Off-Season Pruning Effectively Reduces Dragon Fruit Canker
By Shouan Zhang, Pamela Dutra, Romina Gazis, Jonathan Crane, and Jeff Wasielewski
This fact sheet presents evidence obtained from local commercial dragon fruit plantings, where off-season pruning was proven effective for dragon fruit canker (DFC) management. It aims to promote the adoption of this practice as an effective management strategy for DFC in south Florida and beyond. The target audience of this publication includes commercial producers, home gardeners, Extension agents, and industry.
Management of Alternaria Leaf Blight of Carrot for Florida Conventional and Organic Producers
By Chun-Hsiang (Sean) Wang, Mason J. Newark, Nicholas S. Dufault, Jeffrey A. Rollins, Fanny B. Iriarte, Robert C. Hochmuth, Danielle D. Treadwell, and Mathews L. Paret
Alternaria leaf blight is a persistent and economically damaging foliar disease of cultivated carrot in Florida. It is also capable of causing disease severity up to 95%. Furthermore, it can lead to significant yield loss through defoliation and mechanical harvest failure. This publication provides commercial carrot producers, county Extension faculty, crop consultants, and other agricultural professionals with current information on the disease. It also details integrated management strategies, including cultural controls, certified seed selection, and specific fungicide programs tailored for both conventional and USDA-certified organic production systems. Also, emphasis is placed on proper disease diagnosis and fungicide resistance management to assist producers in making effective management decisions.
Identification and Management of Foliar Diseases Associated with Sweet Corn in Florida
By Vitor A. S. Moura, Anna Mészáros, Nicholas S. Dufault, Marcio F. R. Resende Jr., and Katia V. Xavier
Sweet corn is a high-value crop for the fresh market. This publication is intended for Florida sweet corn growers, crop consultants, and Extension professionals. It supports accurate identification and effective management of foliar diseases caused by fungal pathogens. These diseases consistently threaten market quality, requiring an integrated management approach. For example, one approach is host resistance, which involves selecting hybrids that resist the diseases most likely to occur in a given season. Another approach considers the use of cultural practices. These reduce inoculum and make conditions less favorable for disease. Finally, fungicide applications use multi-site protectants and site-specific products. Fungicides are most effective before disease is observable, when timing coincides with crop growth stages, and during periods of high disease risk. Pathogen pressure, corn susceptibility, and weather conditions vary across Florida’s production regions, so regular scouting, accurate disease identification, and timely decisions are essential.
0
