More in Vegetables

Jan. 11, 2012

Article

Sub-tropical research center falls victim to federal budget woes

Known for such pioneering work as boll weevil eradication in cotton, fever tick eradication in cattle, control and eradication of invading tropical fruit flies, citrus greening and zebra chip research, the USDA-ARS Kika de la Garza Research Center in Weslaco is the only facility on the U.S. mainland that researches quarantine issues related to tropical pests, and one of only four that does work on honey bees....More
Jan. 9, 2012

Article

Texas, Florida tomato growers welcome new virus-resistant T-5 variety

Field tomato growers from Texas to Florida say a new virus-resistant tomato variety developed by vegetable breeders at Texas A&M University may provide a glimmer of hope for an industry that has been decimated by a raging virus complex spread by the dreaded whitefly, an outbreak so...More
Dec. 13, 2011

Article

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....More
Dec. 12, 2011

Article

Farms needing crucial migrant labor face daunting regulations

As food prices rise and vegetable/fruit crops rot in some Southeast fields awaiting harvest, the value of farm labor has never been clearer....More
Nov. 28, 2011

Article

Specialty melons offer promising drought resistance

Texas melon growers may soon have more than just cantaloupe and honeydews to grow in their fields thanks to ongoing research and trials being conducted across the state, and these new melon varieties could make drought conditions more tolerable for producers struggling with water issues...More
Nov. 23, 2011

video

Farmland Visions: the People and Places of Southwest Agriculture 1

Farmland visions: the People and Places of Southwest Agriculture, is a collage of photographs by Southwest Farm Press Editor Ron Smith that shows some of the haunting beauty of the rural Southwest, along with some of the people who raise the livestock, grain and cotton that defines the region....More
Nov. 22, 2011

Article

Leskovar appointed resident director of AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Uvalde

Dr. Daniel Leskovar has been named resident director of the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Uvalde, effective immediately...More
Nov. 18, 2011

Article

Florida lab study shows Salmonella can enter tomatoes through leaves

Food-safety experts have long believed that Salmonella bacteria could only enter tomatoes through wounds in the stem or fruit — but a new University of Florida laboratory study shows it can also happen another way....More
Nov. 11, 2011

Article

2011 weak markets push down South Texas onion acreage

With just a few planting days remaining, the 2011/2012 onion crop in the Lower Rio Grande Valley will likely be down by as much as 20 percent compared to last year due to a weak market, according to Dr. Juan Anciso, a Texas AgriLife Extension Service vegetable specialist in Weslaco....More
Nov. 11, 2011

Article

NMSU's Chile Pepper Institute scares up support from Mrs. Renfro's Ghost Pepper salsa

Ghost Pepper salsa is the newest, hottest and fastest growing product in Mrs. Renfro's 71-year history. And a portion of sales from each jar will help fund a permanent endowment for chile pepper research at New Mexico State University's Chile Pepper Institute....More
Nov. 11, 2011

Article

No shortage of holiday food, but producers are making less

Traditional holiday foods for Texas tables won’t be in short supply this year, but the state’s worst drought on record is driving up some food prices that will make the cost of certain Thanksgiving foods slightly higher than last year, and it is threatening producers who say they fear a continued drought could force many of them out of business....More
Nov. 1, 2011

Article

Texas citrus forecast down, smaller fruit for 2011-2012

A smaller crop with potentially smaller fruit is expected for Texas citrus this year as early harvest gets underway in the Rio Grande Valley...More
Oct. 31, 2011

Article

NMSU researchers dig into weed and worm conspiracy

What can farmers do when two of the world's worst weeds are in cahoots with one of the world's worst roundworm crop pests, reducing yields up to 40 percent in chile peppers and 25 percent in cotton?...More
Oct. 26, 2011

Article

Food safety is a shared responsibility

Recent outbreaks of Listeria in Colorado cantaloupes and salmonella contamination of eggs and lettuce in California and the Midwest are fueling the fires of controversy that have many asking about the safety of U.S. food products....More
Oct. 19, 2011

Article

New scientist tackles complexity of growing zebra chip disease

The complexity of the zebra chip disease of potatoes, a vector-borne disease that is a growing industry concern recently drew Dr. Arash Rashed to the program directed by Dr. Charlie Rush, AgriLife Research plant pathologist....More
Oct. 5, 2011

Article

NMSU researchers examine chile varieties for salt tolerance

The effects of drought are evident in New Mexico, especially in the area of agriculture, but the chile crop will not be left behind if New Mexico State University researchers have any say in the matter....More
Sep. 29, 2011

Article

Food scientist speaks at Patrick Lecture Series

Food safety is increasing in global importance and complexity said David R. Lineback, senior fellow at the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the University of Maryland at College Park....More
Sep. 29, 2011

Article

Ag alliance connecting with consumers on food issues

When the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance was formed in November 2010, organizers knew that the task ahead would be daunting....More
Sep. 27, 2011

Article

Subtropical Agricultural Research Center faces closure

The Weslaco center, along with nine other ARS centers across the nation, is on a list of budget cuts that will result in the closing or reduction of field-based research conducted in South Texas, a key research location for inbound tropical pests and disease and the largest ARS research center in the U.S....More
Sep. 20, 2011

Article

Texas AgriLife Research scientists making better melons

With the extended statewide dry spell, researchers at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Uvalde and elsewhere have been focusing their attention on improving varieties of more drought-tolerant crops, particularly melons, said the center’s administrator....More
Sep. 19, 2011

Article

Fresh-market vegetable prices surge above last year

During the first seven months of this year, farm prices for fresh-market vegetables averaged 14 percent above a year earlier, according to the latest USDA Vegetables and Melons Outlook....More
Sep. 14, 2011

Article

USDA to assist farmers with flooded food chain crops

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have announced that assistance will be available to farmers whose crops were damaged by severe flooding from Tropical Storms Irene and Lee....More
Sep. 12, 2011

Article

Consumers willing to pay more for preferences in fresh produce

Retail prices for both fruits and vegetables rose, driving an increase in weekly dollar sales in the second quarter of 2011 compared with the same period last year, according to the latest edition of FreshFacts on Retail, the quarterly retail research report of the United Fresh Foundation....More
Sep. 1, 2011

blog

Social media offers insights on organic farming

Social media can sometimes provide a colossal opportunity to fritter away time that could better be used to accomplish a bit of work. It can suck you into a swirling vortex of mindless chatter, rumor-mongering and political back and forth that solves nothing, enlightens no one and produces no intellectual illumination....More
Aug. 30, 2011

Article

Without rain soon, spinach, other fall vegetable crops may be at risk

If you like leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and cabbage, you may find them to be in short supply this fall due to the drought, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service expert....More