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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
February 28, 2003
Warm weather and scattered showers have characterized the weather across South Florida growing regions over the past two weeks. Temperatures continue to average a few degrees above seasonal norms with daytime highs in the upper 70’s to mid 80’s. Nighttime lows have been mostly in the 50’s and 60’s with a few nights dipping into the 40’s in normally cooler areas.
Scattered showers associated with frontal systems resulted in significant rainfall in most locations. Most places recorded several showers with total accumulations ranging from around a half inch in some areas to more than two inches in others. Thick morning fog and heavy morning dews have also been widespread across the region. Heavy winds over the past weekend battered crops in some areas.
Vegetables coming to market include beans, cabbage, celery, cilantro, cucumbers, eggplants, endive, escarole, lettuce, parsley, peppers, potatoes, radishes, specialty crops, squash, strawberries, sweet corn, and tomatoes. Quality is fair to good with some rough fruit resulting from cold windy weather in January still coming off.
FAWN Weather Summary
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The short term forecast from the National Weather Service in Miami calls unsettled weather over the next several days with scattered showers possible through Tuesday of next week as a slow moving front stalls over South Florida. Temperatures should moderate a bit and skies will clear later in the week.
For additional information, visit the National Weather Service in Miami website at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mia/newpage/cgi-bin/master.pl?suite=home
Insects
Growers and scouts are reporting that insect pressure has picked up dramatically over the past two weeks.
Thrips
Reports from Homestead indicate that melon thrips are widespread in beans, pepper, eggplant, potato, cucurbit, and occasionally tomato.
Growers and scouts in Palm Beach are reporting a jump in thrips activity. Reports indicate mostly Florida flower thrips with counts of 5 – 10 per bloom now common in pepper. Scattered pockets of Thrips palmi have been noted causing problems in pepper and eggplant.
Respondents around Immokalee also note that thrips have increased up to 12 to 15 per bloom in pepper and as many as 8 - 10 in tomato. These are primarily Florida flower thrips (Frankliniella bispinosa), although some scattered damage consistent with melon thrips has been reported.
Florida flower thrips is common throughout Florida and may cause bud abscission if present in very high numbers (>5 per flower).
Melon thrips have a broad host range and are a primary foliage pest on watermelon, eggplant, pepper, and cucumber. Heavy infestations cause silvered or bronzed leaves, stunted leaves and terminals, and scarred and deformed fruit. On peppers, fruit scaring emanates from the stem end following crevices between locule lobes. Foliar damage may also be severe. Melon thrips also damages eggplant.
Many conventional insecticides seem to stimulate melon thrips populations, possibly by eliminating predators that otherwise control them. Therefore, broad-spectrum insecticides should be avoided as much as possible in preference to selective materials when available. Growers have reported good results with soft materials such as Spintor. Reflective mulches have as demonstrated positive results in reducing western flowers thrips pressure in trials in Florida and may offer some benefits with Thrips palmi.
Adult melon thrips are quite mobile and can move into new plantings quickly from old fields. Therefore, old fields should be destroyed as soon as possible after the last harvest and new fields should not be planted adjacent to or near old fields. For more information on melon thrips visit the UF/FAS Featured Creatures website at http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/veg/melon_thrips.htm.
Mites
Respondents in Palm Beach report that broadmites are widely present in low numbers in pepper in areas where they caused problems in fall plantings. Spider mites are reportedly building in several locations on tomato and eggplant.
Around Immokalee, broad mites are also reappearing on pepper in a number of sites. Spider mites are building in a number of crops around Southwest Florida. They have been detected at low levels in several locations on watermelon, squash, eggplant and tomato. Some young melons have already been sprayed for spider mites and a severe infestation has been reported in tomato.
Growers and scouts in Homestead report that spider mite pressure is high in some fields.
Growers should be sure to pay particular attention to ditch banks and field margins and be sure to scout stands of nightshade adjoining plantings, as these areas may signal early infestations and may help growers recognize potential problems.
Because mites can grow from egg to adult in five days during hot, dry weather, populations build rapidly. The rate at which mite populations can increase is amazing. An average female spider mite lays about 100 eggs during her lifetime. Studies indicate that mites have the potential to expand their population seventy-fold in one generation. Miticides often have little effect on eggs, so they require multiple applications for effective suppression. Because a generation can mature and reproduce in as little as five days, repeat applications should be made every five days to target hatching eggs and break the reproductive cycle. Thorough coverage is also extremely important in mite control.
For further information on two-spotted spider mites, visit the UF/IFAS Featured Creatures website at http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/twospotted_mite.htm.
Leafminers
Leafminer pressure has ratcheted up around Southwest Florida, but still remains below what might normally be expected for this time of year. Populations have reached threshold levels in a variety of crops including tomato, potato and watermelons and growers are actively applying controls.
Respondents in Palm Beach note that leafminer activity is picking up in tomato and pepper and growers are actively spraying most plantings at this time.
Leafminers remain active on a variety of crops in the Homestead area.
Whiteflies
Reports from Palm Beach indicate that whitefly pressure is has increased over the past few weeks. Adult whiteflies are reported to be migrating from older fields into new plantings and reports indicate that a number of scattered hotspots with high whitefly counts in tomato, pepper and squash. Heavy whitefly infestations on squash have resulted in the appearance of silverleaf symptoms in some locations.
Around southwest Florida, whiteflies are active and appear to be increasing according to most reports. Counts vary wildly with some fields reporting low levels and higher numbers in older fields. A number of reports have noted movement into younger fields when surrounding old fields are destroyed.
Respondents in Homestead indicate that whiteflies are increasing in a variety of crops.
For more information on whiteflies, be sure to check out the
UF/IFAS Whitefly Knowledgebase at
http://whiteflies.ifas.ufl.edu/as
well as the UF/IFAS Featured Creatures website at http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/veg/leaf/silverleaf_whitefly.htm.
Aphids
Reports from Homestead indicate that aphid populations are reaching high levels in a number of crops.
Respondents in Palm Beach report that winged aphids are now beginning to show up in a wide variety of various aged crops. Some colony formation has been noted in eggplant and pepper as well as specialty vegetables.
Around southwest Florida, aphids are also increasing with populations ranging from low to moderate depending on the location. Aphids have been reported in potato, pepper and tomato fields but no major problems have been noted.
Worms
Around southwest Florida worm pressure has picked up in recent days with scattered reports of worm eggs and new hatches at different locations. Reports indicate that these are mostly southern armyworms but there have also been reports of a few loopers, fruitworms, beet armyworms, and melonworms. A few diamondback moths have been reported in brassicas.
A few more reports of pinworms have also come in from around southwest Florida in recent days. Most of these have been appearing in traps but there have been a few scattered reports of pinworms causing problems mainly in tomato.
In the Palm Beach area, growers and scouts in indicate that worm pressure remains mostly low with some increased pressure being reported in places. These have been identified as a mix of beet and southern armyworms with some loopers thrown in for good measure. A few pinworms have been detected in eggplant.
Reports from Homestead indicate that worm pressure has picked up over the past two weeks.
Pepper Weevil
Respondents in all areas indicate that pepper weevil numbers remains low with a few hotspots mainly in older plantings.
Silk Fly
Reports from around Homestead indicate that silk fly pressure remains high.
The geographic range of this insect has moved up the Florida peninsula from the Homestead region. This fly is a year round pest of corn in southernmost Florida. Corn grown south of Lake Okeechobee is attacked primarily in the late winter and spring.
The silk fly is saprophytic and feeds and reproduces on a wide variety of over-ripe and rotting fruits, vegetables and sugarcane. Females will deposit eggs into sweet corn ears for at least 3 weeks after silk initiation, but seem to prefer ears with fresh silk. This pest damages ears in several ways. By damaging silks, the larvae disrupt pollination and reduce kernel density. Larval feeding at ear tips can force growers to have tips cut off at harvest. However, near-mature larvae are just as likely to damage individual kernels distributed throughout ears rendering them completely unmarketable. In south Florida, and other areas with appropriate local food reservoirs, these flies are quick to reenter treated fields. Therefore, damage along field margins and across fields with large field edge to acreage ratios can be substantial.
On corn, adults are usually found on the tassels and upper leaves early in the morning and late in the afternoon. This is the best time to scout for silk fly and to apply chemical controls. They move down the plants or at least into shaded parts of the plants during the day. Ovipositing females are most often observed on ears below the overhanging silks.
Diseases
Disease activity remains relatively low in most places.
Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus
Around Southwest Florida, Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl virus incidence continues to increase slowly and growers and scouts report seeing more infected plants as the season progresses. Incidence in most fields remains in the 1 –3% range, but there are some localized hotspots with some fields averaging from 25% to as high as 50% infection rates. In many of these cases infection appears to be the result of the influx of migrating infected whiteflies. In these spots, plants appear to be affected at about the same stage of growth between first and second tie and few if any whiteflies can be found at present.
Reports from around Palm Beach indicate that the incidence of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl is slowly increasing in a number of areas. Overall incidence remains low but here again a few hotspots have been noted.
Respondents in Homestead continue to report new TYLCV activity. Incidence remains relatively low.
Be a good neighbor - growers are again reminded of the importance of promptly destroying old fields after harvest in order to reduce carryover to the next crop. Remember that a break between crops is an important tool in managing whitefly populations in spring plantings. Whenever possible susceptible crops should be separated as much as a possible by time and distance.
Phytophthora
Around Palm Beach County, a few scattered cases of Phytophthora capsici continue to be reported on pepper with slow spread within plantings occurring.
Around southwest Florida, Phytophthora capsici has been reported on eggplant, pepper and squash from several widely scattered sites. Some increase has been noted in pepper and eggplant in recent days.
Powdery Mildew
Respondents around southwest Florida note that powdery mildew remains active on a squash. Incidence and severity is high in some fields.
Grower and scouts in Palm Beach report the occurrence of powdery mildew on a variety of crops including pepper, snow peas, strawberries and squash.
Reports from Homestead also indicate widespread occurrence of powdery mildew in squash. Some increase has been noted. Powdery mildew is also present at lower levels in strawberries. Dr Robert McMillan, Plant Pathologist at the Tropical Research and Education Center reports good results with Quadris applied at the high rate.
Bacterial diseases
Around Immokalee, growers and scouts indicate bacterial spot incidence is low in most places but some new activity has been reported on peppers and tomatoes especially in areas that have experienced heavy fog in recent days.
Bacterial leaf spot (Pseudomonas spp) has been reported on cantaloupe in southwest Florida. Incidence and occurrence is localized.
Reports from Homestead indicate warm weather and foggy conditions have resulted in some increased bacteria spot activity on tomatoes.
Scouts in the Homestead area also note an increase in the incidence of bacterial blight in beans.
Respondents in Palm Beach note that incidence of bacterial spot remains low in most locations but continues to spread slowly within pepper and tomato plantings in areas where infections are present.
Early Blight
Reports from the east coast indicate that early blight is present on tomato but the incidence remains relatively low.
Growers and scouts around Immokalee have noted some increase in early blight activity in tomato and potatoes.
Alternaria is also present on beans and eggplant around the area.
Target spot
Dr Ken Pernezny reports diagnosing scattered occurrence of target spot on tomato around Palm Beach County. In a few cases, fruit infections have been noted.
Respondents in Southwest Florida indicate that target spot continues to creep around within the canopy of infected tomato plantings.
Downy Mildew
Downy mildew continues to be reported on squash around Palm Beach.
Downy mildew is also present on squash in scattered locations around Southwest Florida.
Mosaic
Growers and scouts continue to report finding mostly low levels of virus in squash in scattered locations across South Florida. Some locally heavy hotspots with a higher incidence of the disease have been reported.
Reports from Homestead indicate that mosaic is increasing in older picked squash.
Fusarium
Growers and scouts around southwest Florida report that fusarium crown rot in tomato has increased in a number of locations and is causing considerable damage in some older fields.
Reports from Palm Beach indicate that fusarium crown rot has increased in tomato in recent weeks. A few reports note that the situation has progressed from bad to worse in the most severely affected fields.
Rust
Growers and scouts report detecting rust on snap beans in the eastern Palm Beach, as well as Belle Glade, Clewiston and Devils Garden areas. At present, no infections have been reported in Homestead.
Rust, caused by the fungus Uromyces appendiculatus, affects most types of snap beans and dry beans grown in Florida. Historically, this disease has been particularly severe on pole beans. A related fungus, Uromyces phaseoli var vignae, causes a destructive disease of southern pea.
The rust pustules characteristic of this disease typically appear on bean leaves. Occasionally, rust may appear on pods. Rust on bean stems is rare. Rust symptoms begin as whitish, minute, slightly raised pustules. Later, these pustules become the distinct, circular, reddish-brown spots on the under side of leaves that readily identify the disease. The characteristic color of the pustules is due to the production of great masses of urediospores of the fungus. If not controlled, pustules may accumulate over much of the leaf surface with subsequent premature leaf drop. In very susceptible varieties, pustules are often surrounded by striking, yellow haloes. In resistant varieties, symptoms may consist only of small necrotic flecks.
If a compound microscope is available, the presence of rust can be definitely confirmed. Urediospores taken from the pustules will appear round, brown, with distinct, short spines on the surface.
U. appendiculatus, unlike most rust fungi, does not require an alternate host for completion of its life cycle. All development stages occur on beans.
Bean rust is primarily found during the cooler production months when heavy dews, rather than actual driving rain, provide moisture for spore germination and penetration of host plants. In South Florida, rust usually first appears in early January and becomes progressively more severe through the end of the commercial crop in April. In severe cases losses can approach 100%.
The optimum temperature for urediospore germination is from 63.5-72.5°F. Germination still occurs as low as 50°F and as high as 77°F. No germination occurs below 39°F or above 81.5°F. After infection, symptoms may be seen in about five days and spores produced in another five to ten days.
Variation in pustule size, prominence of haloes, and other symptom patterns are due, in part, to the many races of the bean rust fungus 57 at last count. Each race is pathogenic on a specific combination of bean varieties. If varieties resistant to those specific races in a given locale are planted, control of rust can be very good. However, new races of the pathogen seem to appear almost as fast as new varieties are released. As a result, most of the commonly grown bean cultivars are susceptible to one or more races of the rust fungus.
Prompt crop destruction after harvest is very important in the control of rust. If fields are abandoned after picking and not destroyed, rust can continue to develop and serve as a major source of inoculum for fields in full production.
Brown clouds made of literally millions of rust spores have been observed above abandoned fields on gusts of wind. Such inoculum loads can make it difficult to control rust even with the most intensive spray schedule.
Currently, the most important method for rust control is periodic application of protectant fungicides. Ground equipment is much preferred because of superior coverage of the underside of leaves and better penetration of the spray into the plant canopy. Early control of this disease is important. Labeled fungicides include chlorothalinil (Bravo, Echo) and Nova. Initiate the spray program prior to the first sign of rust if rust is an annual problem. Where rust is sporadic in occurrence, begin the spray program at first sign of the disease. Subsequent sprays may have to be at 5 to 7 day intervals.
Gray wall
Growers in a number of scattered locations around south Florida are reporting some problems with gray wall in tomato fruit in recent days. Incidence and occurrence is mostly low.
The exact cause of this disorder is not fully understood. Dark-colored tissue sometimes develops in the fruit wall, and areas of the fruit fail to develop proper color, often appearing as gray or brown blotchy areas in the fruit wall tissue, beginning when the fruit is green.
It can occur on more than half of the fruit of a particular field. Cross-sections of fruit show blackened tissue. This causes the external fruit color to look somewhat gray. When the fruit ripens, the area remains firm and turns from green to yellow, rather than red. Fruit thus ripens unevenly. The affected area appears woody when cut. A definite cause for gray wall has not been defined but a number of factors play a role in predisposing fruit to gray wall. In laboratory studies, symptoms similar to those of gray wall were duplicated by bacteria infiltration of the fruit, but under field conditions, bacteria cannot be isolated from affected fruits.
Gray wall seems to increase in severity with K deficiency and seem to be worse when others factors are present including:
Respondents in Homestead are reporting new white mold activity on beans, tomato, pepper, and eggplant.
Sclerotinia is waning in other areas and seems to have dropped off the radar in a number of places that had previously reported problems.
Rhizoctonia
Respondents in Homestead indicate that rhizoctonia is widespread on beans.
Rhizoctonia is also causing scattered problems in beans around southwest Florida.
Anthracnose
Growers and scouts operating in the Palm Beach area are reporting the occurrence of anthracnose on pepper. Incidence and occurrence is mostly low although a few hot spots with higher infection rates have been noted.
Anthracnose has also been reported on strawberries in Palm Beach and Homestead.
Bean Golden Mosaic
Growers ands scouts around Homestead are reporting very low levels of Bean Golden Mosaic Virus. Incidence is being kept low by planting beans with Admire in the furrow.
Entrust Labeled for use in Organic Production
Dow Agro-Sciences recently announced that Entrust, an insecticide product containing the active ingredient spinosad (same as in SpinTor) recently passed all the regulatory "hoops" to be certified for organic production systems. Limited quantities of this product will be made available in 2003. A rate of 1.25 oz Entrust is the equivalent active spinosad in 2 fl oz of Tracer 2SC or 4 fl oz of SpinTor 2SC. Entrust will be sold in a one pound re-sealable foil pack. There will be 12 packs per case, and 1oz and .25 oz scoops will be placed in each case. Entrust is OMRI-certified and has met the NOP (National Organic Program) requirements.
Spinosad will be a huge addition to the organic insecticides market, because it is far more effective than many of the other compounds allowed in organic production. In SpinTor, the active ingredient spinosad has not been as effective as the best of the synthetic insecticides (such as Warrior and Capture in sweet corn) against these pests, but in comparison with choices such as pyrethrin, Surround, or horticultural oil, spinosad is clearly more effective.
Organic growers should check out the Entrust label, see where it might help them against troublesome insect pests, and be prepared to pencil out the economics ... Entrust is not inexpensive.
Status and availability in Florida is unknown at this time - GM.
Excerpted from Illinois Fruit and Vegetable News
Vol. 8, No. 20, February 27, 2003
Deadline Approaching for Agricultural Classification Renewals
TALLAHASSEE -- Thousands of Florida farmers, ranchers and growers could see dramatic increases in their property-tax bills if they fail to return an "agricultural classification" green card by Monday's deadline.
About 20 percent of the state's 180,000 farmers have not returned the form that was mailed late last year, Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson said.
For the past 11 years, the landowners received the special classification without being required to return the card, similar to the homestead exemption for homeowners.
The 2002 Legislature voted to require the card be filled out. It requires farmers to certify to property appraisers they are entitled to the agricultural exemption.
"Some of the tax assessors and property appraisers believe some people are getting longtime exemptions that don't deserve Ag exemptions," Bronson said. "By doing this, it makes everyone fill it out and send them in, and if there are any questions, then it goes back to the property appraiser, the tax collector and they work out those issues."
Taxpayers should have received the cards by early January. However, Bronson and Department of Revenue chief Jim Zingale fear many have been accidentally misplaced or misfiled.
The deadline requires a postmark of no later than March 3.
EPA Issues Pesticide Security Advisory
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that those who manufacture distribute, transport or store pesticides should be especially vigilant regarding physical security of those chemicals.
EPA recommends that you review EPA's Pesticide Consumer Alert entitled: "Pesticide Alert: Pesticide Security and Site Security" published by EPA on September 2001 and available on the EPA Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/citizens/pest_secu_alert.htm.
New Labels
BASF Corporation announces the registration of CABRIO EG Fungicide for vegetable crops including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucurbits and strawberries. CABRIO brings to growers the strongest and broadest spectrum fungicide on the market today controlling late blight, early blight and target spot in tomatoes and downy mildew, powdery mildew and gummy stem blight in cucurbits. BASF also announces the registration of HEADLINE EC Fungicide for late blight and early blight control in potatoes. For more details see your local retailer, call BASF Representative Bobbitt Jenkins at 239-561-2812 or visit www.agproducts.basf.com
Gowan has expanded the Sandea label to cover beans, cantaloupe, and sweet corn. Sandea (halosulfuron) is a selective herbicide for the control of a variety of weeds including nutsedge. Row middle applications have also been added for eggplant, pepper, squash and watermelons. Contact Parker Oswald at 863-675-7351 for more information.
Cerexagri has added Assail 70WP (acetamiprid) to it’s product line for 2003. Assail is a neonicotinoid insecticide labeled for the control aphids, leafminer, leafhoppers and whitefly on a variety of vegetables including tomato, pepper, eggplant, leafy vegetables and cole crops. For more details, contact Bart Hoopingarner at 941-737-7444.
Modified uses: Fulfill 50WDG (pymetrozine) - Syngenta: pre-harvest interval shortened from 14 days to 0 days for cucurbits, tomato, pepper, eggplant.
Food Safety Program Offered Free to Florida Producers
Florida Fruit and Vegetable Research and Education Foundation is offering growers and packinghouse managers an opportunity to implement an individualized food safety program. A federal grant pays for everything except any future improvements the producer decides are necessary. It may even help with the cost of an Independent Third Party Audit.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services awarded the Foundation $500,000 early in 2002 to teach producers about basic Good Agricultural Practices. Glades Crop Care will work with participants to determine their needs, and then provide educational toolkits that outline food safety standards, and present guidelines for evaluating and modifying any potential problem areas.
The program benefits producers of all types of fruits and vegetables, and is applicable throughout the entire state of Florida.
Deployment of the educational toolkits started in November 2002, and will continue through April of 2003. To be included in Florida's Food Safety Initiative, contact Glades Crop Care at (561) 746-3740, or Ray Gilmer of the FFVA's Research and Education Foundation at (407) 894-1351. Glades Crop Care will send a letter requesting more information about each producer's individual situation.
To learn more about the program, visit the Glades Crop Care website at www.gladescropcare.com.
Opportunity – Exhibitors wanted for the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting to be held in Orlando in July 2004. This is a great opportunity to present your products to the more than 2500 County Extension Agents from all over the United States that are expected to attend this meeting.
To reserve a place contact Ed Jennings at 352-793-6376.
Websites
Florida Corn Insect Field Identification Guide - This UF/IFAS guide was 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 on specific insects. Go to http://fciig.ifas.ufl.edu/index.htm.
Photo Gallery of Cucurbit Foliar Diseases – This site has some good photos and diagnostic tips for most of the more common cucurbit diseases including downy mildew, anthracnose and gummy stem blight. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/cucurbit/disease/Image.html
NASA Map of the Earth at Night – this website provides an awesome
panoramic view of the world from the new space station. It is a night
photo taken last November on a perfect night with no obscuring atmospheric
conditions. Lights clearly indicate the populated areas of the globe.
Check it out at http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0011/earthlights_dmsp_big.jpg
Up Coming Meetings
Miami-Dade County
March 12, 2003
Sweet Corn Field Day 2:00 -3:30 PM
Update on Development of BMPs for Sweet Corn in Miami-Dade County
UF Tropical Research and Education Center
18905 SW 280 Street
Homestead, FL 33031
Contact Teresa Olczyk at 305-248-3311 ext 232.
Palm Beach County
March 12, 2003
General Standards/Core Test Review 8 AM - 10 AM
Private Applicator Test Review 1 PM - 3 PM
Testing - Any Category 8 AM - 4 PM
Belle Glade Extension Office
2976 State Road 15
Belle Glade, Florida
Contact Laura Powell at 561-996-1655.
Southwest Florida
March 13, 2003 Disease Control in Cucurbits and BASF Product Update - 6 PM
UF/IFAS SW Florida Research and Education Center
SR 29 N
Immokalee, Florida
Contact Gene McAvoy at 674-4092
Other Meetings
March 10 –13, 2003 Florida Post-Harvest Horticulture
Industry Tour
Contact Steve Sargent at 352-392-1928
March 11 –13, 2003 2003 Greenhouse Tomato Short Course
Mississippi State University
Crystal Springs, Mississippi
Contact Dr Rick Snyder at 601-892-3731
April 29-30, 2003 FACTs
- Florida Agricultural Conference and Trade Show
Lakeland Center, Lakeland, Florida
Quotable Quotes
A fine quotation is a diamond on the finger of a man of wit, and a pebble in the hand of a fool. --Joseph Roux
Friends are like angels, who help us fly when our wings have forgotten how. -- Anon
Everything is funny as long as it is happening to Somebody Else. -- Will Rogers
When you can see the smoke from your neighbor's chimney, it's time to move. -- Abe Lincoln
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. -- Will Rogers
On the Lighter Side
Little Jimmy's Essay
Jimmy's English teacher was a perfectionist and demanded the very best of his pupils. So it was only to be expected that he would get furious when Little Jimmy handed in a poor paper.
"This is the worst essay it has ever been my misfortune to read," ranted the teacher. "It has too many mistakes. I can't understand how one person would have made all these mistakes."
"One person didn't," replied little Jimmy defensively. "My father helped me."
A Piece Of Worthless Advice
A patient was waiting nervously in the examination room of a famous specialist.
"So who did you see before coming to me?" asked the important doctor.
"My local General Practitioner, Dr. Cohen."
"Your GP?" scoffed the doctor. "What a waste of time. Tell me, what sort of useless advice did Cohen give you?"
"He told me to come and see you."
A Wonderful Story
A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said, "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."
"Is the man of the house home?” they asked.
"No", she replied. "He's out."
"Then we cannot come in", they replied.
In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.
"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"
The woman went out and invited the men in.
"We do not go into a House together," they replied.
"Why is that?" she asked.
One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."
The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"
His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"
Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"
"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his
wife.
"Go out and invite Love to be our guest."
The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."
Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"
The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!
Contributors include: Joel Allingham/AgriCare, Inc, Karen Armbrester/SWFREC, Kathy Carbiener /Agricultural Pest Management, Jim Connor/SWFREC, Bruce Corbitt/West Coast Tomato Growers, 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, Tim Nychk/Nychk Bros. Farm, Chuck Obern/C+B Farm, Teresa Olczyk/ Miami-Dade County Extension, Dr Ken Pernezny/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, Eugene Tolar/Red Star Farms, Dr Charlie Vavrina/SWFREC, Mark Verbeck and Donna Verbeck/GulfCoast Ag.
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 II
Vegetable/Ornamental
Horticulture
863-674-4092 phone
Hendry County
Extension Office
863-860-8811 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
