Horticultural Sciences Department Research Articles

Fusarium Wilt: A New Threat to Florida Lettuce Production

Fusarium wilt of lettuce is a disease caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lactucae. The disease is present in all lettuce production areas worldwide. Recently this disease has been identified in Florida in localized fields. This new 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department presents information about the disease, symptoms, and control measures useful to lettuce growers in Florida. Following these recommendations may help to avoid the spread of this fungus in muck soils at the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), where 90% of the lettuce in Florida is planted. Written by Germán V. Sandoya, Jesse J. Murray, Richard N. Raid, and Christian F. Miller.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1385

Implementing the Five Rs of Nutrient Stewardship for Fertigation in Florida’s Vegetable Production

The five Rs of nutrient stewardship is a mnemonic device used to emphasize accuracy and precision for nutrient management so as to apply the (1) right source of fertilizer at the (2) right rate at the (3) right time in the (4) right place with the (5) right irrigation. Because the majority of Florida's soils are sandy, this fifth R is imperative for sustainable nutrient management for commercial crop production. These main points of nutrient management (source, rate, time, place, irrigation) may help enhance sustainability by reducing pollution by eutrophication, nitrogen loss through ammonia volatilization, and climate change from soil greenhouse gas emission. This new 8-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department was written by Mary Dixon and Guodong Liu.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1386

Production Guide for Choy Sum—An Emerging Asian Vegetable in Florida

Choy sum, also known as Chinese flowering cabbage, is a leafy vegetable that has been widely cultivated in southern China for more than 1,000 years, and is currently cultivated and consumed by a growing population in the western world. This new 5-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, written by Yanlin Wang and Guodong Liu, provides a brief overview of choy sum and its cultivation, as well as some suggestions for how to include it in a meal.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1380

Selection and Preparation of Planting Material for Successful Hop Production in Florida

Hops (Humulus lupulus L.), an essential ingredient in beer, have potential to develop as a viable alternative crop in Florida. In our surveys, many breweries have expressed strong interest in using locally grown hops. However, hop production is plagued by many diseases, most of which were inadvertently introduced through the movement of contaminated planting material. The primary purposes of this new 7-page article are to prevent the introduction of these diseases into the state and to provide recommendations for selecting and preparing planting material for successful hop production in Florida. This publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department is part of a larger series that will review the challenges of hop production, based on research experience at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (UF/IFAS GCREC) in Balm, FL.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1381

Irrigation System Descriptions for Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Crops in Florida

Florida's tropical and subtropical fruit crop industries use various irrigation systems, including high-volume systems designed for irrigation and freeze protection, drip systems for herbaceous fruit crops (papaya, banana), and microsprinkler types, mainly for irrigation and fertigation. There continues to be a steady stream of potential tropical and subtropical fruit producers in Florida, many with little to no knowledge of the various types or purposes of various irrigation system that have been used successfully for the past 60 years. This new 9-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department includes potential producers, Extension faculty and agents, and irrigation companies. Written by Jonathan Crane, Haimanote Bayabil, Edward A. Evans, and Fredy Ballen.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1375

Daikon Radish Cultivation Guide for Florida

Daikon radish is a versatile vegetable crop in the mustard family. It produces a large, white, cylindrical fleshy root weighing up to 4-7 lb. Daikon radish is an especially common vegetable in Asia, particularly Japan, and it tends to be less spicy than other garden types of radish. This new 7-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department provides a primer on cultivation of daikon in Florida, including sections on propagation, growing conditions, pests and diseases, and agricultural, culinary, and medicinal uses. Written by Mary Dixon and Guodong Liu.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1370

Florida Cultivation Guide for Malabar Spinach

Malabar spinach (Basella spp.) is a nutritious vegetable in the family Basellaceae. Malabar spinach goes by many names, including Indian spinach, Ceylon spinach, vine spinach, and climbing spinach. Malabar spinach has long been established in cultivation in China and India. This spinach is a novel crop to Florida and is currently grown only for niche markets. However, Florida’s suitable climate coupled with Malabar spinach’s great taste and nutritional quality suggest that this crop has great potential for commercial cultivation. This new 8-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department describes in brief how to grow Malabar spinach, manage pests, harvest, and market it. Written by Yuheng Qiu and Guodong Liu.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1371

Antibiotics in Crop Production

This new 5-page article presents an overview of the use of antibiotics in agriculture. Several of the most severe bacterial diseases of tree fruit and other crops are discussed and their integrated management, which includes the use of antibiotics, is described. Antibiotic use for plant disease protection is compared with the use of antibiotics in livestock production, and their future and limitations in plant production are discussed. Written by Leigh Archer, Ute Albrecht, and Pamela Roberts, and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department.

Calendar for Southern Highbush Blueberry Management in Florida

Southern highbush blueberries (SHB) are commercially grown throughout Florida in both deciduous and evergreen systems. This calendar addresses general management requirements on a monthly basis for conventional (nonorganic) systems and should be used in coordination with other UF/IFAS EDIS publications. This new 7-page article, published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, was written by Douglas A. Phillips, Jeffrey G. Williamson, Philip F. Harmon, Oscar E. Liburd, and Peter J. Dittmar.

Evergreen Production System for Southern Highbush Blueberries in Florida

In central and south-central Florida, many southern highbush blueberries (SHB) are grown in an evergreen system, in which the plants do not go dormant, and are managed to retain their leaves from the previous year through harvest the following spring to support early flowering and fruit set. The evergreen system has also been used under tunnels in north-central Florida. This new 3-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, written by Douglas A. Phillips, Jeffrey G. Williamson, and Patricio R. Munoz, provides an overview of the evergreen production system for SHB in Florida.

Recommendations for Control and Mitigation of Laurel Wilt and Ambrosia Beetle Vectors in Commercial Avocado Groves in Florida

The lethal laurel wilt epidemic affecting avocado trees in Florida is caused by a fungal pathogen-ambrosia beetle complex (LW-AB). The death of over 120,000 commercial avocado trees in Florida may be attributed to LW-AB. Recommendations for control and mitigation of this epidemic are needed to guide commercial producers in their decision-making process. This new 8-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department outlines the LW-AB epidemic, provides information on the pathogen and ambrosia beetle vectors, provides a brief outline of current research findings, and offers recommendations for the control and mitigation of LW-AB. Written by Jonathan H. Crane, Daniel Carrillo, Edward A. Evans, Romina Gazis, Bruce Schaffer, Fredy Ballen, and Jeff Wasielewski.
 Correction as of 3/30/2020: Under "Prophylactic Fungicide Injections," this document previously said that when using Tilt, growers needed to have in their possession a Section 18 special local needs label (SLN). This has been corrected to read that they need a Section 18 Emergency Exemption label.

Pruning Southern Highbush Blueberry in Florida

Pruning is an essential part of blueberry production and is used to help establish new plantings; promote postharvest growth of new foliage and fruiting wood; balance vegetative and reproductive growth; reduce disease and certain insect pressure; assist in harvesting efficiency; and promote new cane growth and plant longevity. This new 3-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department is a discussion of pruning practices on southern highbush blueberry in Florida. Written by Douglas A. Phillips and Jeffrey G. Williamson.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1359

Recommendations for the Detection and Mitigation of Laurel Wilt Disease in Avocado and Related Tree Species in the Home Landscape

Avocado trees are a popular choice for homeowners in Florida, with over 600,000 growing in Florida home landscapes. However, avocado trees as well as others in the Lauraceae family are susceptible to laurel wilt disease, which can kill a tree in as few as three weeks. This new publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department provides home owners recommendations for identifying and mitigating laurel wilt disease in the home landscape. Written by Jonathan H. Crane, Jeff Wasielewski, Daniel Carrillo, Romina Gazis, Bruce Schaffer, Fredy Ballen, and Edwards Evans.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1358

Evaluation of Lettuce Cultivars for Production on Muck Soils in Southern Florida

Lettuce as a commercial crop is planted mainly in organic soils ("muck") in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) in south Florida. This updated publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department presents a summary of previous cultivar releases by UF/IFAS as well as a description of cultivars currently planted in the EAA. Written by German Sandoya and Huangjun Lu.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1225

Nutrition and Fertilization Practices for Southern Highbush Blueberry in Florida

Research and field experience have demonstrated that fertilization is necessary to achieve proper growth and high yields in cultivated production of blueberries. This new 7-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department provides guidance and management suggestions to Florida growers of southern highbush blueberry (SHB) for monitoring, supplying, and maintaining proper plant nutrition in commercial production operations. Written by Doug Phillips and Jeffrey G. Williamson. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1356

Peach Brown Rot

Brown rot, caused by Monilinia spp., is one of the most economically harmful fungal diseases for peach and other stone fruit growers worldwide. Under the right conditions, the entire tree’s crop can be completely rotted. Fruit susceptibility fluctuates with the various stages of development; mature fruits are highly susceptible to disease, and fruit infection has the greatest impact on production. This new 7-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department describes the disease cycle, symptoms, and management options available for brown rot in Florida peaches. Written by Ali Sarkhosh, Shirin Shahkoomahally, Logan Marie Richmond-Cosie, and Philip Harmon. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1357

Hop Yard Establishment and Trellis Construction in Florida


 
 
 
 
 
 
 Hops (Humulus lupulus L.) are an essential ingredient in brewing, adding bitterness and flavor to beer. Driven by the recent craft beer movement, hop production is expanding into nontraditional hop-producing states. In Florida, while commercial hop production is almost nonexistent, the number of craft breweries in Florida increased from 45 in 2011 to 285 in 2018, and the economic impact of Florida?s craft beer industry exceeds $3 billion. This new 7-page article, written by Shinsuke Agehara, Aleyda Acosta-Rangel, Zhanao Deng, Jack Rechcigl, and Simon Bollin and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, provides guidelines and considerations for building a hop yard in Florida, using the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center’s research hop yard as a model.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1354
 
 
 
 
 
 

Simple Imaging Techniques for Plant Growth Assessment

Quantification of plant phenotypic traits, such as height, width, stem diameter, and leaf area, is often performed manually in the field; however, these measurements can be performed more quickly and precisely through simple imaging techniques using an image processing program. This new 5-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, written by Shinsuke Agehara, describes simple imaging techniques for plant growth assessment using the public domain program ImageJ.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1353

Choosing the Right Blackberry Cultivar in Subtropical Florida

Blackberry (Rubus spp.) is a deciduous berry crop and the fourth most economically important berry crop in the United States. Driven by the growing demand for blackberries, production recently expanded to the southeastern United States. In Florida, however, commercial blackberry production is limited primarily to small commercial U-pick operations. The main challenges include insufficient chill hours and poor fruit quality associated with the subtropical climate. This new 6-page article, a publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, will discuss important cultivar selection criteria and recommended blackberry cultivars in subtropical Florida. Written by Shinsuke Agehara, Syuan-You Lin, and Zhanao Deng.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1352

Scouting for Huanglongbing (HLB; Citrus Greening)

This 5-page publication is a minor revision that describes the following: 1) symptoms of HLB and how to distinguish these symptoms from those of other diseases/disorders; 2) when to scout; 3) different methods of scouting; and 4) what to do when an HLB-affected tree is identified. Written by Jamie D. Burrow, Stephen H. Futch, and Tripti Vashisth, and published by the Horticultural Sciences Department, December 2019. HS1147/CH200: Scouting for Huanglongbing (HLB; Citrus Greening) (ufl.edu)