Special thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, who make this publication possible. If you would like to sponsor this newsletter, email craigfrey@ufl.edu for more details. |
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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 publication content.
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 Growers and scouts in SW Florida report that whiteflies are present in mostly low numbers but note that there have been some flare ups in tomato and watermelons.
Around Central Florida, respondents indicate that whiteflies are widely present in tomato at mostly low numbers although some the early plantings were reportedly hammered with whiteflies, TYLCV pressure remains low at <1%, but it is present in nearly every planting. Very low numbers are present in watermelon.
Reports from Homestead indicate that whitefly numbers a present in oriental vegetables.
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 Respondents in the Manatee Ruskin area indicate that worm pressure has been very low, mostly beet armyworms, some loopers, and few hornworms.
Growers and scouts in the EAA report that fall armyworms are showing up in sweet corn and celery reaching 10% incidence in some fields.
Around SW Florida, scouts report finding low numbers of beet armyworm, southern armyworms, and loopers in eggplant and tomato.
Reports from Homestead indicate that melonworms are present in some specialty cucurbits and squash.
Fall is worm time in south Florida.
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 Around Miami Dade County, melon thrips populations are very low but will increase as planting picks up especially in beans, squash, and other susceptible crops. |
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Last February, scouts from Glades Crop Care found an unusual dark colored thrips species in beans in the Homestead area.
In March 2020, a sample of thrips collected on snap beans in Miami-Dade County was submitted to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry for identification. These were preliminarily identified as Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagnall) and later confirmed by DPI taxonomists based on two males and a female examined under compound microscope, and DNA barcode sequences from four individuals. This is the first record for M. usitatus in the continental U.S.
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Leafminer
A few leafminers are starting to show up in tomatoes around Hillsborough County.
Around Homestead, leafminers are also present in low numbers
Reports from SW Florida indicate a few leafminers are showing up in eggplants and melons.
In south Florida, leafminer populations peak between October and March while in central Florida they are a problem in both spring and fall. |
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Broad Mite
Broad mites are present at mostly low levels in susceptible crops around South Florida. Scouts report finding quite a few broad mites coming in on transplants.
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Mole Crickets
Reports indicate that mole crickets are causing a few problems in some places.
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Stink Bugs
Growers and scouts are reporting high levels of brown stink bug coming out of sunn hemp cover crops in some locations.
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Bacterial Spot
 Growers and scouts in the Manatee Ruskin area report that bacterial spot has jumped on tomato and is increasing in many areas.
Mostly low levels of bacterial spot are being reported on tomato and susceptible pepper varieties in SW Florida, but some localized areas are reporting higher pressure.
Bacterial spot is one of the most serious diseases of tomato and pepper in Florida because it can spread rapidly during warm periods with wind driven rains, and because fruit symptoms reduce marketability. |
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Target Spot
 Respondents in the Manatee Ruskin area report that target spot is just starting to show up in some older tomato.
As the season progresses, growers and scouts should be look for target spot as canopies develop and remain wet for extended periods in the morning. |
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Pythium
Growers and scouts are reporting some problems with damping off associated with Pythium in fields affected by recent heavy rains.
The combination of abundant soil moisture and elevated temperatures conspire to make the fall planting season a prime time for vegetable growers in Florida to encounter problems with Pythium spp. on a variety of vegetables.
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Southern Blight
 Growers and scouts around Hillsborough and Manatee Counties indicate that southern blight is present and increasing in some fields. |
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Cucurbit Downy Mildew
 Respondents in SW Florida report that downy mildew is showing up in some watermelons. |
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Gummy Stem Blight
Around West Central Florida, gummy stem blight is present in some watermelon at mostly low levels but that may change with recent rains.
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Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus
 Around the Manatee Ruskin area, TYLCV is present at low levels <1% in most fields.
TYLCV is also starting to show up in a few locations around SW Florida. |
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Cucurbit Yellow Stunting Disorder Virus
 Around SW Florida, cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) is present in some watermelon at low to moderate levels. |
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Cucurbit Leaf Crumple Virus
 In SW Florida, growers and scouts report that both Cucurbit Leaf Crumple Virus and Cucurbit Yellow Stunting Disorder virus have already been reported in some watermelon fields.
It appears that the virus and whiteflies were carried over from the spring crop on volunteer plants that were present over the summer. |
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Squash Vein Yellowing Virus
Squash Vein Yellowing Virus (SqVYV), often called vine decline by growers, has not been reported in watermelon this season, but has been detected in samples of balsam apple.
As of this writing, no cucurbit varieties resistant to these viruses are available.
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 Phillip Williams, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Vegetable Horticulture, University of Florida
Southwest Florida Research and Education Center
2685 SR 29N
Immokalee, Fl 34142
(239) 658-3410 office
(803) 664-4620 cell
Phillip's current projects focus on practical vegetable production projects to help farmers in SWFL be more productive.
Phosphorous Fertility Study: Phosphorous deficiencies and yield loss are being seen in tomatoes and peppers even though no phosphorous fertilizer application is recommended.
Warm Season Cover Crop Study: This projects studies the feasibility and the benefits of a warm season cover crop during June, July, and August in Florida and how it affects the cash crop in the Fall and Spring.
Bed Fertility Study: This project is looking at the proper ratio of hot band and deep fertilizer that needs to be applied to make optimum yields on drip irrigated vegetables.
Soil Acidification and Phosphorous Study: This project studies a new drip irrigation injected technique to lower rooting zone pH and make phosphorous more plant available.
Broccoli Variety Trails: This project evaluates new varieties for South Florida.
I also like to do a lot of on farm grower driven studies, so please reach out to me with your needs and concerns.
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Upcoming Vegetable Growers' Events
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South Florida Vegetable Growers' Meetings (10am-12pm)
October 15 - Nutrient and Irrigation Management
- Lakesh Sharma (UF/IFAS Soil and Water Science)
BMPs: Introduction to Water Quality Management in Florida
- Craig Frey (Multi-County Commercial Horticulture Agent)
Fundamentals of Nutrient and Irrigation Management
- Timothy Ayankojo (SWFREC)
The use of SmartIrrigation (SI) App for Irrigation Scheduling in Tomatoes
- Phillip Williams (SWFREC)
Soil Fertility and Crop Nutrition for Tomatoes and Peppers
- Craig Frey (Multi-County Commercial Horticulture Agent)
Facilitator: Grower Panel Discussion
November 12 - Whitefly Management
- Jawwad Qureshi (SWFREC)
Integrated Management of Whiteflies
- Hugh Smith (GCREC)
Current Findings of Whitefly Resistance/Tolerance
- Pam Roberts (SWFREC)
Whitefly vectored viruses
Florida Cucurbit Growers' Meeting (8:30am-12pm)
November 18
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Other Meetings and Training Opportunities
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Sept. 29–30: Trilateral Workshop on Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus
 For the workshop agenda, click the image or visit https://www.procinorte.net/.
For Pre-Registration click here: https://tinyurl.com/y2t4d45n.
Questions or issues, please contact Tim Widmer at tim.widmer@usda.gov.
October 19–20: Florida State Horticulture Society Annual Meeting
 To register and for more information, go to https://fshs.org/meetings/.
Farm Labor Supervisor COVID-19 Safety Training: How to Protect Your Farm Labor
Southwest Florida Research and Education Center
Due to popular demand we are offering more dates!
September 24, October 7, October 13, October 21
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM English and Spanish Instruction
By Videoconference (Zoom)
Free training on how to protect your workers, supervisors, and essential personnel from contracting COVID-19! Training will be based on CDC guidelines. We encourage all your employees who are in direct contact with farm workers to attend. Instruction will be given by video conference in English or Spanish. You will receive a copy of resources to help you access further information related to COVID-19 and assist you in obtaining masks and other materials.
FREE REGISTRATION
Pre-registration is required. To register please send an email to Barb Hyman at hymanb@ufl.edu and include:
• Which date you would like to attend
• Your company name and address
• Your email address and phone number
• Names of those who will be attending, their job title and which language they prefer; English or Spanish. (There will be separate Zoom links for each language.)
Upcoming Produce Safety Alliance Grower Trainings
Remote- Produce Safety Alliance Grower Trainings
A virtual course for fruit and vegetable growers and packers who fall under the FSMA Produce Safety Rule.
All PSA Remote Trainings require advanced registration. Cost is $25, which includes training materials and certificate of attendance issued by AFDO. Seats are limited. Video and audio capabilities are required.
For questions, contact Taylor Langford at taylorlangford@ufl.edu or Sarah McCoy at sarahmccoy@ufl.edu.
Need CEU’s?
Here are a couple of ways to earn CEU’s:
UF/IFAS does offer a number of excellent videos and online modules, that will allow you to earn CEUS.
Go to https://ifas-pest.catalog.instructure.com where you will find a number of 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.
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
http://citrusindustry.net/ceu/
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)
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/
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
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Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2
Are you a farmer or rancher whose operation has been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic? USDA is implementing Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency will accept CFAP 2 applications from September 21 through December 11, 2020.
USDA CFAP 2 Producer Webinar is scheduled for September 24 at 3:00 PM EDT. Register here: https://globalmeetwebinar.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1372084&tp_key=8efafcdd45.
President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced on September 17 that USDA will implement an expansion of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2, CFAP 2, will provide producers with financial assistance that gives them the ability to absorb some of the increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
CFAP 2 follows the first round of CFAP, which had an application period of May 26 through September 11. You can learn more about USDA’s initial Coronavirus Food Assistance Program by visiting https://farmers.gov/cfap1.
Apply for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 - everything you need to know can be found here:
https://www.farmers.gov/cfap.
Assistance with Applying
USDA Service Centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. While most offices are open by phone appointment only, FSA will work with producers by phone and use email and online tools to process CFAP 2 applications. Please call the FSA office at your local USDA Service Center to schedule an appointment if you would like assistance or have questions after the CFAP 2 application period opens on September 21. You can find contact information for your local USDA Service Center at the bottom of the page, and check the status of your local USDA Service Center at https://farmers.gov/coronavirus/service-center-status.
A call center will be available for producers who would like additional one-on-one support with the CFAP 2 application process. Please call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance. The call center can provide service to non-English speaking customers. Customers will select 1 for English and 2 to speak with a Spanish speaking employee. For other languages, customers select 1 and indicate their language to the Call Center staff.
Commodity Eligibility for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 payments will provide eligible producers with financial assistance that gives them the ability to absorb some of the increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 outbreak.
You can access a full list of all eligible and ineligible commodities outlined by payment category at https://farmers.gov/cfap/commodities
First Day of Fall – September 22, 2020
The September equinox is the moment when the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading southward. Due to differences between the calendar year and the tropical year, the September equinox can occur at any time from September 21 to 24.
Alas, in South Florida “Fall Weather” is Still a Ways Off!
In sub-tropical regions such as South Florida, the first taste of fall-like weather is usually delayed by about 4-6 weeks from the start of fall.
Average Date of Fall Arrival is South Florida
(based on the first average date of temperatures below 60oF)
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LaBelle
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October 21
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Belle Glade
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October 23
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Immokalee
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October 23
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Moore Haven
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October 25
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Naples
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October 29
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Homestead/Redlands
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October 30
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West Palm Beach
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November 2
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Fort Lauderdale
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November 4
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Miami
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November 8
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Miami Beach
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November 17
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Courtesy of the National Weather Service in Miami Florida
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October is the transition month from wet/humid to drier/cooler weather. We normally get one of two brief periods of slightly cooler temperatures and lower humidity before stronger fronts bring the first shot of cool air to South Florida.
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Following a relatively dry June, July, and August. unsettled conditions associated with the offshore passage of tropical weather systems resulted in a relatively wet September with some locations reporting over 18 inches of rain for the month to date. Heavy rains resulted in reports of flooding in some places. Temperatures have been seasonably hot with days in the 90’s and nights in the lower 70%.
Growers have been preparing land, laying plastic and planting fall vegetables since August starting cucumbers, eggplants, herbs, peppers, squash, tomatoes and watermelons and more recently green beans and sweet corn. Rainy weather over the past two week slowed progress in some places.
FAWN Weather Summary
| Date |
Air Temp °F |
Rainfall |
Ave RH |
Ave ET |
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Min |
Max |
(Inches) |
(Percent) |
(In/Day) |
| Balm |
| 9/1- 9/20/2020 |
70.97 |
96.78 |
2.60 |
83 |
0.14 |
| Belle Glade |
| 9/1- 9/20/2020 |
71.62 |
96.69 |
6.75 |
90 |
0.14 |
| Clewiston |
| 9/1- 9/20/2020 |
71.98 |
93.74 |
3.80 |
89 |
0.14 |
| Ft Lauderdale |
| 9/1- 9/20/2020 |
72.32 |
95.18 |
6.18 |
73 |
0.15 |
| Homestead |
| 9/1- 9/20/2020 |
72.37 |
94.26 |
3.76 |
88 |
0.14 |
| Immokalee |
| 9/1- 9/20/2020 |
72.28 |
97.00 |
7.61 |
89 |
0.14 |
| Okeechobee |
| 9/1- 9/20/2020 |
69.64 |
95.65 |
8.89 |
87 |
0.14 |
The National Weather Service forecast shows a frontal boundary pushing southeastward across the region. By Monday night, the front will be pushed south of the region and into the Florida Straits on Monday night. The combination of a strong area of high pressure to the north and Hurricane Teddy interacting with shortwave trough well off to the northeast in the Atlantic will allow for the pressure gradient across the region to tighten even further on Tuesday.
A drier air mass will move over South Florida on Tuesday as high pressure builds in from the north. Winds will increase across the region out of the northeast and breezy conditions will persist. Chances of showers will be on the low side through the middle of the week as the dry air mass remains in place. High temperatures through the middle of the week will generally range from the mid to upper 80s across the
east coast metro areas to around 90 across the interior sections.
By the end of the week, the frontal boundary will slowly move back northward as a warm front. This will advect more moisture back into the region and it will cause the winds to shift to more of a southeasterly
direction and then eventually more southerly. With the increase in moisture, the chances of showers and thunderstorms will once again increase during this time frame. There still remains a great deal of uncertainty during this time as Tropical Storm Beta could also be an influential factor with the frontal boundary speed and movement. With the increased amount of moisture in the region, locally heavy rainfall could create another potential for localized flooding during this time frame. This will continue to
be monitored as the week progresses.
For additional information, visit the National Weather Service in Miami website at https://www.weather.gov/mfl/.
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Quotable Quotes
"If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins." -Benjamin Franklin
"Sometimes when I am talking, my words can't keep up with my thoughts. I have wondered why we think faster than we speak... Probably so we can think twice before we speak!" – Anon
"Character isn't inherited. One builds it daily by the way one thinks and acts.” – Helen Douglas
There are five things that you cannot recover in life:
(1) The Stone...........after it is thrown,
(2) The Word...............after it is said,
(3) The Occasion......after it is missed,
(4) The Time.............after it is gone, and
(5) A person...............after they die
“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man.” – Mark Twain
"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – William Butler Yeats
On the Lighter Side
A light bulb goes off
Paddy and Murphy are working on a building site.
Paddy says to Murphy, “Watch me, I’m gonna’ get the day off. I’m goanna’ pretend I’ve gone mad!”
So, Paddy climbs up the rafters, hangs upside down, and shouts “I’m a light bulb, I’m a light bulb!” while Murphy watches in amazement.
The foreman shouts, “Paddy, go home. You’ve gone mad.”
As Paddy leaves the site, Murphy starts packing his kit up to leave as well.
“Where do you think you’re going?” asks the foreman.
“Well, you can’t expect me to work in the dark!” said Murphy.
Doctor and a patient
Dr Mahony tells his patient, “I have bad news and worse news, John.”
“Oh dear,” John replies, “What’s the bad news?”
The doctor says, “You only have 24 hours to live.”
“That’s terrible,” says the patient, “How can the news possibly be worse?”
Dr Mahony replies, “I’ve been trying to contact you since yesterday.”
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Joel Allingham/AgriCare, Inc, Dr. Ozgur Batuman/SWFREC, Gordon DeCou/Agri Tech Services of Bradenton, Dr Nick Dufault/UF Plant Pathology, Jason Dyess/Agriquest, Inc., Rachel Giles, Craig Frey/Hendry County Extension, Carrie Harmon/UF Plant Disease Clinic, Lisa Hickey/Manatee County Extension, Bruce Johnson/General Crop Management, Barry Kostyk/SWFREC, Leon Lucas/Glades Crop Care, Mark Mossler/UF Pesticide Information Office, Gene McAvoy/SWFREC, 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.
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The South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline is compiled by Gene McAvoy and Craig Frey and is issued on a biweekly basis as a service to the vegetable industry.
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Gene McAvoy
Assoc. Dir. for Stakeholder Relations
UF / IFAS Southwest Florida REC
Regional Veg Ext. Agent IV Emeritus
UF/IFAS SWFREC
2685 State Road 29 N
Immokalee, FL 34142
Office: (239) 658-3400
Cell: (863) 673-5939
Email: gmcavoy@ifas.ufl.edu
Find me on Facebook:
Southwest Florida Vegetable Grower
Follow me on Twitter:
@SWFLVegMan
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Craig Frey
Hendry County Extension Director
Multi-County Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent
Hendry County Extension Service
1085 Pratt Blvd.
LaBelle, FL 33935
Office: (863) 674-4092
Cell: (863) 517-5880
Email: craigfrey@ufl.edu
Check out my webpage for recent Pest and Disease Hotlines and information from past South Florida Vegetable Growers' Meetings.
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