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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
April 1, 2002
Although widely scattered showers associated with unsettled weather from March 22 – 27, barely settled the dust in most locations, a number of sites around south Florida report receiving significant precipitation associated with some of these showers. Reports from Homestead indicate that some sites received as much as 5 inches of rain on March 22. In southwest Florida, some areas north and west of Immokalee received 1- 3 inches of rain on March 25 while some growers in Devils Garden report that thunderstorms on the following day - March 26 dumped up to 3 inches of rain along with hail which caused significant damage to crops in some places. Overall showers were extremely localized but were sufficiently intense in some areas to disrupt cultural operations and harvest schedules.
Temperatures have been at or above normal over the past two weeks. Temperatures reported at major weather stations have seen highs in the mid to upper 80’s with nighttime lows in the 50’s and 60’s. Reports indicate that daytime highs at many interior sites have made into the low nineties on several days during the past two weeks.
Crops across the area are in mostly fair to good condition. Growers continue to conduct cultural operations such as needed. Vegetables being harvested include tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, celery, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, parsley, potato, radishes, snap beans, squash, sweet corn, strawberries and specialty vegetables. A few watermelons are starting to be harvested around Immokalee.
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The short term forecast from the National Weather Service in Miami calls for partly cloudy skies with a chance of afternoon showers over the next several days. Daytime temperatures will remain in the upper 80’s with nighttime lows in the 60’s. Highs in many interior locations will top 90. 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.
Melonworms and pickleworms are widely present on cucurbits around Immokalee. Melonworms are being seen widely on cucumbers, squash and cantaloupe while pickleworms are causing serious damage to squash in some places.
Growers and scouts in Palm Beach report problems with pickleworms in young cantaloupe and squash.
Reports from Homestead indicate high populations of melonworm on squash and cucumbers.
Both caterpillars attack only cucurbits. Although the pickleworm prefers summer squash, it may severely damage cucumber and cantaloupe also. The melonworm prefers foliage of muskmelon, squash, and cucumber. It very rarely attacks watermelon.
The pickleworm (Diaphania nitidalis) moth has pale yellow hind wings with a wide, dark brown border and a large, pale yellow spot near the center of each dark brown forewing. A cluster of dark brush-like hairs is present on the tip of the abdomen. The newly hatched pickleworm larva is almost colorless except for slightly darker jaws and a black spot on each side of the head. Third and fourth instar larvae are about 6 to 12 mm long and pale yellow with dark spots, each spot containing a large bristle. The dark-headed fifth instar larva has a yellow-green body with no spots and may be 1 –1 ¼ inch long.
The melonworm (Diaphania hyalinata) moth has a brown head and a white?tipped abdomen with bushy hair?like scales. Its white wings have a narrow dark band around the margin and span up to 43 mm. The larval stages have two dorsal white stripes running the length of the body otherwise; they resemble the pickleworm larvae can grow 1¼ inch long.
The most important economic damage caused by the pickleworm is to the fruit. Young pickleworms usually feed for a time among small leaves at the growing tips of vines or within blossoms. A favorite place is the large staminate flowers of cucurbits where larvae hide under the ring of stamens at the base of flowers. When about half grown, pickleworms normally bore into the sides of fruits or stems and continue to feed there, causing internal damage and producing soft excrement. Both young and old fruits are attacked, but they prefer young fruits before the rind has hardened. After the rind has been punctured the fruit soon becomes "sour".
Insecticide applications should begin immediately when pickleworms or their damage appears. More frequent applications may be needed if populations and temperatures are high. Apply in early evening to minimize bee kills.
Application equipment that ensures good spray coverage (hollow cone nozzle with drops and high-pressure 200+ psi) to developing fruit will improve control.
In North Carolina, experiments in the field have shown very distinct differences in the susceptibility or resistance of squash varieties to pickleworms. The more resistant varieties were Butternut 23, Summer Crookneck, Early Prolific Straightneck, and Early Yellow Summer Crookneck. The more susceptible varieties are Cozini, Black Zucchini, Caserta, Zucchini, Short Cocozella and Bennings Green Tint Scallop. Many other varieties tested fall between these groups.
Reports from Homestead indicate that pressure from worms of all types is heavy now, melon worms on squash/cukes, loopers, armyworms, etc. on other crops.
Respondents in Palm Beach indicate that worm infestations, namely loopers, beet armyworms, and Southern armyworms, have begun to increase. Scouts report seeing an increase in egg masses and increases in larvae up to the 2nd and 3rd instar.
Around southwest Florida, worm pressure remains fairly low with scattered reports of mainly southern armyworm activity in some places.
Some pinworm activity is being reported around southwest Florida. At present, numbers remain low and most activity is confined to the edges of fields.
On the east coast, scouts are reporting a few spotty infestations of pinworms in eggplant and tomato. Growers are advised to begin applying controls once thresholds of 5 adults per trap per night are observed.
Some diamondback activity has been noted in brassicas around Immokalee.
Scouts in Palm Beach report that there has been a dramatic increase in populations of flower thrips along with some T. palmi in pepper blooms in various locations. One remarked, “They’re starting to go crazy!” Overall reports indicate that flower thrips have increased to moderate and high levels in pepper in many locations with some fruit damage. Respondents report an increase in populations of immatures and in egg laying on very small fruit where blooms have just fallen off. Growers are seeing some dimpling and minor scarring on young fruit.
An increase in T. palmi numbers has also been noted in pepper with some foliar distortion evident but no fruit damage seen yet. SpinTor for worm control has also provided thrips control.
Reports from Homestead indicate that Thrips palmi remain at damaging levels in several crops, especially beans, pepper, and eggplant.
Growers and scouts in southwest Florida report that thrips activity has been on the rise, especially in the past two or three days. Several farms have very high numbers of flower thrips blowing around and have reported counts 5 - 10 per bloom in both pepper and tomato. There have been few reports of crop damage so far but high numbers can cause bloom drop.
Around southwest Florida flower thrips are active. Scouts indicate that thrips are flying around and at times numbers have been very high, over 10 per bloom on some days. It should also be noted that good numbers of minute pirate bugs are also around. These valuable predators can provide significant levels of control when present and growers are advised to use caution when selecting and applying pesticides to preserve their numbers.
Thrips inflict damage on vegetable crops when feeding and laying eggs. Damage from egg-laying is most common in species that infest blooms such as Florida flower thrips Frankliniella bispinnosa. When the eggs are inserted into the pistil walls, scars develop when the fruit expands. In some fruiting vegetables dimple scars develop when the fruit are fully matured. In tomatoes, such scars may result in uneven color development at maturity.
Feeding injuries occur on both fruit and foliage. Thrips infesting blooms typically lay their eggs in the pistil or other flower parts. By the time the larvae hatch, the petals and anther have often dried and fallen. Larvae in such circumstances seek shelter under the fruit's calyx. Several generations of thrips can feed and develop under the calyx of pepper fruit, damaging immature tissues that develop corky or leathery blemishes with maturity.
Melon thrips tend to utilize more of the host plant than other species that occur primarily in the blooms. In peppers and eggplants, Thrips palmi affects both fruit and foliage. The greatest damage occurs when thrips become established in the blooms, and lay eggs around the calyx. Thrips feeding under the calyx of the expanding fruit cause the characteristic scars, which may affect a sizable part of the fruit wall.
In crops, such as snap beans and most of the vine crops, feeding on the foliage causes damage. Foliar feeding often begins inside the tightly rolled leaves at the growing points of the plant. Larvae and adults soon appear on the undersides of the expanding leaves. The combined effect of feeding damage in the growing point and on young leaves can severely stunt and distort sensitive crops, such as peppers.
For more information and photos of thrips, check out the Glades Crop Care Thrips KnowledgeBase at http://www.gladescropcare.com/pg1.html.
Reports from southwest Florida indicate that aphid populations continue to increase in many locations. Problems have been mostly on brassicas, pepper and melons. Some farms have experienced large flights of winged aphids and several growers report colonies building in crops.
Respondents in Palm Beach indicate that aphids have also been on the increase with solitary winged adults flying and blowing around and some colonies formation in pepper. Aphids are also being seen in beans and leafy vegetables.
Around Homestead, reports indicate that aphids are increasing on squash and to a lesser extent cucumbers. Associated virus problems have been low but are now increasing.
Whitefly pressure remains high around Immokalee. Counts of up to 50 adults per sample have been reported. One scout reported finding from 12 – 15 adults present on tomato just two days after growers applied a tank mix of Monitor/Ambush. Whiteflies are also present on a wide variety of crops including cantaloupe, squash, and peppers. In squash, whiteflies have caused problems with silverleaf disorder.
Around Palm Beach whitefly populations continue to buildup on older tomato and eggplant. Growers are using soap and Knack to control populations as control from soil applied insecticides falls off.
Combinations of the following insecticides can be applied where migrating whitefly populations are high: pyrethroids with an organophosphate, Thiodan, or soap with a pyrethroid or Thiodan. Some reports indicate that Naturalis (Beauvaria bassiana) has improved control when used in combination with other materials.
After the efficacy of the soil-applied insecticides begins to decline, whiteflies can be controlled with an insect growth regulator like Knack and Applaud or the insecticides listed above. Since growth regulators interfere with normal growth and development of whiteflies, do not expect immediate response from these materials. They are not toxic on contact with the insect but do cause treated female adults to lay infertile eggs or adversely affect the development of nymphs.
Growers are strongly encouraged to practice good resistance management and avoid applying a second application of imidacloprid (Provado) or thiamethoxam (Actara) or products with similar chemistry if plants have been treated with Admire or Platinum. If you think it is rough now, just consider what it might be like if whiteflies develop resistance to these valuable pest management tools.
Growers are also reminded of the importance of sanitation and rapid destruction of crop residues once harvest is complete. If whitefly counts are high in abandoned fields prior to destruction, growers would do themselves and their neighbors a big favor by spraying the residue before crop destruction to prevent the migration of large numbers of whiteflies to new fields.
Respondents on the East Coast indicate some increase in leafminer pressure with problems increasing in some herbs. Stippling has been observed in cilantro, basil, and arugula.
Around southwest Florida, leafminer activity remains relatively low and many growers are no longer targeting them for control.
As might be expected with warmer weather, spider mites are becoming more active around south Florida. Growers in Palm Beach report that spider mites have been found on eggplant and in some herbs. In southwest Florida, growers around Immokalee and Naples have reported problems in tomato and cantaloupe.
East Coast growers indicate that broadmites are widely present in both pepper and eggplant. Populations are relatively low in most places and are largely under control only causing problems where left untreated. Around southwest Florida broadmites are widely present in pepper but appear to be declining. Some respondents indicate they seem to have disappeared from some fields where they had been a problem.
Small numbers of pepper weevils are being found in several different east coast locations now. Growers are treating pepper where populations have built up. Some reports indicate several consecutive applications of Vydate may be needed to provide control; one or two applications may not do the job. One grower reports good control following two applications of Actara at the 4-oz./A rate seven days apart on a moderate infestation of pepper weevils where young fruit were falling off the plants.
Around southwest Florida pepper weevils have been on the increase, with significant increases being noted on several farms in the past week or so. Adult weevils have been very active over the past few days. Scouts indicate that numbers have increased to a "normal springtime level" of weevils.
The adult pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii. is a small (1/6 inch) black or gray beetle with a long snout (proboscis) and elbowed antennae. Adults use the mandibles at the end of the proboscis to feed on leaf or flower buds. Females also use the mandibles to bore a small hole in developing fruit or flower buds. The hole is plugged with fecal matter (frass) after an egg is deposited. A tiny legless grub hatches from the egg and eats its way toward the seed core of the fruit where it feeds on seeds and pulp, passing through larval growth stages or instars. Damaged fruit become contaminated by insect parts, frass and rotted tissue, and will eventually fall from the plant. Pupation takes place inside the fruit within a small cell created by larval feeding. The emerging adult may feed within the fruit for a while before escaping through a circular hole chewed in the wall of the fruit.
Black nightshade may serve as a secondary host to maintain small numbers of pepper weevil during fallow periods. Since development times decrease as temperature increases and since adults will migrate readily from old fields to new plantings, populations generally build up during the season so that populations are greatest in later spring plantings.
Since adults tend to move to lower, more protected and less visible plant parts as temperatures increase, scouting efforts should concentrate on a search for adults in leaf whorls, flowers and fruit during morning hours. Commercially available pheromone traps may also aid in early detection. Fruit and flower buds should be examined for damage and fallen fruit and buds examined for presence of larvae. Infested fruits can be recognized before they fall by the yellow calyx the presence of oviposition punctures that look like small dimples. Hot peppers like Jalapeno and Serrano’s are often the first peppers to be affected. Fruit and flower buds should be examined for damage and fallen fruit and buds examined for presence of larvae. If possible, all damaged and fallen fruit should be removed and destroyed.
Chemical control is difficult because all stages but the adult are protected within the fruit, so that only the adult weevil is vulnerable to insecticides. Frequent sprays may be necessary starting in the initial stages of infestation in order to avoid unacceptable levels of damage.
Spraying needs to commence at the first sign of weevils or with flowering in fields with a history of problems. Until recently Vydate has been the standard control and has given pretty good results even at 2 pts/acre when sprayed weekly in Dr. Phil Stansly’s trials at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. A total of 24 pts can be applied for the season.
Many growers have indicated disappointing results in obtaining satisfactory control with Vydate in the field. Some growers have terminated older plantings where weevils had become unmanageable. A number of growers have indicated obtaining good results in controlling weevils with either Capture - bifenthrin or cryolite. Actara – thiomethoxam, which was labeled this year, has demonstrated superior efficacy in trials conducted by Phil Stansly. Unfortunately applications are limited to two per season and growers are still trying to work out the timing of applications to achieve the best results.
Other materials that have been used with some success by growers include Neemix and fish oil both of which seem to be most effective when used preventatively before weevils become established. Some growers who have applied Admire – imidicloprid on pepper indicate that there may be some activity on weevils and report that Admire has delayed infestations and possibly reduced the overall level of pepper weevil infestation. Many of the currently labeled materials are difficult to work into an IPM program once plantings begin to be harvested due to the 7 day PHI in force for all of them. This is particularly true for hot peppers, which are often harvested multiple times during the course of a week.
In addition to chemical controls, a complete IPM approach is recommended for pepper weevil management. Adjacent or nearby sequential plantings should be avoided. Sanitation is important. Crops should be deep?plowed immediately following harvest and after treating with insecticide to reduce adult movement into nearby fields and to reduce survival over the summer. Nightshade in and around fields should be controlled to reduce population survival between crops.
Late blight remains active in southwest Florida and is now widely present in all five counties in southwest Florida. Incidence and severity is low to moderate. Scattered showers and foggy morning in the area have complicated this task. Reports out of the Manatee/Ruskin area indicate that late blight is widespread.
Scouts in Homestead indicate that late blight is present at very low levels. There have been no reports of late blight in Palm Beach.
Although growers can effectively control late blight by incorporating sanitation, cultural methods and judicious use of fungicides into their IPM program, just applying a chemical, however, does not necessarily equate with effective disease control. Fungicides slow the rate at which the disease develops in the field by creating a protective barrier on the foliage. The relative effectiveness of a product, coverage, and timing must be factored into the equation for maximum benefit.
This situation has become more complicated in recent years by the development of resistance to certain fungicides such as metalaxyl. Growers should be aware of this problem and be careful to incorporate fungicides with diverse modes of action into their spray programs.
Dow AgroScience reports that their new broad-spectrum fungicide Gavel is now conditionally approved for use in Florida for late blight control in tomato and potato. Gavel contains a combination of mancozeb and zoxamide. Product has been distributed to distributors and should be available to growers. Note that Gavel has been designated a dermal sensitizer and for tomatoes and cucurbits requires oral and written notification of workers that fields have been treated with dermal sensitizer. Potatoes require only oral notification. Incidents of dermal sensitivity should be reported to Dow. See the Gavel labeling for full details.
East Coast growers and scouts indicate that Anthracnose is still widespread in peppers. Reports are that disease development has slowed somewhat with the onset of dryer weather and applications of Quadris. Some anthracnose has also been found in cucumbers, but none has been noticed in tomatoes yet.
Rust is severe on snap beans around Immokalee and Homestead. Reports from Homestead also indicate severe problems with rust on sweet corn but notes that both crops are nearing completion. Many growers have remarked that this year is one of the worst in recent memory. 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 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.
Growers and scouts around southwest Florida continue to report that tomato yellow leaf curl virus remains the top disease problem in tomato. Average infection rates are in the range of 10 percent with infection rates in several fields reaching the 20 –30 percent range with a few fields at or above 50% infection. These levels are much higher than seen before in southwest Florida. Many fields have plenty of early-infected plants that will hurt yields.
Reports indicate that TYLCV and BGMV continue to increase in the Homestead area.
Scouts in Palm Beach report the incidence of TYLCV is gradually increasing.
Growers should be prepared to use alternative whitefly control measures including IGR's as Admire begins to wear off and whitefly populations’ increase or where large numbers of adults are migrating into new plantings. A complete IPM approach including sanitation, eradication (roguing) and chemical control of the whitefly vector is essential in controlling this disease.
Respondents from Palm Beach indicate that the spread of bacterial spot seems to have slowed down while reports from Immokalee indicates that bacteria continues to spread and has even intensified in some places following recent rains. Bacterial spot has also been moving in both tomato and pepper, with some pepper fields reaching moderate levels of infection with some lower leaf drop.
Gummy stem blight is widely present on watermelon southwest Florida. In most cases incidence and severity remains relatively low but in some places, the disease has reached moderate to severe levels and has reduced stands causing growers to have to reset plants. Growers and scouts indicate an increase in activity following recent rains.
Powdery mildew remains active on squash around Immokalee. Powdery mildew is widespread in older cucurbits especially squash. Incidence and severity is generally low to moderate although some severe infections have been noted in older plantings.
Reports from Palm Beach indicate powdery mildew remains mostly unchanged with problem levels in some eggplant, cucumber, and pepper plantings, with a little being found in tomato. Some growers report that use of Quadris on pepper has helped keep it under control.
Scouts in Homestead are reporting heavy infestations of powdery and downy mildew on cucurbits.
Downy mildew is widely present in older squash plantings around Immokalee and has been found at lower levels on cantaloupe and watermelon around southwest Florida.
Mosaic is widely present on squash in southwest Florida. The presence of the disease on so-called resistant varieties suggests that it is primarily papaya ringspot for which no resistance is yet available. It has been observed that the onset of infection has been delayed and ultimate level is reduced in fields that had been treated with Admire.
Fusarium crown rot in tomato remains widely present around southwest Florida. Reports from Palm Beach County indicate that Fusarium continues to progress slowly.
Fusarium wilt is beginning to show up widely on watermelon across southwest Florida as vines begin to run. Incidence and severity is mostly low.
Growers and scouts on both coasts report that
Sclerotinia and Botrytis activity in pepper and tomato has just about dropped
off the radar screen in recent weeks.
Operation Cleansweep
There are now 5 Cleansweep collection events planned for April and May 2002.
These events will serve 18 South Florida counties.
These collections have been scheduled for April and May. Locations,
primary county service areas and local contacts are listed below.
| Tuesday April 23 | Collier, Hendry, Lee | Immokalee Landfill
700 Stockade Rd.Immokalee |
Gary Morocco
(941) 732-2508 |
| Wednesday April 24 | Charlotte, Desoto, Lee, Manatee | Zemel Rd. Landfill
29751 Zemel Rd. Punta Gorda |
Barbara Kula
(941) 764-4380 |
| Tuesday
May 14
(Tentative: Site Pending) |
Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach | Broward County
(Site Pending) |
(Pending) |
| Wednesday May 15 | Martin, Palm Beach,
St. Lucie |
Martin County Landfill/HHW Center
9101 SW Busch St. Palm City |
Polly Kratman
772-221-1440 |
| Thursday May 16 | Brevard, Indian River, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, St. Lucie | Indian River Co. Landfill
1325 74th Ave, SW Vero Beach |
Mike Frey
561-770-5113 |
Operation Cleansweep wants all commercial pesticide users to participate. If your operations are located in any of the 18 South Florida counties scheduled for Cleansweep pesticide collections this year, you may bring cancelled, suspended and unusable pesticides to any of the 5 planned collection events.
Operation Cleansweep is free for agricultural, nursery, golf course and pest control operations.
It is not free for pesticide manufactures and distributors, universities, or government institutions, including state, county and local government pesticide end users. However, such organizations will be able to utilize Operation Cleansweep collections if they pay the costs of disposing of their cancelled, suspended and unusable pesticides.
Operation Cleansweep is also not for homeowners who have pesticides for disposal. Homeowners will be turned away and referred to their local county solid waste department. In nearly every county in Florida, other programs, such as Household Hazardous Waste collections, provide pesticide disposal for homeowners.
For more information about Florida’s Operation Cleansweep, you may contact Jack Price at (850) 488-0300.
This is a great opportunity – don’t miss it, as it may be several years before it comes around again.
Up Coming Meetings
Palm Beach
April 8, 2002
Community Supported Agriculture - 2:00 PM
Palm Beach County Extension
Office
531 North Military Trail -
Mounts Blvd.
West Palm Beach, Florida
Contact Tony Young: FDACS
at 850-487-4322 for more information.
April 9, 2002
Community Supported Agriculture - 9:30 AM
Indian River County Extension
Office
8400 Picos Road, Suite 101
Ft. Pierce, Florida
Contact Tony Young: FDACS
at 850-487-4322 for more information. . See announcement below.
April 11, 2002
Questions and Answers About OSHA Regulations - 1:30 - 3:00PM
Vergie Bain, OSHA Compliance
Specialist
Everglades Research and Education
Center Conference Center, Belle Glade
Contact Laura Andrews, 561-996-1657
April 17, 2002
Pesticide Applicator Training and Testing
(Note: testing can be done anytime;
but time is specifically allowed after training for testing)
General Standards/Core Test Review
- 2 CEU’s - 8AM - 10 AM
Private Applicator Test Review -
2 CEU’s - 1PM - 3PM
Belle Glade Extension Office, 2976
State Road 15, Belle Glade
Call Chris Sullivan or Laura Andrews,
561-996-1655, to preregister
April 24, 2002
D. O. T. Pilot Escort Certification Course 8 AM - 5 PM
Jolenda Noble, First
Coast Technical Institute
Belle Glade Extension Office,
2976 State Road 15, Belle Glade
Class size is limited.
First come first served.
Registration forms and payment
($110 for class and course materials) must be received
in the Belle Glade Office
by April 10, 2002.
Call Sullivan or Laura Andrews,
561-996-1655, for forms and registration.
May 2, 2002 We
Have the Answers: Dept. of Environmental Protection - 1:30
- 3:00PM
Jeff Smith, Hazardous Waste
Manager
Craig Stevens and Leslie Smith,
Waste Clean-Up Section
EREC Conference Center, 3200
East Palm Beach Rd, Belle Glade
Contact Laura Andrews, 561-996-1657
May 16, 2002 Vapam and KPAM Certification
Training 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Pro Source One, 8245
SR 7
Boynton Beach, FL
* 2.0 CEU’s
Contact Maria Kelly or Ken
Shuler, 561-233-1725 or 1718
June 13, 2002 We Have the Answers:
FL DACs - Bureau of Compliance Monitoring - 1:30 - 3:00PM
Dale Dubberly, Chief,
Bureau of Compliance Monitoring
EREC Conference Center
3200 East Palm Beach Rd, Belle
Glade * 2 CEU’s
Contact Laura Andrews, 561-996-1657
Southwest Florida
April 9, 2002
Restricted Use Pesticide License Training and Testing
(CORE, Private, Row Crop)
Hendry County Extension Office
1085 Pratt Boulevard
LaBelle, Florida
Contact 863-674-4092 for more information.
April 10, 2002 Restricted
Use Pesticide License Training and Testing
(Aquatic, Tree Crop)
Hendry County Extension Office
1085 Pratt Boulevard
LaBelle, Florida
Contact 863-674-4092 for more information.
April 22
Community Supported Agriculture - 9:30 AM
Lee County Extension Office
3406 Palm Beach Blvd.
Fort Myers, Florida
Contact Tony Young: FDACS
at 850-487-4322 for more information. See announcement below.
May 14, 2002 Spring Vegetable Field Day
- 10 AM - Noon
Southwest Florida Research
and Education Center
SR 29 N
Immokalee, FL
* 2.0 CEU’s
Contact Sheila Griffith or
Gene McAvoy at 863-674-4092
May 15, 2002 Vapam and KPAM Certification
Training 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Southwest Florida Research
and Education Center
SR 29 N
Immokalee, FL
* 2.0 CEU’s
Contact Sheila Griffith or
Gene McAvoy at 863-674-4092
Charles H. Bronson: Commissioner of Agriculture invites you to attend an informational seminar on “Community Supported Agriculture.” This alternative Marketing Method, also known as Subscription Farming, can reduce production and marketing risks for growers.
Topics to be covered include:
Job Opportunity
C&B Farms is seeking to recruit a hardworking, bright, ambitious individual that is interested in a career in vegetable production with one of the more progressive diversified vegetable operations in the state. A degree in horticulture is preferred. This is a position with definite growth potential for the right person.
Contact Chuck Obern at C & B Farms, PO Box 1649, Clewiston, Florida 33440. Tel: 941-250-0551.
Websites
National Agricultural Library - One of the world's largest libraries providing agricultural research information to a variety of people. Provides a variety of services/programs and publications/databases. Links to AGRICOLA and AgNIC. Go to http://www.nalusda.gov/
University of California Statewide IPM Project - Description and information on how to manage pests including agricultural crops, floriculture, turf, a weed gallery, crop diseases, pesticide information and calculating degree days. There is a search feature on the site. Set your browser to http://ucipm.ucdavis.edu/
Quotable Quotes
In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous. -- Aristotle
"No other human occupation opens so wide a field for the profitable and agreeable combination of labor with cultivated thought as agriculture." ? Abraham Lincoln
To us also, through every star, through every blade of grass, is not God made visible if we will open our minds and our eyes. -- Thomas Carlyle
Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. -- Mark Twain
The Lighter Side
Math Progression
Teaching Math in 1950's: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?
Teaching Math in 1960's: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?
Teaching Math in 1970's: A logger exchanges a set "L" of lumber for a set "M" of money. The cardinality of set "M" is 100. Each element is worth one dollar. Make 100 dots representing the elements of the set "M." The set "C", the cost of production contains 20 fewer points than set "M." Represent the set "C" as a subset of set "M" and answer the following question: What is the cardinality of the set "P" of profits?
Teaching Math in 1980's: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.
Teaching Math in 1990's: By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the logger makes $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees? There are no wrong answers.
Contributors include: Joel Allingham/AgriCare, Inc, Karen Armbrester/SWFREC, Jim Connor/SWFREC, Bruce Corbitt/West Coast Tomato Growers, Fred Heald/Farmers Supply, Sarah Hornsby/AgCropCon, Cecil Howell/H&R Farm, Bruce Johnson/General Crop Management, 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, Dr Ken Pernezny/EREC, Dr. Pam Roberts/SWFREC, Nancy Roe/Farming Systems Research, Wes Roan/6 L's, Kevin Seitzinger/Gargiulo, Jay Shivler/ F& F Farm, Ken Shuler/Palm Beach County Extension, Ben Stanaland/Pacific Tomato Growers, John Stanford/LNA Farm, Mike Stanford/MED Farms, Dr. Phil Stansly/SWFREC, Eugene Tolar/Red Star Farms, Dr.Charlie Vavrina/SWFREC, Donna Verbeck/GulfCoast Ag. and Mark Verbeck/Bayer Crop Protection.
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@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu
Ken Shuler
Extension
Agent IV
Vegetables
Palm Beach
County Extension
559 N Military
Trail
561-233-1718 phone
West Palm
Beach, FL 33415-1311 kds@gnv.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