Browse Weeds, Diseases and Pests Stories - Page 11

Whether you have a well-manicured lawn or a wild preserve, almost every landscape in Georgia shares one feature: fire ants.

Chipmunks may look cute, but when they wreak havoc in the landscape their charm quickly fades. A species of small rodent, chipmunks are quite common in Georgia. They are considered minor agricultural pests, but they can cause significant structural damage under patios, stairs and retention walls.

Game feeders are often used to provide high-protein supplemental feeds to increase the body condition, antler size and overall survival rates within deer herds. Every year, thousands of tons of feed are distributed for whitetails, but a portion of that feed is consumed by wild pigs that readily displace native wildlife species.

While the use of beneficial insects and other biocontrols for agricultural pest management hasn’t gained widespread usage in open field production, some Georgia farmers are using natural control methods in greenhouse and high-tunnel production.

The University of Georgia has been awarded a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop organic methods of controlling the Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD). 

A state program aimed at teaching farmers and other pesticide applicators how to properly apply pesticides continues to limit pesticide drift in Georgia. The educational training system, called “Using Pesticides Wisely,” was created by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and the Georgia Department of Agriculture. UGA Extension weed scientist Stanley Culpepper, who developed the training, credits Georgia farmers’ excellent teamwork and decision-making for the low number of pesticide drift complaints in Georgia in 2017.

Georgia farmers scored what many view as a significant victory when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency extended the registration of the controversial weed killer dicamba for two years. The herbicide can be used for over-the-top weed control in cotton and soybean fields, according to Stanley Culpepper, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension weed specialist.

If northeast Georgia yards seem a little extra spooky this Halloween season, there’s a good reason. They may have a little extra help from a new neighbor who is really into those cobweb decorations. 

Fungicide resistance to downy mildew disease is a growing concern for Georgia grape producers. University of Georgia Extension Fruit Disease Specialist Phil Brannen advises growers to modify their fungicide applications to combat the increasing resistance.

Row covers, material used to protect plants from the cold and wind, can also protect squash from disease-carrying squash bugs and other insect pests, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Plant Pathologist Elizabeth Little.