You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Florida’ category.
From Southeast Farm Press
A new invasive pest is having a major impact on bermudagrass hay production in south Georgia.
The bermudagrass stem maggot, native to Southeast Asia, has only been spotted in the U.S. for a couple of years, according to University of Georgia Forage Extension Specialist Dennis Hancock. In that short span, however, the pest has left an indelible mark on forage production.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have found an effective method to infect house flies with a virus that stops the flies from reproducing.
House flies can transmit hundreds of animal and human pathogens like Salmonella, Escherichia coli and Shigella bacteria, which cause foodborne illnesses. Insecticides are used to help control flies, but the pests can develop resistance to chemicals.
From Southeast Farm Press
Target spot has created much concern among cotton growers in the Southeast over the past few years and began showing up in cotton fields in the Carolinas and Virginia for the first time last year.
Little is known about the impact of the fungal disease on yield and quality, but recent research indicates there may be significant differences among varieties.
Want to teach school staff some simple IPM techniques in just a few short minutes? Orange County Public Schools, in conjunction with Orlando Tech Animation, created several video “shorts” on IPM topics. The videos, which feature a cute animated mouse named Scruffles, run from one to two minutes long and include IPM basics, bed bugs, head lice, ants, rodents and cockroaches. In addition to presenting useful IPM tips, Scruffles has a tongue-in-cheek charm. In the rodent video, he comments that as a mouse himself, “I have certain expertise in these matters.”
Starting May 2013, take your first steps toward getting a certificate or becoming LMA certified! A new three credit course will be offered starting May 2013 at the University of Florida (UF). The course is called “Landscape IPM: Ornamentals and Turf” and is course number IPM 4254. This course will be offered for UF credit and will be available for students that are enrolled at UF or for people outside UF that are interested in the material. UF will offer the course this summer (2013) and it will be available 100% online. You must have computer and Internet access to take this class. This course is for UF juniors and seniors and landscape and pest management supervisors and owners.
Source: University of Florida Press Release. www.ifas.ufl.edu
Researchers with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences recently completed the state’s largest-ever study of landscape turfgrass and fertilizer use, and new online videos will help homeowners and lawn-care professionals understand the findings.
By Dennis O’Brien
January 25, 2013
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists in Fort Pierce, Fla. are helping citrus growers and juice processors address the threat posed by Huanglongbing (HLB), a disease that is costing the citrus industry millions of dollars each year.
by Candace Pollock (cpollock@uga.edu)
GAINESVILLE, Florida – University of Florida researchers are looking for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches to control a destructive pest of Florida small fruit crops.
Entomology graduate student Lindsy Iglesias, along with professor Oscar Liburd, are using a $10,837 Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) Graduate Student Grant to develop an IPM program to manage the spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) – a vinegar fly related to the common fruit fly.
Outfitting soldiers with clothing that effectively repels or kills insects is one of the strategies U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are using to help protect U.S. military personnel deployed overseas against disease-transmitting mosquitoes and sand flies.
By Sandra Avant
November 26, 2012
An insect growth regulator is one of the latest technologies U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are adding to their arsenal to help fight house flies that spread bacteria to food.
