South Florida Vegetable Production

Downy Mildew of Basil in South Florida

Shouan Zhang, Jaimin S. Patel, Zelalem Mersha, Pamela D. Roberts, and Richard Raid

Diseases of Bitter Melon in South Florida

Shouan Zhang, Nicholas Dufault, Qingren Wang, Guodong Liu, and Gene McAvoy

Rendimiento y desempeño hortícola de semillas desnudas de calabaza en el sur de Florida

Geoffrey Meru, Yuqing Fu, Monique Scoggin, Carlos F. Balerdi, Laura Vasquez y Teresa Olczyk

Las semillas de calabaza (Cucurbita pepo L.) con una fina cubierta se llaman semillas desnudas y se han convertido en un ingrediente popular para la elaboración de alimentos. Son ricas en aceite, proteínas y ácidos grasos insaturados. Su consumo reporta beneficios para la salud, incluyendo la reducción del riesgo de ciertos tipos de cáncer. A pesar de su creciente popularidad en EE. UU., este insumo es importado, de ahí la necesidad de identificar/desarrollar cultivares adaptados a las condiciones locales. Este artículo informa sobre el rendimiento y desempeño hortícola de dos cultivares de semillas desnudas de calabaza en el sur de Florida con las condiciones de crecimiento de primavera.

Denitrification in Seepage-Irrigated Vegetable Fields in Florida

Eric H. Simonne, Guodong Liu, and Benjamin Morgant

A UF/IFAS numbered Fact Sheet.

Cover Crop Benefits for South Florida Commercial Vegetable Producers

Q. Wang, Y. Li, E. A. Hanlon, W. Klassen, T. Olczyk, and I. V. Ezenwa

This document describes the use of major cover crops grown in southern Florida. The intent of this document is to identify promising cover crops adaptable to Florida's climate. Identified cover crops must also contribute to nutrient conservation and improve soil organic matter by incorporation of cover crop biomass. This document also includes discussion of other aspects of cover crop use in the vegetable production systems of south Florida.

Common Insect Pests of Lettuce in Florida

Tennyson B. Nkhoma and De-Fen Mou

Lettuce is one of the most important horticultural commodities in Florida state agriculture, with production concentrated in the Everglades agriculture area. Among US states, Florida ranks third in lettuce production after California and Arizona. Like many other crops, lettuce production is affected by several insect pests that affect both quality and quantity. This publication introduces some of the common insect pests of lettuce, including serpentine leafminers, banded cucumber beetles, aphids, thrips, and caterpillars; and describes the damage these pests cause in lettuce. This publication is intended for stakeholders in Florida lettuce production including current and potential lettuce growers, crop consultants, home gardeners, and Extension agents.

Escarole and Endive: Nutritious Leafy Vegetables with High Potential for Floridians

Germán Sandoya, Makou Lin, Jeongim Kim, and Steven Sargent

Escaroles and endives are two leafy vegetables of the Compositae family rich in nutrients and minerals. Both crops are uncommon in the United States, but both are planted in wintertime in Florida and in other states such as California and New Jersey. This publication aims the public and inform of their use in the leafy vegetable industry in Florida. As other leafy vegetables, escaroles and endives are susceptible to pests and diseases and other physiological disorders such as pink rib at postharvest. Using the correct management practices and the correct cultivars adapted for Florida could help producers in fields and in the home garden to achieve a successful crop.