Protecting Fall Vegetable Crops after the Hurricane

Protecting Fall Vegetable Crops after the Hurricane

As if the fall season wasn’t challenging enough from a pest and disease perspective, throw in a hurricane and it gets much worse. Luckily, the storm missed most of the Panhandle. Tomato and cucurbit producing areas in Gadsden and Jackson counties likely saw the...
Weed of the Week: Coffee Senna

Weed of the Week: Coffee Senna

Coffee Senna is not only an issue for livestock producers, as seeds are toxic when consumed, it also causes issues for cotton and peanut farmers in the southern states. The scientific name Senna occidentalis comes from Arabic and Latin roots, with Senna meaning...
Weed of the Week: Southern Sandbur

Weed of the Week: Southern Sandbur

Across the Southern United States, Southern Sandbur (aka sandspur) can be found. It is an annual grass that grows in cropland and pastures, thriving in dry sandy soils. Southern Sandbur has a shallow fibrous root system and can easily invade poorly managed fields or...
Protecting Pollinators from Pesticides: Everyone Plays a Part

Protecting Pollinators from Pesticides: Everyone Plays a Part

Overview On January 12, 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final “Policy to Mitigate the Acute Risk to Bees from Pesticide Products.”  This policy outlines EPA’s label statements designed to mitigate acute risks to bees from pesticides.  The...
Weed of the Week: Tropical Soda Apple

Weed of the Week: Tropical Soda Apple

This week’s featured weed is tropical soda apple, a serious weed problem in many pastures and natural areas of Florida.  This invasive weed is very prolific and can infest a pasture in a very short time.  Its fruit are toxic to goats, and the unpalatable thorny leaves...
Cowpea Curculio Outbreak Anticipated after Mild Winter

Cowpea Curculio Outbreak Anticipated after Mild Winter

Peas are a staple food throughout the South.  Whether you prefer southern peas, cowpeas, or blackeye peas, they are all under threat from the cowpea curculio, also known locally as pea weevils.  With the mild winter this year, growers can anticipate that cowpea...