Grafting Tomatoes for Disease Resistance and Improved Yield

Grafting Tomatoes for Disease Resistance and Improved Yield

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend North Carolina State’s Tomato Field Day, at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River, NC.  Every summer crowds flock from all over the Southeast to learn what’s new in the world of...
Southern Blight Found in Holmes County Tomatoes

Southern Blight Found in Holmes County Tomatoes

Southern blight (caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.) was found at two different tomato farms in Holmes County this week. Southern Blight is a serious fungal disease affecting diverse crops grown around the world, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. The...
Spotted Wilt Virus in Tomato

Spotted Wilt Virus in Tomato

Tomatoes, though a  joy to eat, are not the easiest crop to grow.  An Escambia County grower recently brought in a sample showing unusual patterns on the green fruit.  When he cut the fruit open, he noticed discoloration on the inside.  The issue was visually...

Scouting Northwest Florida Tomatoes

Identification of pests affecting crops is the first part of designing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.  Scouting is an important part of any IPM program.  Once you identify problem pests, management decisions can be made such as changing cultural...