SW Florida Vegetable Pest and Disease Hotline

	Cooperative Extension Service ________________________________________________ Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Spring-break-like conditions prevailed across most of South Florida over much of the past two weeks with mostly warm, dry weather blanketing the area. Spotty showers occurred over west-central production areas during the week of March 21 through 27 while significant rain fell over the extreme southern Peninsula with Homestead, Ft. Lauderdale and other east coast growing areas reporting from a quarter to an inch and a quarter of rain for the week.

Temperatures have been seasonable with warm days and cool nights.Daytime temperatures have been in the 70’s and 80’s with nighttime lows ranging in the low 60’s 50’s, and a few nights in the 40’ s in normally colder areas.Foggy mornings have been widespread and windy conditions have impacted some crops with significant zippering being reported on watermelon.

Crops coming to market include snap beans, celery, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, radishes, squash, strawberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelons and specialty crops.Strawberry picking, celery cutting, radish digging and the harvesting of leafy green vegetables such as escarole, endive and lettuce in southern areas are slowing seasonally as warmer temperatures arrive.Watermelon harvest began in the Immokalee area last week and light quantities of melons are moving to market.Quality is mostly good.

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
3/16 – 4/4/04	48.6	82.7	0.36	0.0	0.0	8.5	25.6	6.3	120.1	27.4	64.2
Ft L'rdale
3/16 – 4/4/04	53.2	83.9	1.04	0.0	0.0	0.0	10.4	20.3	42.8	50.8	26.3
Fort Pierce
3/16 – 4/4/04	43.0	82.0	0.45	0.0	2.3	18.2	8.8	17.2	81.1	43.1	78.6
Homestead
3/16 – 4/4/04	48.5	83.0	0.24	0.0	0.0	5.8	23.3	25.6	57.0	19.3	7.2
Immokalee
3/16 – 4/4/04	44.2	84.5	0.08	0.0	3.8	2.7	12.1	63.4	115.1	50.8	21.5

The short-term forecast from the National Weather Service in Miami indicates that a weak cold front moving over South Florida this morning will reinforce the dry air mass already in place. This front will dissipate by Tuesday. Conditions will become partly cloudy by Wednesday evening in advance of a front that will bring a chance of scattered showers to the area toward the latter part of the week.Temperatures will remain in the 80’s during the day and in the 50’s and 60’s at night.

For additional information, visit the National Weather Service in Miami website at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/newpage/index.html

Insects

Insect pressure remains mostly low but with some seasonal increase in pest activity being reported.

Whiteflies

Reports from the Manatee/Ruskin area indicate that silverleaf whitefly numbers are still low but incidence of tomato yellow leaf curl virus is still increasing.Respondents indicate that 20-30% infection rates are not uncommon in older plantings, with some higher isolated numbers, but much lower incidences in younger plantings.

Banded wing whitefly are still being seen in unusually high numbers but UF researchers reiterated at an April 1 grower meeting in Bradenton that they are not a vector for TYLCV, nor are leafminers or other insects.The silverleaf whitefly is the only vector for this virus.Silverleaf whitefly is being found in higher numbers in cucurbits.With warmer weather approaching, growers can expect seasonal increases in whitefly numbers since the life cycle gets shorter as the temperatures get higher.As the harvest season approaches in the Manatee/Ruskin area, growers are urged to maintain their control programs for SWF and destroy crops as quickly as possible block by block as they are finished.

Phyllis Gilreath notes that more growers have been using soap and oil this season for SWF adult control in the Manatee area.She writes that with warmer weather approaching, many growers are apprehensive about using oil due to potential burn.Growers were reminded that one product that has shown good results in UF trials and reportedly on grower farms is Pre-Vam.Pre-Vam is only about 5% oil compared to much higher concentration in some other products; thus, there may be less potential for phytotoxicity and this may be an option for use during harvest periods when we are limited in terms of control materials due to PHI or REI restrictions.

Whitefly numbers around Southwest Florida remain variable with a number of scouts reporting populations beginning to build up to typically higher spring numbers in a number of places.Some scouts are reporting counts of 5 – 20 whiteflies per plant while in other locations counts remain low.At the other end of the spectrum, Phil Stansly and I conducted counts using a beat pan in conjunction with a fertilizer trial in the Immokalee area and found very low numbers with 10 beats yielding mostly 0 – 2 whitefly per 10 beats.

Whiteflies are present in a variety of crops including tomato, pepper, cucurbits, eggplant and potatoes. Pressure is higher in cucurbits and eggplant and some silverleaf has been reported on squash.Most tomato fields in the area are at a fairly advanced stage of maturity and past high risk of TYLCV problems.

Growers in Palm Beach County also report variable whitefly numbers with populations building in some older plantings.Whiteflies are present in eggplant, pepper, squash and tomatoes.Pressure has been persistent in squash and some silverleaf is being reported in places.

Reports from Miami-Dade County indicate intense whitefly pressure in beans and cucurbits, and what has been termed a whitefly and TYLCV explosion in tomato.Reports indicate that bean golden mosaic virus is also present at fairly high levels.

Growers are reminded to maintain vigilance and keep up whitefly control measures to avoid a buildup of whiteflies and prevent the movement of infected whiteflies carrying TYLCV into younger plantings.

In older plantings growers should strive to maintain control of adults with oils, soaps and materials OTHER THAN nicotinoids.A strong emphasis should be placed on PROMPT destruction, block by block, as harvest is completed, including oil with herbicide for quick burndown and control of existing whiteflies 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.

Aphids

Aphid pressure is variable around Southwest Florida with scouts noting increased pressure in cucurbits and pepper.

Respondents in Homestead indicate that aphids are widely present in beans, cucurbits, and tomatoes.

Reports from the Bradenton area indicate that winged aphids are still being seen around the area still being noted, but again in low numbers, probably due to heavy spray programs targeting whiteflies.

Reports from Palm Beach indicate scattered problems with aphids.Aphids have been reported in cucurbits, herbs, peppers, tomatoes and specialty crops including oriental brassicas where pressure is said to be heavy.

Worms

In the Manatee/Ruskin area reports indicate that some worms are around but in fairly low numbers, again probably due to frequent spraying for whiteflies.Reports indicate that loopers have increased in the past two weeks in cabbage and in other crops and low levels of pinworms are starting to show up in older tomato plantings.

Around Southwest Florida, worm pressure remains mostly low with scouts detecting a few beet and southern armyworm hatches in places.Reports also indicate an increase in melonworms/pickleworm activity in some locations and have noted armyworms damaging melon rinds in a few places.

Growers and scouts around southwest Florida report a surge in pinworm pressure in a number of locations. Pinworms have been reported in eggplant and tomato.Growers should be aware that tomato volunteers and regrowth in double crop watermelons could allow pinworms (as well as leafminer and whiteflies) to build up affecting nearby fields.To avoid problems, volunteers and regrowth should be scouted and controls applied as necessary.

Growers and scouts in the Homestead area report increasing worm pressure in a variety of crops including beans, cucurbits, and tomato.Worm pressure remains high in corn.

East Coast producers report detecting increased hatches of armyworms and looper in a variety of crops.They also note the presence of pinworms in eggplant and tomato.

Diamondback moths have been reported in collards and specialty brassicas across South Florida.Reports indicate that pressure has been particularly severe in Palm Beach County with some growers reporting significant losses.Growers are also finding some diamondback larvae in brassicas in the Palmetto/Ruskin area.

Thrips

Around southwest Florida, flower thrips pressure varies between locations but in general hasn’t been a big problem this season. Respondents note that a few locations have seen some Thrips palmi activity and slight damage has been reported.

Reports from Homestead note “heavy” thrips pressure in beans, cucurbits, eggplants and pepper.

Respondents on the East Coast indicate increasing thrips pressure in eggplant, pepper and tomato.Indications are that these are mostly flower thrips although some isolated reports of Thrips palmi damage on pepper including fruit etching and stem damage continue to be received.

Around Manatee County, reports indicate that thrips did increase in tomatoes and peppers with decline in citrus bloom, but not to the level expected.Citrus bloom was heavy but we have experienced roller coaster temperatures lately which one respondent thinks may have delayed petal fall in area groves which may have affected thrips pressure.

Leafminers

Respondents around Manatee County indicate that leafminer activity has increased steadily over the past two weeks.Some growers have treated and gotten good control but note that leafminers have come on early compared to last spring.Growers are concerned about open mines as an entry point for target spot or early blight problems later this season.

Growers and scouts in the Homestead area continue to report some problems with leafminer.

Leafminers are still present around southwest Florida but pressure varies between locations with several areas reaching treatment threshold levels and other areas reporting little pressure.Leafminer have been particularly active in melons and other cucurbits.Crops affected include beans, cucurbits, eggplant, tomatoes and specialty crops.

East Coast growers report some problems with leafminers on leafy vegetables, as well as cucurbits, eggplant and tomatoes.

Mites

Growers and scouts on the East Coast continue to report problems with two-spotted and red spider mites in eggplant as well as problems with mites in tomato and specialty items especially along field margins and ditch banks.Reports indicate that broadmites are still present in pepper and eggplant in mostly low numbers but indicate that they have been worse in some locations where they have persisted through out the season.

Around Southwest Florida, reports indicate spidermites are starting to build up in some melons, cucumbers, eggplants, and tomatoes. Scouts also report finding very high populations on nightshade and other weeds in a number of locations as well.Some new broadmite activity has been reported in a few pepper and eggplant fields.

Reports from Homestead report that red and two spotted spider mites are becoming more numerous in a variety of crops including beans, cucurbits, eggplant, strawberries and tomatoes.Broadmites are widely present in eggplant and pepper with some heavy pressure being reported in places on peppers.

Growers in West Central Florida report mites are being found in cantaloupes and other cucurbits, especially in fields that are being double cropped following strawberries.Respondents also report some problems with spidermites and broadmites in pepper in the Plant City/Dover area.

Pepper Weevils

Respondents around southwest Florida indicate that pepper weevils have been detected in a few more pepper fields but report that overall pressure remains low with a few exceptions.

Growers and scouts on the East Coast report scattered pepper weevil activity.Numbers remain low in most places but some hotspots have been noted.

Around Homestead, respondents report pepper weevils populations are beginning to increase and scouts report increased trap counts over the past few weeks.

Diseases

Growers and scouts report that disease pressure remains low to moderate in most locations, with the exception of West Central Florida where growers have been battling tomato yellow leaf curl.

Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus

Around Homestead, respondents report that new TYLCV infections are increasing rapidly and report a TYLCV “explosion” over the past few weeks.

In Manatee County, reports indicate that TYLCV infections are still increasing, but some respondents note that new infections seem to have leveled off for now with 20-30% infection not uncommon in older plantings, with some isolated fields reporting even higher incidence.Respondents report that many younger plantings show much lower disease incidence.Phyllis Gilreath reports that Virus incidence is much higher than we would expect from the number of whitefly being seen and indicates that a high proportion of the whiteflies entering fields were obviously viruliferous.

In Southwest Florida, Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus incidence continues to increases seasonally as whitefly populations build in tomatoes. Infection rates vary widely with many fields remaining below 1% and some hotspots reaching over 50%.

Growers and scouts on the East Coast report increasing incidence of TYLCV as the season progresses with some fields showing up to 10% infection or higher.

Bacterial Spot

Around Southwest Florida, bacterial spot is still widely present on tomato and to a lesser extent pepper.Activity has abated significantly with recent dry weather but foggy mornings have permitted slow creep within plant canopies where it is present.Incidence and severity ranges from low to moderate with a few locations reporting fruit infections.

Respondents around the Homestead area report new bacterial spot activity in tomato.

East Coast growers report quite a bit of bacterial spot activity in tomato considering the time of the year and relatively dry weather.

Respondents in Manatee/Ruskin area report that bacterial spot flared up somewhat after a rain event two weeks ago, but pressure is still low to moderate in most fields.

Fusarium crown rot

Fusarium crown rot in tomato continues to affect tomato fields around Immokalee.Incidence and severity is variable and ranges from low to fairly high depending on the location.

Dr Ken Pernezny reports finding a significant amount of fusarium crown rot in tomato during recent field surveys in Palm Beach County.

Ken notes that symptoms range from slightly flagging plants to complete plant death.Occasionally, a canker may be evident on the outside of the lower stem, but most of the time it is absent. Vascular browning is very evident when the lower parts of stems are cut open longitudinally. Dr Pernezny notes a key diagnostic symptom is that the vascular discoloration does not extend very far up the stem as is exhibited in true Fusarium wilt.

Fusarium Wilt

Around Southwest Florida fusarium wilt is beginning to show up in a number of widely scattered locations in watermelon.Incidence and severity varies but is moderate to high in few locations.

Reports from the Bradenton area indicate that fusarium wilt being diagnosed in samples from melon fields, including some fields with symptoms reminiscent of last seasons vine decline problems.

Gummy stem blight

Growers and scouts around Immokalee indicate although gummy stem blight is widely present in watermelon, new activity has abated in recent days with some exceptions.In a few locations, significant stand loss has resulted from early infections present on transplants.

Respondents in Manatee County report finding gummy stem blight in melons and squash.Pressure is fairly heavy in some fields but dry weather should help the situation.

Watermelon Vine Decline and Fruit Rot Alert

For at least the past 2 seasons, central and southwest Florida growers have experienced problems with watermelon vine decline late in the crop cycle approaching harvest characterized by wilting in the plant, scorched leaves, defoliation and rapid vine collapse on maturing vines. Frequently, fruit were observed with greasy, necrotic lesions on the interior portion of the rind that rendered the fruit non-marketable.

Investigations to date have been inconclusive for identifying a cause. No pathogen was consistently associated with the symptoms nor were any cultural or environmental factors identified as the cause.

If you see or suspect a problem, please notify your county extension agent or the Plant Disease Clinic in Immokalee so we can begin collecting samples and information to try and pinpoint a cause.Under the leadership of Dr. Pam Roberts at Immokalee, we now have additional manpower and funding to follow-up more closely on disease reports and to address this problem if or when it appears this season. A significant number of melons have been lost to this problem and we need to find a solution.

Late Blight

Late blight continues to be reported on tomato in a number of areas around Southwest Florida and reports of new infections continue to be received. Incidence and occurrence is sporadic and severity low in most places.

A few new reports of late blight have been noted in Palm Beach County. Incidence and severity is low and lack of moisture has limited activity.

No additional late blight infections have been reported in the Manatee/Ruskin area.

Gray Mold

Growers and scouts continue to report finding botrytis in tomato in several locations around southwest Florida.

Reports from Palm Beach County note that botrytis has caused bloom loss in some tomato plantings.

Sclerotinia

East Coast growers report scattered problems with sclerotinia (white mold) in tomato.

Growers and scouts around Southwest Florida report that sclerotinia is still widely present on bean, pepper, tomato and eggplant but note that new infections have declined in recent weeks.

Respondents in Homestead area report that some new white mold infections have been noted in eggplant in recent weeks.

Some sclerotinia has been reported on young tomato in the Bradenton area.

Early Blight

Reports from Homestead indicate that early blight is widely present on tomato.

Early blight is widely present on tomatoes in East Coast growing areas.Incidence and occurrence is mostly low to moderate but specialty growers report higher incidence and severity in heirloom varieties.

Around southwest Florida, respondents report low levels of early blight activity in tomato.

Reports indicate that Alternaria leaf spot is present at low levels in melons around Southwest Florida and in Manatee County.

Target spot

Respondents in Palm Beach County report that target spot is widely present on tomato.Incidence and severity is mostly low.

Growers around Homestead report some new target spot activity in tomato.

Growers and scouts around Southwest Florida indicate that target spot remains active inside tomato plants with thick foliage.

Rust

Rust has also been reported on beans in the Devils Garden area of Hendry County.

Respondents indicate that bean rust is also widely present in Homestead primarily on non-resistant varieties.

Downy Mildew

Reports indicate that downy mildew is active in squash and cantaloupes in a number of locations across South Florida.No reports have been received of downy mildew on watermelon to date.

Powdery mildew

Respondents in Palm Beach County indicate that they continue to find powdery mildew on squash in a number of locations.Incidence is low to moderate but drier conditions and crop maturity will favor disease development.Powdery mildew has also been reported on beans, eggplant, pepper and snow peas as well.

Powdery mildew is also widely present on squash around southwest Florida.Scouts operating around Immokalee note they are seeing some powdery mildew in older pepper in a few locations.Some isolated cases of powdery mildew are also present in watermelon.

Phytophthora

Reports from the East Coast continue to note that new infections by Phytophthoracapsici have declined in recent weeks.

Phytophthora is still present on pepper and squash in a several locations around southwest Florida and some new activity has been noted.

Mosaic

Mosaic is widely present on squash around southwest Florida.Incidence and severity varies from low to high depending on location.Mosaic is also present at low levels in watermelon in few locations.

Dr. Susan Webb, Entomologist at UF/IFAS notes the virus is spread by aphids but not necessarily melon aphids but is often vectored by transitory aphid species that probe weedy hosts and cucurbits searching for a suitable host thus spreading the disease.Surveys conducted in South Florida over the past few years indicate that most mosaic symptoms observed in this area tends to be caused by the papaya ringspot virus.

Up Coming Meetings

Palm Beach County

April 14, 2004General Standards/Core Test Review8 AM - 12 Noon
Private Applicator1 PM – 3 PM

Belle Glade Extension Office
2976 State Road 15
Belle Glade, Florida

Contact Laura Powell at 561-996-1655

Southwest Florida

April 6-7, 2004                        Spanish Pesticide Applicator Training and Testing8:30 AM– 3 PM

            Hendry County Extension Office
1085 Pratt Boulevard
LaBelle, Florida

Contact 863-674-4092 for details

April 12-13, 2004                    English Pesticide Applicator Training and Testing8:30 AM– 3 PM

             Hendry County Extension Office
1085 Pratt Boulevard
LaBelle, Florida

Contact 863-674-4092 for details

April 20, 2004                         Controlled Release Fertilizer in Vegetable Production 6:00 – 8:00 PM

UF/IFAS - SW Florida Research and Education Center
                             Hwy 29 N
                                                Immokalee, FL

Contact 863-674-4092 for details

May 5, 2004Production And Utilization Of Compost In Florida8 AM- 5 PM

UF/IFAS - SW Florida Research and Education Center
                            Hwy 29 N
                                                Immokalee, FL

Pre-registration required, contact Dr Monica Ozores-Hampton at 239-658-3400

Other Meetings

June 21-24, 20041st 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

November 14 – 16, 2004 17^th International Pepper Conference

Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Resort
Naples, Florida

For more information, contact Gene McAvoy at 863-674-4092 or visit
http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/pepper

Websites

Radcliffe’s IPM World Text Book – provides an electronic alternative or complement to printed textbooks for communicating information on integrated pest management (IPM). Objectives are to provide: 1) a venue for easily maintaining and up-dating "state of the art" information from the world's leading experts on all aspects of IPM, 2) a resource economically deliverable anywhere in the world that can be freely downloaded and used by students, teachers, and IPM practitioners, 3) a forum for the international presentation of practical information and theory on IPM, 4) links to the vast and rapidly growing IPM resources available on the Internet including photographs and decision-support software.Go to http://ipmworld.umn.edu/

News You Can Use

Farmers worried about the methyl bromide ban starting Jan. 1 can relax for a year; the United States has been exempted from a United Nations Environment Programme phase-out seeking to limit global use of the fumigant.

"We look at it as a reprieve," said Chip Hinton of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association. "We have one more year to look at what we need to do to stay in business."

The United States will be allowed to use 7,659 tons of methyl bromide in 2005, according to a news release posted on the U.N. Environment Programme Web site, www.unep.org. That is 70 percent less than what it was permitted in 1991.

Touted by farmers as being the most effective fumigant to rid tomato, watermelon and strawberry farms of weeds and microscopic worms and soil-borne diseases, methyl bromide is listed as an ozone depleter by the U.N. agency.

The U.N. agency has ordered most developed nations to systematically curb the use of the fumigant, hoping to totally eliminate its usage in these countries by 2015.

"It's something that the government finds it can do without but hasn't found a replacement," said Bruce Shackelford, president of 4 Star Tomato Inc. "It's not to say we don't want to use anything else, we haven't found anything else."

The alternative to methyl bromide is hard to come by.The U.S. Department of Agriculture invested about $150 million in the past 11 years to research for such a replacement but was unsuccessful.

Looking for a substitute that could eradicate weeds, pests and diseases is a tough task, said Jim Gilreath, an associate professor at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center on Caruso Road.

"We could put a combo together to kill all three problems but that's difficult. This also means adding more stuff to the environment," Gilreath said.

There are several alternatives that Gilreath and other researchers are looking at, but all have weaknesses that need fine-tuning or simply more testing.

"We'd like to find more than one alternative for growers to use," Gilreath said. "We only had one compound that we've relied on for so long, and nothing lasts forever."

Though farmers greeted the exemption with relief, they are also looking at the prospect of paying more for the chemical next year. Growers pay about $2.80 for a pound of methyl bromide. About 200 pounds of the fumigant is needed to sterilize an acre. Gilreath said the price of methyl bromide has tripled in the past 10 years.

Since the ban on methyl bromide is imminent, Shackelford said he thinks most international chemical companies supplying the fumigant will be clearing their stockpiles.

"No one's going to produce what's going to be banned," he said. "It's all supply and demand and we're running out."

Other countries exempted from the ban include Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Community Budget Issue Request (CBIR)

At the vegetable growers’ meeting held on Thursday April 1, 2004, several of you asked Ed Hanlon for telephone numbers for Senator Bullard and Representative Spratt to discuss with them possible funding for SWFREC through the Community Budget Issue Request (CBIR) process. This potential funding is for deferred maintenance of selected research facilities at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC). Specifically, funds will be used to repair water intrusion and improve indoor air quality in the Water Resources, Entomology, and Agronomy trailers that are used for research space. Our graduate students and technicians use these trailers daily in support of vegetable and citrus programs.

Land Use for the Southwest Florida Feasibility Study (SWFFS)

South Florida Water Management District has created a map of agricultural land use for southwest Florida. This map specifies cropping by commodity and other land uses throughout southwest Florida. However, the District must project land uses to 2025. Future land use will determine water demand. This resulting demand will then affect the design of a water supply system capable of meeting predicted cropping needs.

Growers agreed to use the projected land use in the District’s 2001 Water Supply Plan. Mapping the projected agricultural land use has come to within 17,000 acres of that goal. If these acres are simply omitted from the design phase, then water is unlikely to be available for future farming operations. The solution is to get your current and future plans recognized on the map now. A copy of the planning map is available at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center for review. You may also contact the SFWMD Service Center (239 338-2929) directly in Ft. Myers, FL.

Source: Jerardo, Andy. "Import Share of U.S. Food Consumption Stable at 11 Percent." Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, FAU-79-01, July 2003.

Quotable Quotes

What a blessing it would be if we could open and shut our ears as easily as we open and shut our eyes! -- Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities. -- Frank Lloyd Wright

I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends... that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.-- Adlai E. Stevenson

Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information on it. -- Samuel Johnson

On the Lighter Side

Preacher's Horse

The preacher told a man interested in the horse that this horse had been trained in a "religious" way. The horse didn't understand "giddy-up" or "whoa".

The only way to make the horse go was to say, "Hallelujah!" And the only way to make the horse stop, was to say, "Amen!"

The man was pleased with his purchase and immediately got on the animal and instinctively said "Giddy up".
The horse just stood there. The man then remembered the preacher's instructions. "Hallelujah!"
shouted the man. The horse began to trot and off he went. Then horse began to run.

Soon he was heading toward a cliff. He said "whoa" and nothing happened. Then he remembered that he had to say something religious to make him stop -- but he couldn't remember the word to make the horse stop.

The horse just kept going. "Oh, no -- Bible! -- Church! -- Please stop!!" shouted the man. He was getting closer and closer to the cliff edge.

Finally, in desperation the man said a prayer. "Please, dear Lord. Please make this horse stop before I go off the end of this mountain. In Jesus' name, AMEN"

The horse came to an abrupt stop just one step from the very edge of the cliff. Whereupon the man took off his hat and wiped his sweaty brow, and thankfully said..."HALLELUJAH!"

Chicken Soup for Beer Drinkers

"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver."-- Jack Handy

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk in order to spend time with his friends." -- Ernest Hemingway

"24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not." -- Stephen Wright

"When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. Sooooo, let's all get drunk and go to heaven!" -- Brian O'Rourke

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." -- Benjamin Franklin

"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza." -- Dave Barry

And, saving the best for last, as explained by Cliff Calvin, of Cheers. One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Calvin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm.

Here's how it went: "Well ya see, Norm, it's like this...A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first.This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

"In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells.Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

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, Kevin Short/Integrated Crop Management, 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