Category: Agriculture

Production of Biofuel Crops in Florida: Switchgrass (SSAGR291/AG296)

Nationwide, switchgrass is recommended for biofuel production because of its wide range of adaptation and high potential dry matter yield with relatively low fertility input. It can be used for both lignocellulosic ethanol production and in electricity generation, complementing coal as a co-firing agent supplement. Less is known about switchgrass production in Florida than other biofuel crops. This 4-page fact sheet describes the biofuel potential, biology, production, potential yields, production challenges, estimated costs, and environmental concerns. Includes references. Written by Yoana Newman, Mary J. Williams, Zane Helsel, and Joao Vendramini, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, March 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag296

Estimated Livestock Fencing Costs for the Small-Farm Owner (AN258)

One of the most expensive costs for a small-farm owner considering the production of livestock is pasture fencing. The type of permanent fence constructed impacts the cost per foot and total cost. This publication compares the cost of constructing a ¼-mile (1,320 feet) fence with two different types of permanent fencing plus temporary interior fencing for rotational grazing. This 7-page fact sheet was written by Derek L. Barber, and published by the UF Department of Animal Science, January 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an258

Tomato Varieties for Florida: Florida ‘Red Rounds,’ Plum, Cherries, and Grapes (HS1189)

Tomatoes were introduced to European culture more than a hundred years before Linnaeus developed the binomial system of naming plants. After a brief discussion of the scientific naming of tomato and tomato varieties, the tables in this 13-page fact sheet provide a guide to varieties used in Florida listing the companies selling each, growing season, characteristics of plant and fruit, disease resistance, and other comments, separated by regional adaptation. Written by Monica Ozores-Hampton, Gene McAvoy, Stephen Olson, Kent Cushman, and Nancy Roe , and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, March 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1189

New Florida Foliage Plant Cultivar: Pothos ‘Pearls and Jade’ (ENH1180/EP441)

Pothos plants are tree-climbing vines native to the Solomon Islands, but they flower seldom and never under greenhouse conditions or in interior environments. As a result, no hybridized pothos cultivars are known to exist. Because of the barriers to hybridization, a program was initiated at the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC) in Apopka, Florida, to induce mutations in order to develop new pothos varieties. Pothos ‘Pearls and Jade’® (Fig.1) is a mutation selection from a group of ‘Marble Queen’ plants. This 4-page fact sheet describing the new hybrid was written by R. J. Henny, J. Chen, and T. A. Mellich, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, March 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep441

Seiridium Canker of Leyland Cypress (FOR279/FR341)

Seiridium canker, or Cypress canker, was first reported in California in the late 1920s and has since spread throughout North America and into Florida wherever Cupressaceae (cypress family) grow. Leyland cypress can be killed or severely disfigured by the disease. This 4-page fact sheet describes the causal agent, host range, symptoms and signs, disease cycle and management, and recommends tree replacements with resistance to Seiridium canker. Written by Jason A. Smith, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, November 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr341

Sudden Oak Death and Ramorum Blight (PP197/PP118)

Sudden oak death and ramorum blight are relatively new diseases capable of causing a range of symptoms, from leaf spots to plant death, on many woody hosts. Because these diseases are new, much about the pathogen, host range, and disease epidemiology is unknown. Currently, neither sudden oak death nor ramorum blight is established in Florida, but state agencies and university educators continue to work together to monitor for these diseases. This revised 4-page fact sheet describes the causal agent and gephgraphical distribution, host range, disease symptoms, and control options. Written by Phil Harmon and Carrie Harmon, and published by the UF Department of Plant Pathology, March 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp118

An Introduction to Freely Available Street Network Data (FOR281/FR343)

Projects in agricultural and natural resource management, urban planning, and community development typically use some kind of spatial data for analysis and mapping. Applications and websites exist which allow the user to view spatial data and perform some basic spatial operations (e.g., compute the distance between two locations). This 6-page fact sheet focuses on data sources that allow users to download free street data for further processing and analysis. Written by Hartwig H. Hochmair and Dennis Zielstra, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, March 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr343

Annual Warm-Season Legumes for Florida and the US Gulf Coast: Forage Yield, Nutritional Composition, and Feeding Value (AN259)

High-quality forage legumes that can be grown during the warm-season are scarce in Florida and the Gulf Coast region. Seeded warm-season legumes, such as cowpea, soybean, and pigeonpea, are less expensive and faster to establish than perennial peanut, and they could provide nutritious forage to complement beef cattle and other ruminant animal feeding programs. This 5-page fact sheet summarizes the results of three years of field trials and two feeding trials conducted at North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, located in northwest Florida. Written by Jamie Foster, Robert Myer, A.T. Adesogan, Jeffery Carter, Lynn Sollenberger, and Ann Blount, and published by the UF Department of Animal Science, January 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an259

A Summary of N,P, and K Research with Squash in Florida (SL343/CV227)

Fertilizer is a major part of the crop production expenses for vining and bush squash, but is critical for successful crop yields and high fruit quality in Florida. This 12-page fact sheet summarize squash fertilization research results from studies conducted in Florida, which have been used to develop the current University of Florida nitrogen (N) recommendations for squash fertilization. Written by George Hochmuth and Ed Hanlon and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, March 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/cv227

4-H Horse and Pony Lease (4HHSF01/4H318)

In the Florida 4-H Horse Lease Program, the same animal may be leased by up to three 4-H members and all Lessees must conform to the requirements of the Florida 4-H Equine Program. This revised 7-page publication contains the forms that might be needed for one 4-H’er to lease a horse: a page of instructions, a page of advice, the 3-page lease form, and 2 copies of the addendum (if up to two others are sharing Horse). Written by E.L. Johnson and Wendy DeVito, and published by the UF Department of 4-H Youth Development, March 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/4h318

Should We Use Wood for Energy? A High School Unit (FOR270/FR332)

As communities across the South explore options for reducing carbon emissions with renewable energy resources, local wood may become an attractive possibility. Whether using wood for energy is a good idea and how communities go about deciding whether to build a facility depends upon community residents’ understanding of energy sources, biomass supply and cost, and forest management. This high school unit helps students gain knowledge and skills for making decisions about woody biomass. This 210-page curriculum was written by Jessica Tomasello Ireland, Martha C. Monroe, and Annie Oxarart, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, September 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr332

Megalocytivirus Infections in Fish, with Emphasis on Ornamental Species (FA182)

Megalocytiviruses cause systemic infections that can result in moderate to heavy losses in many different species of freshwater and marine fishes in both cultured and wild stocks. This 8-page fact sheet was written by Roy P. E. Yanong and Thomas B. Waltzek, and published by the UF Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, December 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa182

Lymphocystis Disease in Fish (FA181/FA181)

Lymphocystis is a chronic disease of freshwater and marine fishes caused by infection with an iridovirus known as Lymphocystivirus or Lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV). Infection results in the development of pebble or wart-like nodules most commonly seen on the fins, skin, or gills, although other tissues may be affected. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Roy P. E. Yanong, and published by the UF Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, December 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa181

Citrus BMP Implementation in Florida’s Gulf Citrus Production Area: Pesticides (AE473)

A survey was conducted in cooperation with Gulf Citrus Growers Association (GCGA) and FDACS to quantify the current level of BMP implementation and to identify the BMPs that might be adopted with the help of cost-share programs. This 10-page fact sheet describes the survey and discusses the results for pesticide-related BMPs. Written by S. Shukla, R.E. Rouse, S.S. Shukla, E.A. Hanlon, K. Portier, and T.A. Obreza and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae473

Pesticide Use Trends in the U.S.: A 25-Year U.S. Summary (PI142/PI179)

The EPA, in cooperation with the USDA and FDA, is responsible for regulating the production and use of pesticides in the U.S. This revised 8-page fact sheet provides data on volumes used and sales of pesticides from EPA survey data available for the 25-year period, 1982 – 2007. Written by F.M. Fishel and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, February 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi179

Pesticide Use Trends in the U.S.: Pesticides for Industrial/Commercial/Governmental Uses (PI141/PI178)

This revised 4-page fact sheet focuses on pesticides used by the industrial/commercial/governmental market sector, providing data on volumes used and sales of pesticides from the latest EPA survey data available, 2006 – 2007. Written by F.M. Fishel, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, February 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi178

Drought Decision-Support Tools: Introducing the Agricultural Reference Index for Drought — ARID (AE469)

Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a new index called the Agricultural Reference Index for Drought or ARID. ARID is a simple and reliable index to monitor and predict agricultural drought. It is based on a reference crop (grass) and takes into account the soil-plant-atmosphere relationships.
This 5-page fact sheet describes the nuts and bolts of ARID and how to monitor the index on Agroclimate.org. Written by Clyde W. Fraisse, Eduardo M. Gelcer, and Prem Woli, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, February 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae469

Drought Decision-Support Tools: Introducing the Keetch Byram Drought Index — KBDI (AE471)

The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is generally used to determine potential wildfire hazards across the southeastern United States and is calculated daily by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry. KBDI is a continuous reference scale for estimating the dryness of the soil and duff layers. Forest managers have identified several uses for the KBDI in wildfire management. This 5-page fact sheet explains the nuts and bolds of the KBDI and how forecast the index on agroclimate.org. Written by Clyde W. Fraisse, Norman E. Breuer, and David Zierden and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, February 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae471

Bahiagrass: A Quick Reference (SSAGR263/AG271)

In Florida, bahiagrass is the most planted warm-season perennial forage grass. Two-thirds of improved pastures are planted with bahiagrass because of its excellent adaptation, ease of management, persistence under low fertilization and close grazing, as well as its relatively simple planting.
This revised 3-page “quick reference” fact sheet was written by Yoana C. Newman, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, February 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag271