SOUTH FLORIDA

VEGETABLE PEST AND DISEASE

HOTLINE
January 29, 2021

Seasonably cool dry conditions prevailed across the region with successive fronts dropping night temps
into the mid 30’s and 40’s. Most of South Florida received less then an inch of rain for the period except for
west central Florida with reported almost 3 inches. Foggy mornings have kept some diseases active.

Yields have been much below normal with crops having been impacted by heavy rains last fall followed
by relatively cool conditions which held them back. As a result, prices have been good for many crops.
Growers are terminating fall crops and are beginning to plant spring crops including watermelons.

FAWN Weather Summary

Date Air Temp °F Rainfall Ave Relative Humidity ET (Inches/Day)
Min Max (Inches) (Percent) (Average)
Balm
11/10 – 12/20/2020 32.33 85.17 2.94 77 0.06
Belle Glade
11/10 – 12/20/2020 35.41 85.59 0.39 83 0.06
Clewiston
11/10 – 12/20/2020 38.46 85.89 0.56 84 0.06
Ft Lauderdale
11/10 – 12/20/2020 43.55 87.44 0.47 71 0.06
Homestead
11/10 – 12/20/2020 39.87 84.63 0.45 83 0.06
Immokalee
10/20 – 11/10/2020 39.18 85.78 0.82 81 0.06
Okeechobee
11/10 – 12/20/2020 35.13 85.08 0.59 82 0.06
“Remember, when in doubt - scout.”
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an Equal Employment Opportunity – Affirmative Action Employer authorized to provide research, educational,
information, and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap or national origin.
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE, FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES, SEA GRANT AND 4-H YOUTH, STATE OF FLORIDA,
IFAS, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND BOARDS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COOPERATING
A wide variety of vegetables are coming to market including celery, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans,
herbs, peppers, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelons and specialty items. Volumes have been light
with yields of many items 30-50% of normal or less.

The National Weather Service forecast indicates another cold front will move through South Florida on
Monday with some showers possible along the front. Colder and dry weather will then work into South
Florida on the northerly winds for middle of next week before a warming trend sets up over the region late next
week.

Monday night will see lows in the 40s, Tuesday night lows will be a little bit cooler with 40s over most
areas, except mid to upper 30s west of Lake Okeechobee. Highs on Monday will be able to get up into the
70s, but on Tuesday the highs will struggle to only get up into the 60s.

Temperature will then slowly warm up through the end of the week and by Friday should be back into
the 80s over most areas for highs and lows should be back 60s to near 70 east coast metro areas.

For additional information, visit the National Weather Service in Miami website at
https://www.weather.gov/mfl/

Insects

Whiteflies

Whitefly numbers have been building in some older tomato fields around SW Florida. Some reports
indicate finding of 5-10 whiteflies per leaflet sampled. Whiteflies are also present in high numbers in
cucumbers, squash and eggplant and are already starting to show up in some young tomato and watermelons.

In the Manatee Ruskin area, growers are just planting, and pressure remains light.

On the East Coast, reports indicate that whiteflies are present in high numbers in some older eggplant
and are reaching moderate levels in tomato.

Reports from Homestead indicate that whiteflies are increasing in a number of crops and that TYLCV is
widespread in tomato.

Management of whiteflies later in the season depends on early suppression of whitefly populations,
growers need to be aggressive with the best systemic materials (Venom, Sivanto Prime, Verimark) early
in the season. Growers who are on seepage and not drip are at a particular disadvantage if whiteflies and virus
are high early in the season.

Preventative soil applications of either imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, flupyradifurone or

cyanatraniliprole should be used preventatively in tomato and cucurbits.
Systemic insecticides applied to soil for whitefly control
Common name Mode of Action Trade Names Rates
Imidacloprid 4A Various Check Label
Thiamethoxam 4A Platinum 75 SG 1.66 - 3.67
4A Venom 70% 5 - 7.5 oz./ac
Scorpion 35 SL 9 -1 0.5 fl oz./ac
Certador 10% 32.5 - 47.5 fl oz./ac
Flurpyradifuron 4D Sivanto 200 SL 21-28 fl oz./ac
Verimark 28 Verimark 18.7% 5-10 fl oz./ac

Efficacy Ratings for Insecticides and Miticides on Tomato

Whiteflies Other pests controlled

Southern Spider
Whiteflies Stinkbugs Leafminer
MOA Active Ingredient Armyworm mites
4A dinotefuran E** G
4A imidacloprid E**
4A thiamethoxam E** G
4D flupyradifurone E**
23 spiromesifen E† E
23 spirotetramat E† G
7C pyriproxyfen E†
28 cyantraniliprole E** E E
1B malathion G*
3A beta-cyfluthrin G* F G
3A bifenthrin G* G
3A esfenvalerate G* G
3A fenpropathrin G* F F
3A lambda cyhalothrin G* F
3A permethrin G* G
3A zeta-cypermethrin G* G F
4A acetamiprid G
9 pymetrozine G†
16 buprofezin G†
21 A fenpyroxiamate G G
4A clothianidin F**
Unk. horticultural oil F† G
Unk. Azadiractin F†
Unk. Soap, insecticidal F†
* OP+Pyrethroids tank mix. † Effective primarily against nymphs ** Most Effective as a
drench. Check labels before using any pesticide.
Proper scouting is essential to manage silverleaf whitefly. Over the years, UF entomologists have developed
usable action thresholds that have been successful for many tomato farmers. However, these thresholds are only
guidelines. Farm managers may modify them to fit their particular situations and expectations.

Silverleaf whitefly thresholds

0-3 true leaves 10 adults/plant*

3-7 true leaves 1 adult/leaflet

NOTE - *If the source of whiteflies is believed to be tomato or melons, where virus is present, the
threshold will be lower!

With high prices for many crops, a number of growers have help crops for an extended period of time –
some tomatoes have been picked 4-5 times before being turned over to pin-hookers. This may help allow
whiteflies to buildup and carry over to the spring season where they will cause problems.

Field hygiene should be a high priority and should be an integral part of the overall strategy for
managing whitefly populations, TYLCV incidence, and insecticide resistance as growers terminate fall
plantings and plant spring crops. These practices will help reduce the onset of the initial infestation of
whitefly, regardless of biotype, and lower the initial infestation level during the cropping period.

• Disrupt the virus-whitefly cycle in winter by creating a break in time and/or space between fall and
spring crops, especially tomato and watermelon.
• Destroy crops quickly and thoroughly after harvest, killing whiteflies and preventing re-growth.
• Promptly and efficiently destroy all vegetable crops within 5 days of final harvest to decrease whitefly
numbers and sources of plant viruses like TYLCV.
• Use a contact desiccant (“burn down”) herbicide in conjunction with a heavy application of oil (not less
than 3% emulsion) and a non-ionic adjuvant to destroy crop plants and to kill whiteflies quickly.
• Time burn down sprays to avoid crop destruction during windy periods, especially when prevailing
winds are blowing whiteflies toward adjacent plantings.
• Destroy crops block by block as harvest is completed rather than waiting and destroying the entire field
at one time.

Growers are advised to be alert for volunteer tomato or cucurbits that may be present in row middles and
field margins as these may be a source of whiteflies and virus.

For more whitefly management tips – see: Management of Whiteflies, Whitefly-Vectored Plant Virus, and
Insecticide Resistance for Vegetable Production in Southern Florida - http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in695

Leafminer

In the EAA, leafminers remain active in beans and leafy greens.

Around Immokalee, leafminer are going strong and are quick to find newly set transplants. Growers and
scout report problems in tomato and watermelon which are being sprayed for leafminers but are also reporting
high levels in other crops such as eggplant, potatoes, squash and even some young peppers.

Leafminers activity has picked up around Homestead with high numbers present in many crops.
In south Florida, leafminer populations peak between October and March while in central Florida they
are a problem in both spring and fall.

Leafminer damage to foliage can render plants more susceptible to fungal or bacterial diseases, which can
cause further harm to plants. Bacterial spot, Alternaria, target spot and other diseases often become
established in leaf mines.

Worms

Reports from Homestead indicate that some melonworms are present in some Asian cucurbits and
squash.

On the East Coast respondents report that worm pressure remains mostly low.

Fall armyworm pressure in sweet corn remains low in the EAA.

Around SW Florida, worm pressure remains fairly low, but growers continue to find scattered
armyworms, loopers and melonworms. Mostly southern armyworms are being reported in tomato and
eggplant with southern and beet armyworm in pepper.

Scouting is extremely important in detecting worms early before they can do significant damage. The
Florida Tomato Scouting Guide indicates a pre-bloom threshold of 1 larva/6plants and post-bloom threshold of
1 egg mass or larva/field.

Fortunately, growers have a wide array of excellent worm control materials at their disposal these days.

Consult the UF/IFAS Vegetable Production Handbook for labeled products.

Diamondback Moth

Diamond back moth pressure remains low in cabbage and other crucifers in a few locations around south
Florida.

Pheromone traps are helpful in monitoring adult populations and help predict larval populations 11 to 21
days later. One or more hole per plant is often used as a threshold level but control recommendations should be
based on trap and larval counts, plant growth stage, weather and natural enemies.

This insect has become increasingly difficult to control and in recent years, resistance to insecticides has
become widespread, and includes most classes of insecticides including some Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)
products. Although a number of insecticides can provide good control including Avaunt, Intrepid, Lannate,
Proclaim, Spintor and the diamides, rotation of insecticide classes is essential component of resistance
management. Even Bt’s should be rotated, and current recommendations suggest alternating the kurstaki and
aizawa strains.

Protection of crucifer crops from damage often requires application of insecticide to plant foliage,
sometimes as frequently as twice per week. A high pressure (>200 psi) sprayer plus a spreader sticker added
to the spray solution, will help ensure complete coverage especially the undersides of leaves where larvae are
most often found.

Since adults may carry over between crops, cultural controls such as separation of crops in time and
space and sanitation including rapid crop destruction after harvest are important.
Rotations that incorporate the use of B. thuringiensis and other soft pesticides are considered especially
important as it favors survival of parasitoids. Reduction of insecticide use, in particular pyrethroids can
sometimes improve diamondback control by favoring survival of natural enemies.

Pepper Weevil

On the East Coast pepper weevils are common in older pepper.

Pepper weevil populations remain low around Homestead.

Around SW Florida, pepper weevils are present in many older pepper fields and scouts report some
movement from older fields that were terminated into younger fields.

Adult population estimates are best obtained by visual examination and yellow sticky traps. Action
thresholds are one adult per 400 terminal buds or 1% of buds infested.

Insecticides are commonly applied to the foliage at short intervals once buds begin to form. Insecticidal
suppression is feasible, but insecticides vary considerably in effectiveness, and even in the presence of chemical
insecticides some loss commonly occurs.

Consult UF/IFAS recommendations for currently labeled insecticides for pepper weevil control in
Florida.

Aphids

Respondents on the East Coast report that aphid numbers remain low

Around the SW Florida, aphids are scattered around, and colonies have formed in several locations, old
and young.

Broad Mite

Growers and scouts on the east Coast are reporting moderate broad mite pressure in pepper and
eggplant.

Around SW Florida, broad mites have been sporadic and number up and down in pepper and eggplant.

Broad mite is also active on a variety of crops in the Homestead area.

Spider mite

On the East Coast, growers and scouts are reporting some spider mite activity in older Eggplant.

Around Hillsborough County, spider mites are starting to show in strawberry.

Thrips

Around Miami Dade County, melon thrips populations remain a threat in a variety of crops.

Respondents on the East Coast report that thrips are increasing in some older pepper and growers are
starting to see some larvae on fruit. These appear to be mainly western flower thrips.
In the Manatee Ruskin chilli thrips remain active in strawberry.

Low levels of Asian bean thrips are present in green beans the EAA with higher numbers being detected
in the Homestead area.

Recent examination of wild cowpeas along a roadside in Hendry County revealed that they were hosting
populations of Asian bean thrips.

Silkfly

Around the EAA, growers and scout report they continue to see a lot of silk fly adults with little or no
damage being observed on ears.

Reports from Homestead indicate that silkfly numbers are mostly low but increasing.

Sweet potato weevil

Around Homestead, sweet potato weevil numbers are high, and they can be found in nearly all plantings.

Pheromone traps show promise for monitoring of adult population density and may have potential for
mating disruption and trapping.

Applications of insecticides are typically applied to the soil at planting to prevent injury to slips. Systemic
insecticides are preferred. Due to the long duration of the crop, preplant applications are commonly followed by
one or more insecticide applications to the plant or soil at mid-season.

Several strains of entomopathogenic nematodes including Steinernema and Heterorhabditis penetrate the
soil and tubers, killing weevil larvae. At least in the soils of southern Florida, the infective nematodes are
persistent, remaining active for up to four months. In some cases, nematodes are more effective than insecticides
at reducing damage.

Consult UF/IFAS recommendations for currently labeled insecticides for sweet potato weevil control in
Florida.

Stink bug

A few stinkbugs are being reported in pepper and tomato.

Diseases

Target spot

Around SW Florida, target spot continues to be a problem in tomatoes as plants get mature and the inner
foliage remains wet with foggy mornings.

Widespread resistance has been documented to Qol fungicides including both strobilurins and non-
strobilurin fungicides in FRAC Group 11 and their use is not recommended for target spot control.
In addition, moderate resistance has been documented in the SDHI fungicides FRAC Group 7 which
includes boscalid, penthiopyrad, fluopyram and fluxapyroxad. These should be used with caution and
attention paid to rotating with alternative modes of action.

In recent efficacy trials, at the University of Florida – Approvia Top, Inspire Super, Luna Tranquility,
Revus Top, Rhyme, and Scala are top performers. Contact protectant fungicides like mancozeb and Bravo
are effective and should be used early in the crop cycle switching to more efficacious materials once disease is
present.

Consult UF/IFAS recommendations for currently labeled fungicides for target spot control in Florida
vegetables.

Bacterial Spot

With drier weather bacterial spot pressure has slowed way down but foggy mornings have kept it
creeping along in older crops where is established.

On the East Coast, bacterial spot is present at moderate levels in some older hot pepper.

Around SW Florida, bacterial spot has slowed considerably and is mainly present in older pepper and
tomato.

Reports from Homestead indicate bacterial spot is present in tomato and susceptible pepper varieties.

Sclerotinia

On the East Coast, sclerotinia has been very active in pepper in recent weeks.

Growers in SW Florida are finding only a few scattered infections in pepper and tomato, but it could
become more common if we get into extended periods of foggy weather.

Consult UF/IFAS recommendations for currently labeled fungicides for sclerotinia control in Florida
vegetables.

Phytophthora

On the East Coast, Phytophthora remains present in low levels in some fields where is traditionally a
problem.

Fusarium

Around Southwest Florida some fusarium is starting to show up in tomatoes. Incidence is low and
occurrence sporadic.

On the East Coast, scouts report that fusarium is dropping pepper in wetter areas.
Anthracnose

Growers and scouts on the East Coast report that anthracnose is still present in some older eggplant and
pepper.

Anthracnose is also moving in behind sun scald on some pepper defoliated by bacterial spot and is
common on some farms.

Anthracnose is also present in some specialty pepper around SW Florida.

Powdery mildew

Around SW Florida, powdery mildew has flared up in some older squash plantings.

Downy mildew

With foggy morning downy mildew has also flared up in some squash around SW Florida.

Gummy stem blight

Growers and scouts report finding low levels of gummy stem blight on newly planted watermelon around
S Florida. These infections appear to be associated with infected transplants; growers are advised to carefully
inspect transplants.

Southern Corn Leaf Blight

Growers and scouts in the EAA continue to report some issues with low levels of southern corn leaf blight
caused by the fungus Bipolaris maydis in sweet corn. Symptoms of Southern corn leaf blight typically occur
on leaves. Mature foliar lesions can be rounded on the sides, but they tend to be parallel-sided, often restricted
by the veins.

Lesions are light tan in the center with a reddish-brown border. A greenish growth near the center of the
lesion may be evident if spores are present. Mature lesions range from 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in length and may be
tapered, flat or serrated on the ends.

Lesions caused by southern corn leaf blight are much smaller (up to ½ inch wide and 1 inch long) than
those caused by northern corn leaf blight. Southern blight lesions are also lighter in color (light tan to brown)
and have parallel sides rather than the tapering sides of lesions caused by E. turcicum.

Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus

Around Immokalee, respondents report that TYLCV is increasing in several tomato fields planted to non-
resistant varieties.

Growers and scouts around Homestead report that TYLCV is common in many tomato fields.

Cucurbit viruses

Fall watermelons are largely done around South Florida, but scouts report that many fields still have not
been cleaned up.
Several viruses including cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) and cucurbit crumple leaf
CuLCrV were widely present in watermelons around SW and West Central Florida this fall and remain
present in some older squash around SW Florida.

Spring watermelon are being planted. Gummy stem and all the viruses that were present in these old fields
are there just waiting to jump over to some spring melons.

Complete and rapid destruction of old fields can help reduce the amount of inoculum available to infect
new plantings.

See Recommendations for Management of Whiteflies, Whitefly-Transmitted Viruses, and Insecticide

Resistance for Production of Cucurbit Crops in Florida - https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in871

News You Can Use

Feeding our food and protecting water supplies

J. Scott Angle Guest columnist

The Ledger
January 23, 2021

To feed ourselves, we first have to feed our food. We need to give our crops the nutrients they need but without
feeding algae in the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers.

Not enough fertilizer, and a crop withers. Too much, and the excess flows into canals and rivers. Along with
urban sources, that washed-away plant food can contribute to the growth of algae in our waterways.

This challenge casts the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) in a
Goldilocks role, seeking that just-right amount of fertilizer to keep us fed, farmers in business, and our water
clean.

Legislation passed last spring (SB 712) calls upon UF/IFAS to update the science behind fertilizer
recommendations and develop research projects that farmers can adopt voluntarily to reduce nutrient runoff.

Protecting water quality isn’t just for farmers. Everyone who flushes a toilet or drives a car is part of the
problem and needs to be part of the solution. It’s encouraging that SB 712 recognizes that there are many
contributors to our water quality challenges – septic tanks, stormwater runoff, treated wastewater discharges and
yes, farms.

There’s much to do on the farm. Florida farmers grow 300 crops. Even for a particular crop, there’s no one-size-
fits-all solution. Growing a tomato in South Florida’s climate and soil is not the same as growing one in North
Florida.

It’s a constant challenge to keep up with Florida’s evolving agriculture. Some fertilizer recommendations are
being applied to varieties of fruits and vegetables and to farming techniques that did not exist when UF/IFAS
first did the research.

Catching up and keeping up require an accelerated approach–expanding research, mobilizing of new

researchers, partnering more with producers and using new tools such as artificial intelligence.
UF’s recent launch of an artificial intelligence initiative will give our researchers the computational horsepower
to analyze huge amounts of data on plant growth, yield, amount of fertilizer in the soil, water quality and more.
From all that, we can provide farmers with the optimum fertilizer rates to produce more food for you and to
protect water quality.

UF/IFAS scientists have a long record of teaming up with farmers to find solutions. A quarter century ago,
UF/IFAS partnered with farmers and water management districts to develop recommendations that farmers
south of Lake Okeechobee have followed to reduce the phosphorus in the water leaving their land by 68%.

The pressure for solutions ratchets up with the continuing daily arrival of hundreds of new Florida residents.
They all need to eat, and they all need clean water. Meanwhile, new subdivisions to house them get built on
what had been farmland.

We have to innovate our way to producing more while using less. A public need like protecting our food and
water supply requires a public solution.

This month, we’ll start revisiting the fertilizer needs of tomatoes and potatoes at four sites across Florida. How
much we can do for the other 298 foods will depend on public support.

Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the
UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

ITC kicks off investigation into imported cucumbers and squash

By CHRIS KOGER
The Packer
January 11, 2021

The U.S. International Trade Commission, acting on a request by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative,
has initiated fact-finding investigations into the effects of imported cucumbers and squash on domestic growers.

The two investigations will focus on the effects of the imports on southeastern growers. Two virtual hearings
conducted by the USTR, U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Agriculture last year
primarily featured testimony about effects of imports on Florida and Georgia crops and their growers.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer requested the investigations in a Dec. 4 letter and the ITC
announced it had initiated the fact-finding investigation on Jan. 8.

According to a news release from the ITC, the separate investigations into imported squash and cucumbers will
feature:

Descriptions of the effects of imports on the domestic seasonal markets of the products in question, with a focus
on the Southeast U.S.

- Information on recent trends in trade with the two crops; and

- Monthly price trends for imported cucumbers and squash, including an analysis and price comparison of the
prices of U.S-grown and imported products, with a focus on 2015-20.

The ITC will have a virtual public hearing on the investigations at 9:30 a.m. Eastern on April 8, according to a
news release.
Information about how to participate in the hearing will be posted on the Commission’s website no later than
March 11, 2021,

A similar investigation into imported fresh, chilled and frozen blueberries is underway, with an ITC hearing held
on Jan. 12.

In December, the USDA released its first USMCA Seasonal Perishable Products Weekly Update to track
imports of fresh product from Mexico and Canada and their effects on produce grown in the U, S.

https://www.thepacker.com/news/industry/itc-kicks-investigation-imported-cucumbers-and-
squash?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWkRkaVkyWmxaVFJrWmpNNCIsInQiOiJRRUd6dTdwNHE2dTRQS2d6c0J2cU9Ke
khtamROZDhmeFowSDdCQ2pBcWw4Q2h0U0t2RVQ4RXo5UU1nQlhXaGtrNXY4VXhDU2ZVckFabUpON
GdXaTJweHc5b2JCTTBNR0ViWE5pbVBPQm9kdUp4dzV0ekFjXC9NeGRCZ2RwNXFtMjMifQ%3D%3D

Up Coming Meetings

GCREC hosts Virtual Field Day - Wednesday, February 10, 2021

All the best research updates just as if it were presented in person!

The event will start at 9 a.m. and will be broadcast via Zoom throughout the day. You must register in order to
get the link to the broadcast. After the event, you will still be able to view the presentations on our YouTube
Channel. Registration is free and there is an application for CEUs in process. NOTE: schedule and presentations
are subject to change. Complete details will be emailed to those who register. Registration today -
https://gcrecvirtualfieldday2021.eventbrite.com.

Welcome Remarks: Dr. Scott Angle, Vice President of IFAS and Dr. Jack Rechcigl, GCREC Center
Director/Professor

Strawberry Breeding: Dr. Vance Whitaker, Assoc. Professor – Two New UF Strawberry Varieties

Dr. Seonghee Lee, Asst. Professor – Strawberry Tissue Culture and Cultivar Improvement

Ag Economics: Dr. Zhengfei Guan, Assoc. Professor – Mexican Trade Updates

Pest/Disease Control for Strawberries: Dr. Johan Desaeger, Asst. Professor – Overview of Chemical and Non-
Chemical Nematode Management in Vegetables and Strawberries

Dr. Sriyanka Lahiri, Asst. Professor – Insect Management in Organic Strawberry

Dr. Natalia Peres, Professor – Neopestalotiopsis on Strawberry

Tomato Breeding: Dr. Sam Hutton, Assoc. Professor – Breeding Approaches to Develop Tomatoes for
Mechanical Harvest; and Progress in Advancing Bacterial Wilt Resistance for Large Fruited Tomatoes

Dr. Tong Geon Lee, Asst. Professor – Research Focuses on the Study of Tomato Genetics and its Application in
Solving Problems in Tomato Production

Pest/Disease Control for Vegetables: Dr. Nathan Boyd, Assoc. Professor – Effects of Chloropicrin and 1,3-
Dichloropropene Ratio and Rate on Pest Control
Dr. Joseph Carrillo, Post Doc Assoc. and Dr. Gary Vallad, Professor – Evaluation of Biological and
Conventional Pesticides for Fusarium Wilt Management on Tomato and Watermelon

Dr. Gary Vallad, Professor – Identifying and Managing Downy Mildew on Common Cucurbit Species

Dr. Hugh Smith, Assoc. Professor – Managing Invasive Pests in an Agriculturally Diverse State

Soil and Water Science: Dr. Mary Lusk, Asst. Professor – Excess Nutrients in Florida’s Water – Where do they
come from?

Geomatics: Dr. Amr Abd-Elrahman, Assoc. Professor – Using Drone and Ground Images in Phenotyping and
Precision Agriculture Applications

Plant Physiology: Dr. Shinsuke Agehara, Asst. Professor – Double-Season Hop Production in Florida – How to
grow hops in the subtropics

Registration today - https://gcrecvirtualfieldday2021.eventbrite.com.

Websites

UF/IFAS Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety Covid-19 webpage - As federal
and state officials continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation, it is important to share consistent and accurate
information. Here you will find a list of resources from sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and Departments of Health. The COVID-19 Training Toolkit for Extension packages PowerPoint
presentations, videos, and print materials to inform agricultural owners and workers about best practices to
prevent COVID-19 in the agricultural workplace. Go to http://www.sccahs.org/index.php/covid-19/

PERC is the Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative – the website provides a wealth of resources to
help you understand and comply with the 2015 Revised WPS including training materials, the “new” WPS
poster, handouts and WPS respiratory guide. http://pesticideresources.org//index.html

PERC - WPS Compliance Suite — Training Materials

Under the newly revised Worker Protection Standard (WPS), training materials must be EPA-approved when
officially training workers, handlers, and trainers. At present, the only EPA approved materials available can be
found at the PERC website

• Expanded training concepts will be required starting January 2, 2018.

• Training must be delivered in a manner that can be understood, in a location relatively free from
distractions.
• When training workers or handlers, the trainer must remain present at all times to be available to answer
questions, even when showing a video.
• Trainers must be qualified, most often by holding a pesticide applicator's license or by completing an
EPA-approved Train-the-Trainer course.

Training Materials for Workers and Handlers - http://pesticideresources.org/wps/temp/training/index.html

Need CEU’s?

Here are a couple of ways to earn CEU’s

UF/IFAS does offer several excellent videos and online modules, that will allow you to earn CEUS.

Go to https://ifas-pest.catalog.instructure.com where you will find several training modules for a variety of
license categories which will allow you to earn CEU's online. Note: there is a charge for these.

Be sure to read the class description to make sure it offers CEU's in the category that you need.

Other options to earn CEU's include.

Here is an easy way to obtain CORE CEU’s on-line by reading an article and answering questions regarding the
online. A passing score obtains one Core CEU.

Go to: CEU Series-Growing Produce

https://www.growingproduce.com/crop-protection/ceu-series/

• CEU Series: Mix and Load Pesticides Safely

• CEU Series: Protect Crops and the Environment
• CEU Series: Make Sure to Stow Your Pesticides before You Go
• CEU Series: Avoid Mishaps When Handling Pesticides
• CEU Series: Be Aware of Bees When Applying Pesticides
• CEU Series: Place Priority on Preventing Pesticide Poisoning
• CEU Series: Learning about Pesticide Resistance Is Anything but Futile

Need more CORE CEUs –Earn CEU Credits NOW online through Southeast AgNet & Citrus Industry
Magazine

The following series of articles and quizzes are available:

• 2019 #4: The fate of pesticides (10/31/2020)
• 2019 #3: Protecting soil and water while using pesticides (7/31/20)
• 2019 #2: At-a-glance safety information (4/30/20)
• 2019 #1: What is a pesticide, really? (1/31/2020)

Go to http://citrusindustry.net/ceu/

Recordings of previous vegetable meeting can be found at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hendry/commercial-

vegetable-production/ - you can earn CEU’s by watching the videos and completing pre- and post-tests.

Worker Protection Standard Train the Trainer Classes Now On-Line

Exam Administrators - Cesar Asuaje, UF/IFAS Palm Beach County has developed and made available a new
EPA-approved WPS Train the Trainer online option. See the following:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved this online Worker Protection Standard Train the
Trainer (WPS TTT) course, and upon successful completion, the Florida Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Service (FDACS) will issue a WPS TTT certificate.
This certificate provides the qualification to train agricultural workers and pesticide handlers under the Worker
Protection Standard requirements. The course was developed in collaboration with Ricardo Davalos, Florida
WPS coordinator from FDACS.

Cost is $35
The course is available in the IFAS Catalog at the following link: Certificate version: https://ifas-
farmlabor.catalog.instructure.com/courses/wps-ttt

EPA-approved Fumigant training program for certified applicators using methyl bromide, chloropicrin,
chloropicrin and 1,3-dichloropropene, dazomet and metam sodium and potassium. Applicators must retrain
every 3 years. - http://www.fumiganttraining.com/

New publication hot off the press - Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV): A Potential Threat for
Tomato Production in Florida #UFIFAS #EDIS https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp360

Check out Southwest Florida Vegetable Grower on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pages/South-Florida-Vegetable-Grower/149291468443385 or follow me on Twitter
@SWFLVegMan - https://twitter.com/SWFLVegMan

Quotable Quotes

Life is like a dogsled team. If you ain't the lead dog, the scenery never changes.

"Keep your fears to yourself but share your courage with others.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

"Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding,
mistrust, and hostility to evaporate." -- Albert Schweitzer

I shall take the heart. For brains do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world. – Tin Man

Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

Ignorance is a long way from stupid, but left unchecked, can get there real fast.

Without labor, neither knowledge nor wisdom can accomplish much.

On the Lighter Side

A Learning Story by Katherine Hepburn

Once when I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus.

Finally, there was only one other family between us and the ticket counter. This family made a big impression
on me.

There were eight children, all probably under the age of 12. The way they were dressed, you could tell they
didn't have a lot of money, but their clothes were neat and clean.
The children were well-behaved, all of them standing in line, two-by-two behind their parents, holding hands.
They were excitedly jabbering about the clowns, animals, and all the acts they would be seeing that night. By
their excitement you could sense they had never been to the circus before. It would be a highlight of their lives.

The father and mother were at the head of the pack standing proud as could be. The mother was holding her
husband's hand, looking up at him as if to say, "You're my knight in shining armor." He was smiling and
enjoying seeing his family happy.

The ticket lady asked the man how many tickets he wanted? He proudly responded, "I'd like to buy eight
children's tickets and two adult tickets, so I can take my family to the circus." The ticket lady stated the price.

The man's wife let go of his hand, her head dropped, the man's lip began to quiver. Then he leaned a little closer
and asked, "How much did you say?" The ticket lady again stated the price.

The man didn't have enough money. How was he supposed to turn and tell his eight kids that he didn't have
enough money to take them to the circus?

Seeing what was going on, my dad reached into his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill, and then dropped it on the
ground. (We were not wealthy in any sense of the word!)

My father bent down, picked up the $20 bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, sir, this fell
out of your pocket."

The man understood what was going on. He wasn't begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the help in a
desperate, heartbreaking and embarrassing situation.

He looked straight into my dad's eyes, took my dad's hand in both of his, squeezed tightly onto the $20 bill, and
with his lip quivering and a tear streaming down his cheek, he replied, "Thank you, thank you, sir. This really
means a lot to me and my family."

My father and I went back to our car and drove home. The $20 that my dad gave away is what we were going to
buy our own tickets with.

Although we didn't get to see the circus that night, we both felt a joy inside us that was far greater than seeing
the circus could ever provide.

That day I learnt the value to Give.

The Giver is bigger than the Receiver.

If you want to be large, larger than life, learn to Give.

Only if you Give can you Receive more. The Givers heart becomes the Ocean, in tune with the Almighty.

Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get - only with what you are expecting to give - which is
everything.

The importance of giving, blessing others can never be over emphasized because there's always joy in giving.
Learn to make someone happy by acts of giving.
Contributors include: Joel Allingham/AgriCare, Inc, Matt Bardin/Glades Crop Care, Dr. Ozgur Batuman/
SWFREC, Gordon DeCou/Agri Tech Services of Bradenton, Dr Nick Dufault/ UF/IFAS, Jason
Dyess/Agriquest, Inc., Craig Frey/UF/IFAS Hendry County Extension, Rachel Giles, Carrie Harmon/UF/IFAS
Plant Disease Clinic, Lisa Hickey/Manatee County Extension, Bruce Johnson/General Crop Management, Barry
Kostyk/SWFREC, Leon Lucas/Glades Crop Care, Chris Miller/Palm Beach County Extension, Mark
Mossler/UF/IFAS Pesticide Information Office, Gene McAvoy/Hendry County Extension, Alice
McGhee/Thomas Produce, Dr. Gregg Nuessly/EREC, Chuck Obern/C&B Farms, Dr. Jawad Qureshi, SWFREC
Dr. Rick Raid/ EREC, Dr Pam Roberts/SWFREC, Wes Roan/6 L's, Dr. Dak Seal/ TREC, Kevin
Seitzinger/Gargiulo, Kevin Short/ICM, Dr Gary Vallad/GCREC, Mark Verbeck/GulfCoast Ag, Dr. Qingren
Wang/Miami-Dade County Extension, Alicia Whidden/Hillsborough County Extension, Dr. Phillip
Williams/SWFREC, Dr Henry Yonce/KAC Ag Research and Dr. Shouan Zhang/TREC.

The South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline is compiled by Gene McAvoy and Craig Frey and is issued on
as a service to the vegetable industry.

Gene McAvoy
Gene McAvoy
Regional Vegetable Extension Agent IV Emeritus
Associate Director for Stakeholder Relations
University of Florida IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center

UF/IFAS SWFREC 239-658-3414

2685 State Road 29 N 863-673-5939 cell
Immokalee, FL 34142 [email protected]

Craig Frey
Hendry County Extension Director
Multi-County Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent
University of Florida/IFAS Extension

Hendry County Extension Service

1085 Pratt Blvd.
LaBelle, FL 33935

Office: (863) 674-4092 Cell: (863) 517-5880

[email protected]
Special Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, who make this publication possible.

Thomas Produce Company Shawn Barley

Of South Florida Wedgworth’s Inc.
Grower and Shippers of Quality Vegetables
9905 Clint Moore Road
Big W Brand Fertilizer
(863) 441-9255 cell
Boca Raton, Florida 33496

Carol Howard Ryan Richards

Mobley Plant World Wedgworth’s Inc.
1351 W Cowboy Way
710 Broward Street
LaBelle, Florida 33935
Immokalee, FL 34142
Phone 863-675 -2020
Phone 239-657-8254 Fax 239-657-2005

Gargiulo Nichino America

Growers Shippers Importers Exporters Makers of Courier, Portal & Vetica
David Pensabene: Production Manager Technical Sales Representatives
Naples Operations Todd Villars: West Florida - 863-532-0937
Phone 239-353-0300 Fax 239-353-3407 Sam Monroe: East Florida - 772-473-0873

PUT YOUR NAME HERE

Corteva

Stacey Howell
Glades Crop Care, Inc.
Leaders in Crop Health Bayer CropScience
3481 3rd Ave NW
Management
Naples, FL 34120
Charlie Mellinger, Ph.D.
Phone (239) 353-6491 Cell (239) 272-8575
Phone 561-746-3740 Fax 561-746-3775

Justin Powell Bart Hoopingarner

Southeast Business Leader Gowan Company
Adama 3605 162nd Ave East
229 881 9757 cells Parrish, FL 34219
[email protected] Phone 941-776-1105 Cell 941-737-7444
Special Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, who make this publication possible.

Sponsored by Orondis® fungicide & OmniLytics - AgriPhage

Syngenta Crop Protection Safe Natural Effective
Morgan McKenna Vegetable Bacteria Control
Fort Myers, FL 33901 Matt Stephenson Smith – 239-572-3342
Cell 336-337-2085 Ryan Benson – 801-300-3437

Hal Blackmore
Marrone Bio Innovations
Cell 904-570-0041 or
[email protected]

Put Your N ame Here

Certis USA Scott Houk
Bio-Pesticides for Crop Production Dow AgroSciences LLC
Joe Craig - 863-291-9203 Phone 239-948-3999
Chuck Goodowns - 352-538-4471 Email [email protected]

FMC
FMC Corporation Jamerson Farms
Eric Johnson
Cell 352-281-2325 Growers, Packers and Shippers of
Florida’s Finest Vegetables
[email protected] www.fmccrop.com Phone 239-229-5734 Fax 239-368-0969

Clint Wise

PUT YOUR NAME HERE

AGLIME SALES INC
PO Box 60
Babson Park, Florida 33827-0060
Office 863-638-1481 Fax 863-638-2312

BioSafe Systems LLC

Jarod Huck
OxiDate® 352-789-9363 PUT YOUR NAME HERE
TerraClean®
StorOx® Luis Hansen
305.793.9206
[email protected]
Special Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, who make this publication possible.

BASF Corporation
Adrian Jahna
863-443-2404
[email protected]

Valent USA
Certified for use in Organic Production
"Products That Work Jack Kilgore 239-707-7677
From People Who Care"
[email protected]
Sarah Markle 863-673-8699

Chuck Obern Danny Jones

C & B Farm Diamond R Fertilizer
CR 835 PO Box 1898
Clewiston, FL 33440 LaBelle, FL 33975
Office 863-983-8269 Fax 863-983-8030 (863) 675-3700
Cell 239-250-0551

Richard Roles
UPL.LTD Roles Marketing International
Kyle Register Distributors of Agrigro and Super
(863) 517-4165 Cal 10% Calcium
[email protected] [email protected] www.rmiint.com
Cell 561-644-3511

Dr. Henry Yonce Grower's Management, Inc

KAC Agricultural Research P.O. Box 130
Scouting, Consulting Belle Glade, FL 33430
Research Phone: 561-996-6469
386-736-0098 work 386-527-1124 cell www.growersmanagement.com
[email protected]

PUT YOUR NAME HERE PUT YOUR NAME HERE

NOTE: The acknowledgement of sponsorship in no way constitutes or reflects an official endorsement of these
businesses or their products or services by either the University of Florida, IFAS or the Florida Cooperative Extension
Service. Sponsors have no control over the content of this publication.