The California Strawberry Commission is getting more than $1 million in state and federal grants to research healthy soils. This commission news release says the research will focus on evaluation of experimental soil borne disease management systems using biologically active soil treatments. “These recent grant awards will allow us to continue working with the top researchers in the world to … Read More
USDA Test Measures Health-Promoting Compounds
A new test is giving better information on the health-promoting compounds in fruits and vegetables. This U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) news release says scientists at the agency have devised a new analytical method for detecting and measuring concentrations of phytochemicals called “polyphenols” in plant materials, also referred to as “phenolics,” the class of health-promoting compounds found in certain foods … Read More
Plant Sap Analysis Sampling
The Power Growers Seminar by Crop Health Laboratories attracted fruit and vegetable growers from the East and West Coasts and everywhere in between. The conference covered anything pertaining to plant sap analysis, but the session on proper sampling, handling and labeling techniques answered many frequently asked questions. Maikel van de Ven is a consultant for NovaCropControl/HortiNova and was there to … Read More
Improving Plant Health Through Nutritional Balance
Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) is a plant nutrition consulting company that works with fruit and vegetable growers from across the country. They have become known for helping farmers grow crops that are completely resistant to diseases and insects using nutrition and enhancing plant immunity through nutritional balance. During Crop Health Laboratories’ Power Growers Seminar I spoke with founder and CEO … Read More
A Blood Test for Plants
Crop Health Laboratories presented Power Growers Seminar over the weekend in Santa Clara, CA. The event provided a comprehensive introduction to plant sap analysis technology. This new nutrient management strategy was created by Sjoerd Smits, owner of NovaCropControl and HortiNova. Both companies are based out of the Netherlands and currently sap samples are shipped there for analysis. Crop Health Labs … Read More
The Nose Knows: Bugs’ Sense of Smell Turned Against Them
Odors that certain bugs can sense and are attracted to are being used to control the pests. This article from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says the blend of odors that attracts spotted wing drosophila flies (SWD) has been developed into a new lure product for improved monitoring and control of these tree-fruit and berry pests. The blend is … Read More
More Profits for Strawberry Growers
A University of Florida-developed web tool can bring growers $1.7 million more in net profits over 10 years than a calendar-based fungicide system because it guides growers to spray their crop at optimal times, a new UF study shows. The Strawberry Advisory System, devised by an Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher, takes data such as temperature and leaf … Read More
Genome Database to Aid Fruit Growers & Scientists
Scientists and growers can use a new genome database developed in part by University of Florida researchers to help make fruit trees more disease and pest resistant and enhance crop quality. Researchers who study citrus, rosaceae and vaccinium crops will be the primary users of the portal, said Mercy Olmstead, assistant professor of horticultural sciences at UF’s Institute of Food … Read More
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