Southwest Florida REC
The Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) is located in a vibrant agricultural region, one mile north of Immokalee and approximately 35 miles southeast of Fort Myers, where faculty and staff are actively conducting research programs in citrus horticulture, vegetable horticulture, irrigation and water resource management, precision agricultural engineering, pest management, plant pathology, citrus pathology, agricultural and natural resource economics, soil microbiology, plant physiology, weed science, soil science, and agricultural economics.
Editorial Team
- Mike Burton
RECENT & REVISED PUBLICATIONS
A Review of Strawberry Production and Price Trends from 2010 to 2022
FE1143/FE1143by Tara Wade, Kelvin Amon, Zhengfei Guan, and Wael ElwakilApril 23, 2024This publication provides information on conventional fresh strawberry acreage, volume, and pricing for California and Florida from 2010 through 2022. It is one of a series of EDIS publications that illustrate trends in Florida’s five most economically important specialty crops, excluding citrus: strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, watermelons, and sweet corn. The information in this publication will be useful to producers, Extension agents, and others interested in trends concerning specialty crop commodities. It serves as a single location where valuable information about the specialty crop market and production trends can be found.Critical Issue: 1. Agricultural and Horticultural Enterprises
Leptomastix dactylopii Howard (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae): parasitoid of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)
IN1420/EENY-807by Salman Al-Shami and Jawwad A. QureshiFebruary 27, 2024This publication describes the biology, distribution, behavior, and impact of the parasitoid Leptomastix dactylopii Howard. This beneficial insect is known for providing significant reductions in mealybug populations in Florida and other locations. It is also intended to provide knowledge about this parasitoid to a wide range of interested audiences including growers, Extension agents, researchers, students, laypersons, and other stakeholders.Critical Issue: 1. Agricultural and Horticultural Enterprises
Biological Soil Crusts in Agroecosystems
SS719/SL506by Kira Sorochkina, Clayton J. Nevins, Patrick W. Inglett, and Sarah L. StraussOctober 4, 2023Biological soil crusts, or biocrusts, are communities of microorganisms that form on the surface of soils, often found in deserts around the world. However, they can also occur in agroecosystems and potentially contribute nutrients to plants growing nearby. This publication is for those interested in learning more about what biocrusts look like and how they can impact agricultural soils. Critical Issue: 3. Natural Resources and Environmental Quality
A Review of Watermelon Production and Price Trends from 2010 to 2021
FE1137/FE1137by Tara Wade, Kelvin Amon, Kevin Athearn, and Craig FreyJune 23, 2023Eight states produce most US watermelons. Most of the fruit (almost 80%) are grown in California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas, with Florida leading in domestic production. In 2019, Florida’s watermelon output accounted for 25.2% of total US production, 24.7% of national watermelon acreage, and 29.6% of the overall US crop value. The value of Florida's watermelon output accounted for 13.2% of the state's total vegetable production. This publication provides information on both seeded and seedless conventional watermelon acreage, volume, and pricing for California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas from 2010 through 2021. It is one of a series illustrating trends in Florida’s five most economically important specialty crops, excluding citrus: tomatoes, bell peppers, watermelons, sweet corn, and strawberries. This information will be useful to producers, Extension agents, and others interested in specialty crop commodities trends.Critical Issue: 1. Agricultural and Horticultural Enterprises
The Citrus Red Mite (Panonychus citri): A Pest of Citrus Crops
IN1367/ENY2081by Emilie Demard and Jawwad A. QureshiOctober 20, 2022Panonychus citri is a phytophagous mite of economic importance in open citrus orchards and a major pest in Citrus Under Protective Screen (CUPS), a new undercover production system tested in Florida. Immatures and adults feed on citrus leaves, fruits, and green twigs resulting in mesophyll collapse, shoot dieback, and fruit drop. In Florida, P. citri occurs throughout the year but is most abundant in spring or early summer and autumn or early winter. Although chemical sprays like Abamectin or Fenbutatin oxide provide some control of P. citri, resistance has been reported in different regions of the world. Several predatory insects and mites have been shown to attack the mite and could be potential natural enemies to use in biological control programs.Critical Issue: 1. Agricultural and Horticultural Enterprises
