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Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
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________________________________________________ Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences |
SOUTH FLORIDA
VEGETABLE PEST AND DISEASE
HOTLINE
December 8, 2003
Mostly mild conditions at the end of November gave way to cooler temperatures as the first major cold front of the season moved across South Florida after Thanksgiving sending nighttime temperatures into the 40’s and 50’s in most locations. Since then conditions have been seasonally mild with daytime temperature in the mid 70’s to low 80’s and nighttime lows mostly in the 50’s.
A second major cold front arrived on Friday bring scattered showers to many locales across south Florida and dropping temperatures to the low 40’s and high 30’s on Sunday morning and holding daytime highs over the weekend in the mid 50’s – low 60’s – the lowest for the season.
Although most areas have received less than a half inch of rainfall for the period, but locally heavy showers in some parts of interior regions of Southwest Florida dropped an inch or more in advance of this last cold front.
Reports indicate that the windy conditions and abrupt shift to cooler temps has resulted in some foliage and bloom burn around the area in a variety of crops. Respondents in west central Florida indicate that there was some cold damage to tender crops in that area.
FAWN Weather Summary
Date Air Temp (°F) Rainfall Hours Below Certain
Temperature (hours)
Min Max (Inches) 40°F 45°F 50°F
55°F 60°F 65°F 70°F 75°F
Bradenton
11/17 – 12/8/03 35.8 85.2 0.40 8.8 3.2 7.7 7.2
4.4 12.4 5.0 53.1
Ft Lauderdale
11/17 – 12/8/03 47.2 86.2 0.60 0.0 0.0 10.8 7.7
16.2 53.3 10.0 7.8
FAWN Weather Summary
| Date | Air Temp °F) | Rainfall |
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| Min | Max | (Inches) | 40°F | 45°F | 50°F | 55°F | 60°F | 65°F | 70°F | 75°F | |
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Freezing temperatures associated with recent fronts has bought most Panhandle and northern Florida harvesting to an end. Cooler, drier weather in central and southern Peninsula localities permitted planting and picking to remain on schedule. Irrigation is active in drier areas of the central and southern Peninsula. Most growers paused fieldwork for the Thanksgiving observance.
Harvesting is winding up in the Palmetto- Ruskin area and is in full swing in south Florida production areas. Producers report some backup in the market following Thanksgiving demand and gleaning of crops in areas further north. Crops coming to market include snap beans, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peppers, pickles, squash, strawberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelons and specialty crops.
The short-term forecast from the National Weather Service in Miami calls for clear skies and cool dry conditions with a gradual warming trend through mid-week. Unsettled weather toward the end of the week will bring a chance of scattered showers to the area followed by a continuation of seasonally cool dry conditions. Daytime highs will remain in the 70’s with nighttime lows mostly in the mid 50’s and low 60’s
For additional information, visit the National Weather Service in Miami website at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/newpage/index.html
Insects
Growers and scouts report mostly light to moderate insect pressure across the area with seasonal increases in leafminer and whitefly pressure.
Whiteflies
Growers and scouts in Homestead report mostly low whitefly numbers in tomato and eggplant.
Growers and scouts in Southwest Florida report that whiteflies populations are building with nymphs becoming common in some older tomato, pepper, eggplant, and cucurbit fields. Scouts note that counts are variable ranging from just a few to around 20 per plant. A few respondents report that they are beginning to see large-scale migrations of adults into younger fields.
Over the next few weeks, growers are advised to be alert for migrating whiteflies moving into neighboring crops, as early plantings reach the end of production and start to be destroyed.
Reports from respondents on the East Coast indicate a seasonal buildup in whitefly pressure. A few growers in Palm Beach and in Southwest Florida report good results in controlling silverleaf whitefly as well as aphids with reflective mulch on cucurbits. They report excellent crops and prolonged harvest periods that they directly relates to the use of reflective mulch
Reports from Miami-Dade County indicate that whiteflies numbers are building in bean, potatoes and tomatoes and note that there has been an increase in TYLCV levels as well.
Respondents in the Manatee/Ruskin area indicate that whitefly numbers are increasing exponentially in older tomato fields especially grapes as fall tomatoes and cucurbits near completion. Growers should note that whiteflies coming out of melons should be clean in terms of TYLCV.
Phyllis
Gilreath notes that while there is some new TYLCV showing up in the tops
of older plants, growers are urged to consider at this stage of the crop,
virus is less of a concern in older plantings once the crop is made.
In older plantings growers should strive to maintain control of adults
with oils, soaps and materials OTHER THAN nicotinoids. She also emphasizes
the importance of PROMPT destruction, block by block, as harvest is completed,
including oil with herbicide for quick burndown and control of existing
SWF in those blocks, thus minimizing movement out to other blocks.
Remember
that a big part of an effective resistance management program is not following
an application of a nicotinoid with another application (soil or foliar)
of the same or different nicotinoid. Please think twice before
doing this!! While they may work now, then what? What will
you use next time? There are NO new adulticides coming down the pipe,
at least not in the near future. While you may feel you have
no alternatives right now, the nicotinoids may be the only thing standing
between a decent crop and disaster. If we were to lose the nicotinoids
to resistance, we likely would not be able to grow tomatoes in South Florida.
Neonicotinoid Resistance Management Strategies for SW Florida – the following recommendations have been developed through a collaborative effort of UF/IFAS faculty, chemical manufacturers and IPM consultants.
Recommendations:
Resist further shortening of the two-month crop free period from mid-June to mid-August
Promote prompt and efficient crop destruction between fall and spring crops to decrease the number of whiteflies and sources of TYLCV that may infect subsequent crops.
Crop destruct techniques should emphasize control of existing whitefly populations in addition to the physical destruction of the crop.
Reduce overall whitefly populations by strictly adhering to cultural practices including:
Apply a neonicotinoid like Admire (16 ozs/acre) or Platinum (8ozs/acre) at transplanting and use products of other chemical classes (such as the insect growth regulators Knack® or Courier®) as the control with the neonicotinoid diminishes
Do not use Admire at less than 16 oz/a or Platinum at less than 8 oz/a
Do not use a split soil application of Admire or Platinum (i.e. do not apply at transplanting and then again later)
Never follow an application (soil or foliar) of a neonicotinoid with another application (soil or foliar) of the same or different neonicotinoid on the same crop or in the same field within the same season (i.e. do not treat a double crop with a neonicotinoid if the main crop had been treated previously, unless the double crop is planted at least 60 days after the main crop).
Save applications of neonicotinoid for crops threatened by whitefly-transmitted plant viruses or whitefly-inflicted disorders (i.e. tomato, beans or squash) and consider the use of chemicals of other classes for whitefly control on other crops.
Additional suggestions for breaking the whitefly cycle can be found in an article by Dr. Jane Polston in last years Tomato Institute Proceedings, available online at the SWFREC website at http://www.imok.ufl.edu/veghort/docs/tom_inst_2002_091202.pdf
Looking out for your neighbor's welfare may be a strange or unwelcome concept in the highly competitive vegetable industry. Growers need to remember that should SLW develop full-blown resistance to the neonicotinoids, it's not just the other guy that will be hurt—everybody will feel the pain! This is why the Resistance Management Working Group is promoting region-wide cooperation in this effort.
Knowing what is going on in the neighbor's fields is important. Growers should try to keep abreast of operations in upwind fields, especially harvesting and crop destruction, which both disturb the foliage and cause SLW to fly. Now that peppers have been added to the list of TYLCV hosts, growers will need to keep in touch with events in that crop as well.
IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee) Website – http://www.irac-online.org
Leafminers
Growers and scouts in the Homestead area, report mostly moderate leafminer pressure primarily in young beans, cucurbits, eggplants, potatoes and tomatoes.
Growers and scouts in Palm Beach report seasonal increases in leafminer activity with some fields reaching threshold levels and receiving treatment.
Reports from Manatee County indicate that leafminer pressure is increasing seasonally and fields are being treated as warranted.
Around Southwest Florida growers are battling leafminers in a range of susceptible crops. Leafminer are widely present and pressure is increasing most locations, dramatically in some fields.
For more information on leafminers, visit the UF/IFAS Featured Creatures website at http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/veg/leaf/vegetable_leafminer.htm and http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/veg/leaf/a_serpentine_leafminer.htm
Worms
Around the Manatee/Ruskin area, armyworms are still hanging around and are being treated as necessary.
Worm pressure remains moderate to high in many locations around Immokalee although several scouts have noted some decrease in recent days. Southern armyworms have been the most common with many new hatches reported over the past week. Growers and scouts have also been finding beet armyworms, tomato fruitworms, loopers, and melonworms.
Growers and scouts on the East Coast report moderate worm pressure over the past few weeks.
Dr Gregg Nuessly, Entomologist at UF/IFAS EREC in Belle Glade reports that in the EEA populations of armyworms and (particularly) corn earworms have been higher this season than the last couple of seasons.
Around Homestead respondents report that worm pressure is relatively low in beans and cucurbits but that scouting reports indicate finding increased numbers of melonworm/pickleworm eggs in recent days. Reports indicate that growers are obtaining excellent melonworm control with Intrepid.
In sweet corn, reports indicate that fall armyworms are still present but that there has been an increase in the number of corn earworm being detected. In tomato and potato worm pressure is increasing with a few more eggs of a mixed bag of worms including tomato fruitworms, loopers, hornworms and southern armyworms appearing in fields.
Mites
Around Southwest Florida, broad mites remain present at low levels in some pepper and eggplant with a few flare-ups reported last week. Spidermites have been detected on some nightshades and also starting to build on adjacent tomato and eggplants.
Growers and scouts on the East Coast continue to report scattered broad mite and spider mite activity in eggplant. Broadmites are present in pepper in a number of locations.
Reports from Homestead report finding a few more broad mites and spider mites in eggplant in recent weeks. Broadmites remain active in pepper. Scouts advise that growers must look closely to distinguish between broad mite and Thrips palmi damage on new growth in pepper, as it can look very similar if pests not present at the time. They note that the same is true to a lesser extent on eggplant.
Growers report good mite control with sulfur but indicate that you must be careful with this product to avoid plant damage.
Red and two-spotted mites are also causing problems in strawberries in the Homestead area.
Broad mites are still a problem on peppers in the Manatee/Ruskin area. A few spider mites are being reported in tomatoes in low numbers but should not be a problem at this point in the season. Spider mites are also widely present in strawberries.
Thrips
Flower thrips (Frankliniella bispinosa) remain very low across Southwest and West Central Florida.
Respondents in Homestead report heavy Thrips palmi pressure in eggplant and to a lesser extent in beans, cucurbits, and peppers. Flower thrips are also beginning to build in potato and tomato and there have been a few reports of tomato spotted wilt in tomato.
Scouts operating in the Homestead area have also noted the presence of higher than normal corn thrips numbers in sweet corn.
Corn thrips is as generic term used to refer to several species of thrips that affect corn, including Frankliniella, Fusca and Microcephalica spp.
Larvae and adults cause stippling damage to leaves and feed on pollen grains and silks. On corn, the larvae feed on leaves, often in whorls, and on husks, pollen and silks. They develop for two instars before entering the quiescent third instar. There is some evidence that thrips feeding may increase fungal and bacterial disease incidence. Early damage to silks can result in reduced pollination and incompletely filled ears.
Adults are narrow, pale yellow to brown to black, insects approximately 1/16 in. long with fine-fringed wings held over their bodies at rest. They are difficult to tell apart without magnification and training.
Adult thrips often move into fields from neighboring fields, road sides or canal banks by the many thousands within hours when their previous host plants senesce or are disked or mowed. They are attracted to the colors white, yellow and blue and can often be seen by the thousands on vehicles in the affected area. Several pesticides including M-Pede, Counter and Pyrellin are available for foliar applications.
Aphids
Only low numbers of aphids are being reported around Southwest Florida. No colony formation has been reported.
Specialty producers around Palm Beach continue to report finding the presence of few winged aphids but no major problems are being reported. Low numbers of aphids are also being reported in other crops.
In Homestead, respondents indicate that aphid populations are beginning to build in beans, potato and tomatoes and are note that there has a big jump in numbers in cucurbits although virus is still low.
Silk Fly
Reports from the Belle Glade area indicate that corn silk flies have also been very common on corn this fall compared to previous seasons and have required repetitive treatments to keep maggots out of the ears.
Dr Gregg Nuessly: Entomologist UF/ FAS EREC in Belle Glade reports that growers have been finding an additional picture wing fly (different species but in the same family as corn silk fly) feeding directly on the anthers in the tassels and apparently on frass (droppings) from armyworms feeding in the tassels. He notes is the first time this type of feeding has been detected in South Florida.
Pepper Weevils
Growers and scouts indicate that pepper weevils remain low across Southwest Florida with some increase in numbers in the past week. In few locations, weevil larvae have been detected in fruit.
A few pepper weevils are beginning to show up in scattered locations on the East Coast.
Around Homestead, respondents report pepper weevils remain at mostly low levels with higher incidence in hot varieties.
No weevils have been reported in the Manatee/Ruskin area.
Wireworms
Reports from Palm Beach County indicate that some leaf growers are apparently experiencing problems with wireworms. Diazinon and Telone are labeled for soil insect control on these crops, but few leaf growers possess the equipment to properly apply Telone.
Dr Gregg Nuessly reports that trials for wireworm control have shown that Diazinon is not very effective against this group of pests on heavy organic soils. He notes that Capture has shown effective control of wireworms in corn trials throughout the midwestern and southeastern United States but while Capture is now labeled for use in head lettuce, other leafy vegetables have yet to be added to the label. Dr Nuessly would like to hear from growers regarding their wireworm control concerns and any experience they have had with Capture for wireworm control on the muck soils of the Everglades Agricultural Area.
Diseases
Growers and scouts report that disease pressure has been reduced somewhat over the past few weeks in response to cooler drier conditions but heavy dews and foggy mornings continue to favor disease development in some places.
Bacterial Spot
Reports from the Homestead area indicate that cooler drier weather has slowed bacterial spot in tomato and pepper
Reports from the Manatee/Ruskin area many tomatoes fields finishing with a high incidence of bacterial spot present.
Around Immokalee, bacterial spot continues to be a problem on pepper and tomato with infections slowly “creeping” high into the canopy
Reports from East Coast growers also note a slow increase bacterial spot on pepper and tomato.
Dr Rick Raid: Pathologist at the UF/IFAS EREC in Belle Glade reports that bacterial leaf spot of lettuce, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris subsp. vitians, has been observed in some varieties of leaf lettuce this fall. This disease is favored by moderate temperatures and wet conditions. Preventative sprays with a copper fungicide may slow disease spread and development.
Target spot
Scouts around Immokalee indicate that target spot continues to be a problem especially on mature tomato plants but that spread of the disease has declined somewhat in recent days.
Respondents in Palm Beach report that target spot is widely present on tomato. Incidence and severity is variable.
Growers around Homestead report that target spot is still active on tomato.
Early Blight
Reports from Homestead indicate that early blight is still active on tomato and potato. Alternaria is also present on beans.
Low levels of early blight are also being reported in other areas. Growers and scouts note that lesions are mostly low on the bush often appear in conjunction with old leafminer injury.
Alternaria leaf spot, caused by the fungus Alternaria brassicae, has been observed on Chinese cabbage this fall throughout the Glades. Dr Rick Raid notes that although this disease can be brought into check by some of the broad spectrum protectants, such as chlorothalonil and maneb, strobilurin fungicides registered on this crop have proven to be the most effective. Again, this class of fungicide should be alternated or tank mixed with a broad-spectrum protectant to avoid or reduce the likelihood of fungicide resistance developing and to improve efficacy.
Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus
In the Manatee Ruskin area, incidence of tomato yellow leaf curl virus continues to increase in older crops nearing termination. Growers are reminded of the importance of prompt crop destruction as a means of reducing potential sources of inoculum for the spring crop. Control of infected whiteflies is equally important in reducing the potential spread of the disease and growers are encouraged to practice crop destruction strategies laid out for neonicotinoid resistance management presented above.
Around Homestead, reports indicate that the incidence of TYLCV is slowly increasing as whitefly populations build seasonally.
In the Immokalee area, TYLCV is showing up in more fields but over incidence remains low with a few older fields starting to approach the 1% level.
Growers and scouts on the East Coast report mostly low incidence of TYLCV with a few infected plants showing up here and there. There have been some reports of increased incidence and occurrence in older plantings with secondary infections being observed within fields.
Southern leaf blight
Sweet corn growers and scouts in Homestead indicate that the incidence of southern leaf blight has dropped and that they are now finding more northern leaf blight with the cooler weather.
Dr. Rick Raid, Pathologist UF/IFAS EREC reports that during the early portion of the fall growing season, southern corn leaf blight, caused by the fungus Bipolaris maydis was prevalent on sweet corn. However, inoculum levels of this warm temperature disease have dwindled with the arrival of cooler, drier conditions.
Rust
Reports that common rust is still low on sweet corn around Homestead. This situation however is likely to change as we enter the dry season.
Dr Rick Raid notes that from this point on, sweet corn growers should be alert for common rust, caused by Puccinia sorghi, and northern corn leaf blight, caused by Exserohilum turicicum. These two diseases can become quite severe during the spring sweet corn crop. Fungicide applications should be initiated well before disease levels become severe. Locally systemic fungicides such as propiconazole and the strobilurin fungicides are most efficacious. It is recommended that these be alternated or tank mixed with a broad-spectrum fungicide such as mancozeb or chlorothalonil.
Botrytis
Growers and scouts report continuing problems with botrytis in scattered locations around southwest Florida with some fruit infections being reported.
Botrytis is still being reported in the Bradenton area.
Fusarium crown rot
Scattered reports of fusarium crown rot on tomato have been received from respondents across the area
Southern Blight
Isolated cases of southern blight on tomato and eggplant continue to be reported from widely locations on both coasts.
Powdery mildew
Respondents in Palm Beach County and Immokalee indicate that powdery mildew has begun to show up on squash in a number of locations. Incidence is low to moderate but drier conditions and crop maturity will favor disease development.
Downy Mildew
Downy mildew is active in squash and melons from several locations across South Florida.
Recommended control for downy mildew consists of the following:
1. Use a resistant
variety if possible.
2. Select
planting sites with good drainage and use wide spacing between plants to
increase air circulation, which promotes leaf drying.
3. Apply Bravo*,
Ridomil/Bravo, chlorothalonil or mancozeb containing compounds, Aliette,
Cabrio, Quadris or certain copper compounds, preventatively in areas with
mild winters and a history of downy mildew. *Spraying mature watermelons
with Bravo may result in sunburn of the upper surface of the fruit. DO
NOT apply BRAVO to watermelons when any of the following conditions are
present:
a. Intense
heat and sunlight
b. Drought
conditions
c. Poor vine
canopy
d. Other crop
and environmental conditions, which may be conductive to increase
sunburn. DO NOT combine BRAVO with anything except water for application
for watermelons unless your prior use has shown the combination to be non-injurious
to watermelons for your conditions of use.
Gummy stem blight
Growers and scouts report that gummy stem blight continues to spread slowly in cucurbits in several locations in southwest Florida but note that activity has slowed in recent days.
Phytophthora
Growers and scouts on the east Coast note widely scattered occurrence of Phytophthora on pepper, tomato and squash. Both Phytophthora crown and root rots as well as Phytophthora blight on aerial portions of affected crops have been reported.
Phytophthora is also present to a lesser extent in a number of areas around Southwest Florida.
Pythium
Growers and scouts are still reporting scattered problems with pythium in young tomato and pepper plantings as well as seeded cucurbits around in number of locations across South Florida.
Leaf Mold of Tomato Alert
Dr Ken Pernezny reports that a very unusual outbreak of leaf mold caused by Fulvia fulva (formerly Cladosporium fulvum) on round tomatoes in east coast production areas. Ken notes that this is only the second time in 27 years that this disease has been documented on outdoor tomatoes in Florida.
Ken writes only foliage symptoms occur and that fruit lesions have not been seen. Initial symptoms consist of numerous pale yellow spots on the upper leaf surface. These spots resemble those that might be associated with nutrient deficiency. Later a very distinct and highly diagnostic olive colored velvety fungal growth is evident on the lower leaf surface below the yellow spots. Under magnification the spores (conidia) appear lightly pigmented and more or less oval with 0 – 3 septa. The conidiophores have characteristic bulges at the cross walls that look like elbows or knees.
Optimum temperature for disease development is around 72 – 74o F and high humidity is an absolute must for development. Research performed at GREC in the 1970’s found good control with foliar applications of maneb and chlorothalinil but less control with maneb and copper mixes.
Up Coming Meetings
Manatee County
December
9, 2003
CORE (General Standards)/Private Applicator Ag Pesticide
License Exam Review.
9 AM - 11 AM. 2 CORE CEUs available.
Tests will
be administered immediately after the training or can be scheduled for
a
later date.
Registration requested. Please call 941-22-4524 for
additional
information.
Palm Beach County
December
8, 2003
General Standards/Core Test Review 8 AM - 10 AM
Aquatic Weed Control Test Review 1 PM – 3 PM
Clayton E Hutchinson Agricultural Center
559 North Military Trail
West Palm Beach, Florida
Contact Laura Powell at 561-996-1655.
December
11, 2003
Recognizing and Managing Target Spot 12:00 PM
and DuPont Crop Protection Product Update, including new Tanos label
Richard's Steak House
6545 Boynton Beach Blvd.
Boynton Beach, Florida
Contact Darrin Parmenter at 561-233-1725
Southwest
Florida
December
9, 2003
Fall Vegetable Field Day 10:00 AM – Noon
UF/IFAS - SW Florida Research and Education Center
Hwy 29 N, Immokalee, FL
Contact Gene
McAvoy at 863-674-4092
December 15, 2003 Neonicotinoid Resistance Management Workshop Noon – 1:30 PM
UF/IFAS - SW Florida Research and Education Center
Hwy 29 N, Immokalee, FL
Contact Gene
McAvoy at 863-674-4092
December 16, 2003 SW Florida Vegetable Research Fund Meeting 4:00 PM
UF/IFAS - SW Florida Research and Education Center
Hwy 29 N, Immokalee, FL
Contact Gene
McAvoy at 863-674-4092
Other Meetings
March 23-27,
2004
ISHS International Symposium on Protected Culture
in a Mild-WinterClimate
Orlando, Florida, USA.
Contact Dr.
Daniel J. Cantliffe at 352-392-1928 ext. 203
June 21-24,
2004
1st International Symposium on Tomato Diseases
and 19th Annual Tomato Disease Workshop
Grosvenor Resort at Walt Disney World
Orlando, Florida
For more information, visit http://plantdoctor.ifas.ufl.edu/istd.html
Websites
The National Watermelon Promotion Board website features a wealth of information and promotional material related to watermelons for the public and industry alike. The industry only section accessible to members by password only features lots of promotional material as well as a new feature – on-line access to the Crop Protection Reference Guide, or "Greenbook," to any watermelon industry member! This online service will allow you to look for any chemical labeled for use on watermelon. Set your browser to http://www.watermelon.org/index.asp. For assistance in negotiating the site or becoming a member, contact Diana Musto, Research Associate, at 877-599-9595.
Florida Corn Insect Identification Guide – This UF/IFAS guide is designed to help identify and give information on Florida corn insects. "Keys” for insects and for plant damage lead to "Bio-capsules" of summarized knowledge and photos of specific insects. Go to http://fciig.ifas.ufl.edu/
Business Opportunity
Florida Food Products located in Eustis, Florida is seeking a grower to produce limited acreage of specialty watermelons in South Florida. Florida Food Products is a Florida-based international agribusiness specializing in the growing and processing of botanical and vegetable-based ingredients for the beverage, cosmetic, food and nutritional industries. Contact Jerry Brown at 352-357-4141 ext 303.
News You Can Use
Dr Tom Kucharek: Plant Pathologist, UF/IFAS notes that the UF/IFAS Extension Publication PPP 6, Chemical Control Guide For Vegetables has been updated and that literally hundreds of changes have been made because of new label information. The Chemical Control Guide For Vegetables can be found on the UF/IFAS Plant Pathology website at http://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/takextpub/ExtPubs/ppp6.pdf
Some highlights of the Chemical Control Guide For Vegetables are:
Amistar 80 DF is the new name for azoxystrobin on most, but not all vegetables. For example on sweet corn, Quadris is the correct label; strawberry is on the Abound label.
All chlorothalonil products now have a maximum rate of material per season. The old GK ChloroGold is now Chloro Gold. Southern States rather than Gold Kist is handling it now.
All chlorothalonil products now have a 7-day PHI, unless an eyewash station is provided in the field and the workers are instructed about the use of the eyewash station and instructed about not rubbing their eyes. If these use requirements are satisfied, the reentry or PHI is 12 hours.
The fungicides Acrobat 50 W, Tanos 50 DF, Moncut 70 DF, Captevate 68 WDG, and Pristine 38 WG have been added for several crops.
Many of the old copper products were deleted for lack of labels and only those copper-containing materials that have a currently available label remain in this publication.
Hepatitis Outbreak Kills Four And Sickens Hundreds
Officials on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border have shut down the operations of four Mexican scallion growers who are suspected of being linked to a hepatitis outbreak that has killed at least four people and sickened hundreds in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina.
Mexican agriculture inspectors have closed the four green onion growers — including three owned by U.S. companies — and started a new inspection plan sooner than planned following an outbreak of hepatitis linked to the Northwestern Mexico crop.
Nearly simultaneously, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned imports from the four scallion growers after identifying them as a possible source for the hepatitis.
Mexican officials said their government closed the four growers in the states of Baja California and Sonora because they did not comply with health standards. Officials failed to say if the suspect growers were responsible for the hepatitis outbreak, but indicated "there is sufficient evidence" that indicates that might be the case.
The FDA will send a team to Mexico to work with local authorities in trying to determine how the scallions became contaminated.
Javier Trujillo, director of Mexico's Agriculture Department's division of health, safety and quality, said he hopes the demonstrated control by his government and response to the crisis will ensure confidence by U.S. consumers that Mexican agriculture is safe to eat.
Thank You
A great big thanks to all of you who took time from your busy schedules to complete and return the hotline survey included in the last issue. The information you provided is invaluable in helping us judge our performance and better respond to your needs.
Quotable Quotes
The advantage of a classical education is that it enables you to despise the wealth that it prevents you from achieving. -- Russell Green
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. -- Douglas Adams
Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching. -- Thomas Jefferson
The right word spoken at the right time sometimes achieves miracles. -- Anon
The game of life is not so much in holding a good hand as playing a poor hand well. -- H.T. Leslie
Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened. -- Sir Winston Churchill
On the Lighter Side
Guinness “Stout”
A Texan walks into a pub in Ireland and clears his voice to the crowd of drinkers. He says, "I hear you Irish are a bunch of drinkin' fools. I'll give $500 American dollars to anybody in here who can drink 10 pints of Guinness back-to-back."
The room is quiet and no one takes of the Texan's offer. One man even leaves.
Thirty minutes later the same gentleman who left shows back up and taps the Texan on the shoulder.
"Is your bet still good?" asks the Irishman.
The Texan says yes and asks the bartender to line up 10 pints of Guinness. Immediately the Irishman tears into all 10 of the pint glasses drinking them back-to-back.
The other pub patrons cheer as the Texan sits down in amazement.
The Texan gives the Irishman the $500 and says, "If ya don't mind me askin', where did you go for that 30 minutes you were gone?"
The Irishman replies, "Oh ... I had to go to the pub down the street to see if I could do it first".
Pilot’s License
A while back an airplane company ran an add stating that they would make you a pilot for $2,900. They hoped to train more people to fly planes in hopes that they could sell more planes. Their ad had a beautiful picture of an airplane and in big black print were the words, "We will make you a pilot for $2,900.
The ad elicited a lot of response, but the most unique response came from 7 women in Kansas.
They wrote to the company and said, "We understand you can make us a pilot for $2,900. We would like you to make us one right away. We want him to be a man, 6 feet tall, 190 pounds, with blue eyes and brown wavy hair. We understand that you guarantee that you can make us a pilot. Therefore we would like the pilot on approval for about 60 days. If he works out we'll order more."
Cold Weather History Lesson
An amusing history lesson - with seasonal implications.
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon, but they had to find a way to prevent them from rolling about the deck. The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon.
There was only one problem...how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others.
The solution was a metal plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations. But, if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls quickly would rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys."
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey."
Contributors
include: Joel Allingham/AgriCare, Inc, Karen Armbrester/SWFREC, Kathy
Carbiener /Agricultural Pest Management, Jim Connor/SWFREC, Bruce Corbitt/West
Coast Tomato Growers, Dr. Phyllis Gilreath/Manatee County Extension, John
Hamilton/Helena Chemical Company, Fred Heald/Farmers Supply, Sarah Hornsby/AgCropCon,
Cecil Howell/H&R Farm, Loren Horsman/Glades Crop Care, Bruce Johnson/General
Crop Management, Dr. Mary Lamberts/Miami-Dade County Extension, Leon Lucas/Glades
Crop Care, Gene McAvoy/Hendry County Extension, Alice McGhee/Thomas Produce,
Jimmy Morales/Pro Source One, Dr. Gregg Nuessly/EREC, Tim Nychk/Nychk Bros.
Farm, Chuck Obern/C+B Farm, Teresa Olczyk/ Miami-Dade County Extension,
Darrin Parmenter/Palm Beach County Extension, Dr. Ken Pernezny/EREC, Dr.
Richard Raid/EREC, Dr. Pam Roberts/SWFREC, Dr. Nancy Roe/Farming Systems
Research, Wes Roan/6 L's, Kevin Seitzinger/Gargiulo, Jay Shivler/ F&
F Farm, Ken Shuler/Stephen’s Produce, Ed Skvarch/St Lucie County Extension,
John Stanford/LNA Farm, Mike Stanford/MED Farms, Dr. Phil Stansly/SWFREC,
Julie Stocker/Diamond R, Eugene Tolar/Red Star Farms, Dr. Charles Vavrina/SWFREC,
Mark Verbeck and Donna Verbeck/GulfCoast Ag, Alicia Whidden/Hillsborough
County Extension, and Dr. Henry Yonce/KAC Agricultural Research, Inc.
The SW Florida Pest and Disease Hotline is compiled by Gene McAvoy and is issued on a biweekly basis by the Hendry County Cooperative Extension Office as a service to the vegetable industry.
Gene McAvoy
Extension
Agent III
Regional Vegetable/
Horticulture
863-674-4092 phone
Hendry County
Extension Office
239-860-8811 mobile Nextel agnet 28950
PO Box 68
863-674-4097 fax
LaBelle, FL
33975
GMcAvoy@mail.ifas.ufl.edu
The Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences is an Equal Employment Opportunity - Affirmative Action Employer
authorized to provide research, educational information and other services
only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race,
color, sex, age, handicap or national origin.
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE,
FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES, SEA GRANT AND 4-H YOUTH, STATE OF FLORIDA,
IFAS, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND BOARDS
OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COOPERATING