Effective tool arsenal combats cotton pests
The top goals in effective insect management in cotton are to preserve yield potential and improve the stability and consistency of control, says Phillip Roberts, University of Georgia Extension entomologist. Reaching the goals is best achieved through the combined use of current and future technologies.
Health attributes shifting produce to center of plate
A shift of fresh fruits and vegetables from a side dish at the meal table to the middle of the consumer’s dinner plate makes today an exciting time for the U.S. produce industry. Pushing produce to plate center is tied to the healthy attributes associated with fruit and vegetables. Results from a survey of 500 chefs suggest improving flavor is the best way to increase fresh fruit and vegetable consumption.
Biotech crop benefits only just beginning for agriculture
Monsanto has genome sequenced almost every gene in corn, soybeans, and cotton over the last five to seven years. Crop yields need to double to triple in the decades ahead to reach a world population expected to top 8 billion to 9 billion people by around 2050.
Harnessing the genome to redefine mankind, agriculture
The future of mankind and agriculture is strongly tied to unlocking an organism's genome. Research in genomics will unleash inconceivable strides for mankind and agriculture. “This wave of technology is coming whether you’re ready or not,” says Juan Enriquez, a world-leading genetic code authority and user. The bottom line — the opportunities for genomics in agriculture are endless.
Remote sensing offers water hopes as drought lingers
With world population expected to increase from 7 billion to 9 billion people in the next 40 years, farmers globally are expected to produce more food and fiber on less land and water. That’s an extreme challenge in the arid U.S. West and Southwest, where large-scale farms struggle to survive economically amid chronic drought conditions and increasing costs for surface water. Arizona, for example, is in its 15th consecutive year of drought.
Cotton advancements flowing through technology pipeline
Higher U.S. cotton prices have launched the financial rebirth of a struggling industry now giddy about profit prospects for the next few years. Cottonseed companies have a technology-filled pipeline aimed to meet the increased interest with improved lint yields and fiber quality, plus better insect and weed control.
Effective pest control for indoor citrus nursery production
California and Arizona citrus nursery growers are shifting production of critical plants from the outdoors to ‘indoor protective structures’ to gain protection from the Asian citrus psyllid insect and its primary vectored disease Huanglongbing (HLB).
Leafy greens industry still reeling from E. coli-spinach outbreak
The leafy greens industry has worked feverishly for decades to provide nutritious and safe vegetables for consumers. The 2006 food safety breach shoved the Western leafy greens industry toward enhanced leafy green production and handling standards to improve food safety practices during planting, cultivating, harvesting, and packing.
Winter produce supply uncertain after freezing temps
Nolte estimates 50 percent to 60 percent of the Yuma County head lettuce crop was impacted by the weather. Blistering was found on romaine lettuce which leads to browning on the blistered area.
Cauliflower and broccoli had less damage as the plants are more tolerant to freezing temperatures.
