FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & CONSUMER SERVICES (FDACS) Final Performance Report 2011 SPECIALTY CROP BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & CONSUMER SERVICES USDA AMS AGREEMENT NUMBER: 12-25-B-1221 TOTAL GRANT FUNDS AWARDED - $4,385,464.97 STATE CONTACT Joshua M. Johnson Program Administrator Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services 407 South Calhoun Street Room 415B Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800 (850) 617-7340 [email protected] 1 Table of Contents Project (1): University of Florida - Temik Replacement for Optimized prefumigation irrigation to enhance soil borne nematodes & disease control in Florida potatoes 3 Project (2): University of Florida - Mitigation and chemical control of the RedBay Ambrosia Beetle in Florida Avocado 9 Project (3): University of Florida - Development Strategies for Root-Knot nematodes on Cut Foliage and Ornamental Crops 27 Project (4): University of Florida - Effect of Nitrogen Rate and Application Method on Peach Tree Growth and Fruit Quality 31 Project (5): Florida Specialty Crop Foundation - Groundnut Ringspot Virus, an emerging thrips- transmitted virus infecting Florida tomato, pepper and other specialty crops 38 Project (6): University of Florida - Use of Fallow Weed Control Program to Reduce Yellow and Purple Nutsedge Population in Bell Pepper 47 Project (7): Florida Specialty Crop Foundation - Improved Bacterial Spot Management for FL tomato production using bactericides & improved application strategies 51 Project (8): USDA-ARS - Development and implementation of new control strategies for citrus huanglongbing (greening) 62 Project (9): University of Florida - Subtropical Peach Rootstock Evaluation and Characterization of Meloidogyne floridensis Resistance 72 Project (10): University of Florida - Development of an Integrated System to Reduce Harvest Costs, and to Rinse, Sanitize and Cool Fresh-Market Strawberries and Vegetable Crops 76 Project (11): USDA-ARS - Developing a Phloem Penetration/Antimicrobial Treatment to Reduce/Eliminate Candidatus Liberibacter from Existing Citrus Trees 92 Project (12): University of Florida - Use of Reclaimed Waste Water to Grow Containerized Ornamentals 95 Project (13): University of Florida - Evaluation of new insecticides to manage Bemisia tabaci and Tomato Yellow Leave Curl Virus on Tomato: Integrating chemical biological control 100 Project (14): University of Florida - Predator-In-First: A Novel BioControl Strategy for Managing Trips and Other Key Pest In Pepper Crops 105 Project (15): Florida Agriculture in the Classroom - Florida Agriculture in the Classroom 2011 118 Project (16): University of Florida - Florida Small Farms-Capacity Building, Training, and Outreach: Phase II 123 Project (17): University of Florida - Expanding blueberry production in Florida by selecting germplasm adapted to low-chill environments 136 Project (18): Florida Tomato Committee - Expanding Florida Tomatoes Marketing Program 141 Project (19): University of Florida - Effects of time and intensity of summer pruning on growth, yield, and incidence of stem blight in southern highbush blueberry 151 Project (20): Florida Specialty Crop Foundation - Positioning Florida-grown Fresh Specialty Crop Produce as a "Local" Choice 159 Project (21): Florida Specialty Crop Foundation - Farm Labor Contractor (FLC) Training Program Phase II 170 Project (22): Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association - FNGLA Florida Agricultural Financial Management Conference 181 Project (23): FDACS - Community Garden Micro Grants 195 2 Project (1): Temik Replacement for Optimized prefumigation irrigation to enhance soil borne nematodes & disease control in Florida potatoes Specialty Crop Block Grant Funding Year: 2011 Reporting Period: Final Project Summary Project Purpose and Goals include 1) To economically test “next-best” replacement strategies for Temik® aldicarb for nematode and corky ringspot disease control and to compare tuber yield and quality in both research and grower demonstration trials; 2) In two grower demonstration trials, to evaluate and validate the impacts of soil moisture on fumigant movement and retention of shank applied fumigants and on potato crop growth, yield and nematode control; 3) to economically evaluate efficacy, yield and tuber quality, and buffer zone reducing capacity associated with differing formulations of chloropicrin and 1,3- D fumigant treatment, including Telone II, Telone C17, Telone C35, and Pic Clor 60; 4) To first educate extension agents, then growers, farm workers, and other agriculturists about the current regulatory status of soil fumigants, changes in fumigant labeling and use restriction following EPA reregistration of the soil fumigants, summarizing the need for buffer zones and Good Agricultural Practices now being demanded for use of the soil fumigants, to summarize fumigant alternatives and current research, IPM, and to provide and formulate recommendations, timetables, and decision making tools to reduce fumigant emissions and improve efficacy by changing grower farming practices; 5) With the assistance of Florida Potato Growers Association to: a) describe impacts of alternative treatments, including within and between field variability to differences in pest control efficacy and potato growth. The motivation for this project was to help formulate basic on-farm plans and recommendations to expedite transition to the transition to alternative practices to replace Temik aldicarb which minimize pest, crop, and other potential economic impacts. This project did not build on any previously funded SCBGP or SCBGP-FB projects. Project Approach In four Hastings, Florida commercial potato field experiments, moisture gradients (dry, semi-wet, wet) were established prior to shank application of four different soil fumigants (Telone II (61 l/ha), Telone C17 (70 l/ha), Telone C35(80 l/ha), PicClor 60 (94 l/ha) using multiple tanks of water from a tractor drawn watering tank and drenching boom. Beginning the following day, soil air concentrations of 1,3-D at two depths (6 and 12 inches) and two bed locations (bed center, bed shoulder) were monitored until near complete disappearance from soil. Once the soil dissipation 3 curve for a given fumigant treatment, depth, and bed location was mathematically described, the area under the dissipation curve (AUDC) was calculated to determine cumulative fumigant dosage. In addition to the study of the importance of prefumigation soil moisture conditions, other experimental objectives included evaluations of different fumigant formulations and chloropicrin use rates per acre on potato yield and tuber quality. A significant increase in tuber yield was not observed in most studies above a chloropicrin use rate of 15 kg/ha. At the AS farm, under very wet conditions, gravimetric soil moisture content above 12% degraded yield performance of all of the different soil fumigants in a high pressure Corky ringspot (CRS) disease field where a CRS susceptible potato variety (Red Lasoda) was planted. At the AS farm, Telone C17 under the driest soil moisture regime (12%) produced the highest marketable yield. Under the drier soil conditions at the other commercial DJ farm site, it was the wettest treatment (10.3% soil moisture) which produced the highest fumigant dosages (AUDC) and highest potato yields. At the DJ site, overall fumigant dosages were low and all of the different fumigants disappeared from soil very rapidly. With a CRS resistant yellow cultivar (Fabula), Telone II, a fumigant containing no chloropicrin produced the highest yield, and was generally as good as or better than any of the other Telone Chloropicrin mixtures for producing high levels of marketable potato yield. These preliminary studies demonstrate the importance of at least 10-12% gravimetric soil moisture content at the time of soil fumigant application. For a typical Florida fine sandy soil, this corresponds to a level of 50% total available water. Under wet conditions, fumigant escape from soil was delayed (higher AUDC), cross bed fumigant movement was retarded and overall effectiveness of fumigant treatment reduced. Under dry conditions, fumigant movement was rapidly upward without significant lateral movement toward the shoulder of the compressed bed. Mr. Danny Johns, President of the North Florida Potato Growers Exchange served as a project collaborator and industry liaison. His participation, with Mr. Arlie Smith, as a grower cooperator for demonstration trialing within this project was invaluable. Mr. Johns was directly involved from inception to final completion of this project. As a vested partner, Mr. Johns and Mr. Arlie Smith actively participated in the research and extension components of this project being conducted at Hastings Research and Demonstration farm and within the large scale grower field demonstration trials. Mr. Johns representing NFPGE made it repeated clear to his membership how grower research involvement is a critical component of the grower education process by providing repetitive opportunities for growers to observe research in action (land preparation stages, fumigant application, monitoring of soil gases), and at on-farm locations to view subsequent treatment impacts to pest control efficacies and potato plant growth, development and yield. This work could not have been completed without their input, help, and commitment. Goals and Outcomes Achieved These are the enumerated and sequential activities that were completed in order to achieve the performance goals