Protection Act. Changes continue, thus this listing may not be totally accurate at the time of printing. Written by S. E. Webb and P. A. Stansly, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, August 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig018

Forced-Use Dust Bags for Management of External Parasites (ENY281/IG135)

Figure 1. Forced-use dust bags positioned correctly to ensure self-application of cattle when visiting the water trough. Dust bags are an effective method of horn fly and louse control. However, dust bags are only effective when hung in places where cattle are forced to use them. The best locations are areas where cattle must pass once or twice a day, or every other day, for instance between mineral boxes or water and pasture. During the field tests, forced-use dust bags provided an average of 90% horn fly control. Production was increased by an average of 34% over the normal management practice. This increase in production was equivalent to 1/3 lb/animal/day. This 5-page fact sheet was written by P. E. Kaufman and E. N. I. Weeks, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, November 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig135

Natural Area Weeds: Old World Climbing Fern (Lygodium microphyllum) (SSAGR21/AG122)

Figure 3. Leafy branches (pinnae) of Old World climbing fern are 2–5 inches long with several pairs of leaflets (pinnules).Native to Africa, Asia, and Australia, Old World climbing fern (OWCF) is a newcomer to Florida that has spread at an alarming rate since its introduction. The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council considers Old World climbing fern to be invasive. It’s also regulated by laws of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) as a Florida Noxious Weed and by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a Federal Noxious Weed. It may be the most serious threat to Florida’s natural areas. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Kenneth A. Langeland and Jeffery Hutchinson, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag122

Estimacion de costos de establecimiento y produccion de papaya en el sur de la Florida en 2012 (FE920)

Fruiting Papaya trees at the Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, FL. UF/IFAS Photo: Thomas WrightEl alza reciente en los precios de la papaya, consecuencia de las restricciones fitosanitarias impuestas a la fruta proveniente de México, ha despertado el interés de productores en el Sur de la Florida, quienes han percibido la oportunidad de suplir la demanda por papaya madura en los Estados Unidos. No obstante, hay mucha incertidumbre con respecto a la viabilidad económica del negocio. El objetivo de este documento es proveer información acerca del retorno económico y los costos de producción de un cultivo de 5 acres de papaya en el Sur de la Florida. Igualmente, se evaluaron precios y rendimientos que permitirían que el negocio fuese rentable en el Sur de Florida. This 7-page fact sheet was written by Edward A. Evans, Fredy H. Ballen, y Jonathan H. Crane, and published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe920

Florida's Established Arthropod Weed Biological Control Agents and Their Targets (ENY853/IN779)

Figure 2. Adult Lilioceris cheni.Around 5% of the plant species deliberately introduced into Florida for crop production and horticultural uses have invaded sensitive aquatic and terrestrial natural areas as well as improved pastures. One of the reasons they become invasive is they lack the natural enemies that limit their reproduction. Biological control reunites these natural enemies (usually arthropods) with their host plants to selectively weaken and suppress the invasive weeds. This 3-page fact sheet was written by J. P. Cuda and J. H. Frank, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, October 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in779

Regulatory and Market Risk Factors and the Emissions Reduction Potential for Energy Intensive Firms (FE919)

Figure 1. Crude oil price movements (USD per barrel) since 2005In the last decade, one of the major global environmental concerns has been greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the political debate over climate change, various policy initiatives are being proposed. Energy intensive firms that emit large amounts of greenhouse gases (e.g., floriculture or nursery firms with heated greenhouses) will be operating in an environment of high regulatory and market uncertainties in the coming years. This 3-page fact sheet presents a brief introduction of the regulatory and market risks faced by energy intensive firms and a case study of emissions reduction potential in the horticulture industry. Written by Zhengfei Guan, and published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe919

Wildland-Urban Interface: Key Issues (FOR202/FR264)

small group of people looking at a mapA result of the influx of new residents to the South is an expansion of urban areas into forests and other natural areas, creating areas referred to as the wildland-urban interface. Interface issues of most concern vary from state to state, but some key issues are consistent across the South. the US Forest Service conducted a series of focus groups in 2000. Key issues gleaned from those focus groups and other related sources are described in this 5-page fact sheet written by L. Annie Hermansen-Baez, Jennifer Seitz, and Martha C. Monroe, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr264

Grass Carp: A Fish for Biological Management of Hydrilla and Other Aquatic Weeds in Florida (BUL867/FA043)

Figure 2. A mature grass carp, highly effective in controlling Hydrilla and many other noxious aquatic weeds.Abundant growth of aquatic plants causes serious problems in ponds, lakes, rivers, and irrigation and drainage throughout Florida. In some situations, native aquatic plants become weeds, but most often exotic plants introduced from areas outside the state flourish under the favorable growing conditions found in Florida. Long-term economical solutions to Florida’s aquatic weed problems have been elusive and there is a need for control techniques to alleviate aquatic weed problems. This 6-page fact sheet provides information on a biological method, the grass carp, for management of some of Florida’s aquatic weed problems. Written by David L. Sutton and Vernon V. Vandiver, Jr., and published by the UF Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, November 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa043

Lernaea (Anchorworm) Infestations in Fish (FA185)

Figure 2. Koi infested with numerous female LernaeaLernaea species, commonly known as “anchorworms,” are crustacean, copepod parasites that can infect and cause disease and mortality in many types of freshwater fishes, especially wild-caught and pond-raised species. Infestations with Lernaea are most prevalent in the summer months and occur more commonly in stagnant or slow-moving water bodies. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Natalie Steckler and Roy P. E. Yanong, and published by the UF Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, December 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa185

Argulus (Fish Louse) Infections in Fish (FA184)

Figure 1. Adult Argulus sp. Note eye spots and round suckers on “head” end, and spermatheca on “back” posterior end.Argulus species (Family: Argulidae), more commonly known as fish lice, are members of a large group of branchiuran parasites that infest and cause disease in fish. The argulids are crustaceans and are related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Natalie Steckler and Roy P. E. Yanong, and published by the UF Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, November 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa184

Florida Dairy Industry Statistics: Economic Measures (AN287)

Figure 1. Milk produced per cow and milk cows on farm in Florida from 1960 to 2012.This 7-page fact sheet brings together key economic and price data about Florida’s primary dairy industry collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Written by K.G. Arriola and A. De Vries, and published by the UF Department of Animal Sciences, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an287

Florida Dairy Industry Statistics: Herd Performance Measures and Benchmarks (AN286)

e dairy cows wait patiently in line to give milk at the UF/IFAS Dairy Research Unit in Hague. Florida ranks first nationally in average herd size and 15th in milk income. Photo by Milt Putnam.This 8-page fact sheet summarizes technical performance data of dairy herds in Florida and the Southeast United States collected through the Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) program. Written by K.G. Arriola and A. De Vries, and published by the UF Department of Animal Sciences, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an286

Uso Apropiado y Manipulacion de Glifosato en Viveros de Plantas (ENH1209/EP470)

Figure 3. Coberturas pueden ayudar a reducir la deriva de la aplicación hacia plantas deseables.El glifosato es el químico de protección para cultivos más vendido en el mundo y el herbicida mós usado en la industria de viveros de plantas en los Estados Unidos. El glifosato es usado para el control post emergente de malezas. Esta publicación describe el uso adecuado de glifosato para los productores de plantas y sus empleados. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Shawn T. Steed, Robert H. Stamps, and Rodrigo Diaz, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep470

Tropical Soda Apple Leaf Beetle, Gratiana boliviana Spaeth (Insecta: Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae) (EENY543/IN974)

Figure 6. Reproductive adult (left) and adult in diapause (right) of Gratiana boliviana.Tropical soda apple is a prickly shrub native to South America that is a major problem in pastures and conservation areas. So a multi-agency program supported the rearing, distribution, and release of more than 250,000 tropical soda apple leaf beetles across Florida from 2003 to 2011. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Rodrigo Diaz, William A. Overholt, Ken Hibbard, and Julio Medal, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, January 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in974

La Seguridad en la Produccion de Alimentos en la Granja: Buenas Practicas Agricolas y Buenas Practicas de Manejo series

Universty of Florida Extension Agent, Andy Andreasen, Chipley, Florida, farm, harvest, farmer, October, Washington County, watermelon. UF/IFAS Photo: Josh Wickham.Las Buenas Prácticas Agrícolas (BPA) y las Buenas Prácticas de Manejo (BPM) abarcan los procedimientos generales que los productores, empacadores y procesadores de frutas y verduras frescas deben seguir para garantizar la seguridad de sus productos. Las BPA son usadas antes de la cosecha (es decir, en el campo), mientras que las BPM se utilizan luego de la cosecha, incluyendo el empaque y envío. Esta serie se centra en aspectos específicos del programa de BPA y cómo se relacionan con los cultivos y las prácticas de la Florida.
This series of fact sheets was written by Federico G. Caro, Alexandra Chang, Renée Goodrich-Schneider, y Keith R. Schneider, and published by the UF Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_spa_food_safety_on_the_farm

Tips for Integrating Land and Wildlife Management: Deer in Ranchlands (WEC330/UW375)

Figure 1. What often limits deer populations in Florida’s ranchlands is the availability of nutritious foods.In addition to having generally low-quality foods, ranchlands often have a low diversity of food sources, further reducing the quality of habitat for deer. Ranchland management for deer should therefore focus on providing a diversity of abundant, high-quality foods. This 2-page fact sheet provides some deer habitat improvement tips that focus primarily on raising the quality of deer forage but that also will help you grow better cover by improving plant diversity and productivity. Written by William M. Giuliano, John M. Olson, and Cailey Thomas, and published by the UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, January 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw375

Nematode Management for Golf Courses in Florida (ENY008/IN124)

Figure 9. Severe nematode damage on a bermudagrass putting green.Of all the pests that commonly affect golf course turf in Florida, nematodes are probably the least understood and most difficult to manage. Nematode problems are more common and more severe in Florida than in most other states because our climate and soils provide a perfect habitat for many of the most destructive nematode species. This 8-page fact sheet explains what plant-parasitic nematodes are, how they affect turf, how to tell if they are a problem, and how to manage them. Written by William T. Crow, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, January 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in124

Natural Area Weeds: Skunkvine (Paederia foetida) (SSAGR80/WG208)

Figure 1. Skunkvine growing over native shrubs.Native to eastern and southern Asia, skunkvine is an invasive plant species introduced to the USDA Field Station near Brooksville before 1897. It has been included on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council List of Invasive Species as a Category I, defined as “species that are invading and disrupting native plant communities in Florida.” It was added to the Florida Noxious Weed List in 1999, making it illegal to possess, move, or release in Florida. This 3-page fact sheet was written by K. A. Langeland, R. K. Stocker, and D. M. Brazis, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wg208

A Postharvest Fruit Rot Caused by Alternaria sp. on Imported Plum Tomatoes in South Florida (PP303)

Figure 1. a) Diseased tomato fruits while in the shipping container (top left), b) individual fruit with early and late symptoms (top right), and c) symptoms starting as circular water-soaked areas through development into sunken black cups and cracks (bottom).Florida’s deep-water ports are ideal for importing many fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, by ship from the Caribbean as well as Central and South American production areas. These imports are often strictly regulated for pests, but some pathogens still escape quarantine. This 3-page fact sheet describes a postharvest problem on plum tomatoes that were imported from Mexico through South Florida in 2010. Alternaria sp. was isolated from lesions on diseased fruits, pathogenicity tests were conducted on healthy fruits, and symptoms identical to the originally submitted samples were developed. Written by Zelalem Mersha, Shouan Zhang,and Jerry A. Bartz, and published by the UF Department of Plant Pathology, January 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp303