The warning about invasive and destructive pests and why the Ag Department is asking for your help this month. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared April “Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month. And, it needs everyone’s help fighting against invasive pests that pose a threat to the nation’s …
Spotting, Stopping, and Prevent Some Destructive Pests
How to spot, stop, and prevent some destructive pests in your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Armyworms are pesky pests that eat grass, vegetables, and ornamentals, destroying entire plants quickly. Armyworms aren’t worms. They’re the caterpillars of several moth species. The markings are hard to distinguish and tell apart from other larvae species. There are several …
Alabama 2021 Integrated Pest Management Guides are Available
Whether you are an amateur gardener or seasoned agriculturalist, there’s no denying that pests can sneak in and ruin a crop. Whether they appear in the form of insects, weeds, or plant diseases, all can be detrimental. Current and former Alabama Cooperative Extension System entomologists, weed scientists, plant pathologists, and pesticide education specialists have compiled an updated list of 2021 integrated …
Put the Brakes on Some Pesky Little Diggers in the Garden
How to put the brakes on some pesky little diggers in your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Whenever you see rounded, raised ridges of soil running across your lawn with little volcanoes of soil, you know you have a mole around. These small mammals can cause quite a bit of damage in a short amount of time …
The Goals of Pest Management
Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. Integrated pest management (IPM) uses a combination of methods to keep pest populations at an acceptable level, which are economical and have little …
Copper Fungicides: The Essential Tool for Citrus Growers
One of the main issues for citrus crop growers is the quick spread of fungal and bacterial diseases due to warm, wet growing conditions. Without proper methods to prevent and control diseases, crop yield can be greatly reduced, and groves can become ruined. How do you produce a healthy citrus crop while keeping diseases under control? For generations, growers have …
Control Methods for Major Pests of Cold-Hardy Citrus
Cold-hardy citrus, that is, citrus is grown above the 30th parallel north, is a blooming industry. In less than 10 years, the acreage in North Florida has gone from almost nonexistent to approximately 1,000 acres. Growers in the region plan to plant more in the coming years. In Georgia, there are approximately 2,000 acres across 42 counties, involving over 100 …
Alabama 2020 Cotton Insect Losses Report
This week, the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service (ACES) released the 2020 Alabama Cotton Insect Losses Report. This report provides information about the causes and percentages of cotton crop losses due to insects. The report has been published since 1979 by Extension entomologists across the Cotton Belt, as estimates are based on Extension entomologists’ observations and informal surveys of other Extension personnel, …
Treating the Plant Pathogen Powdery Mildew Naturally
Common plant pathogens and how to treat them naturally. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Powdery Mildew is a fungal infection caused by a range of fungi known to attack all manner of different plant families. It has been known to annihilate entire crops and can be difficult to get rid of. You’ll recognize it by its description, …
Florida Receives Funds for Agriculture & Natural Resources Protection
(FDACS) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has allocated more than $5.5 million to Florida as part of its effort to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure for pest detection and surveillance, identification, and threat mitigation, and to safeguard the U.S. nursery production system. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has received a significant portion of these funds to support numerous projects. …