Fruit and Vegetable Production Resources
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Vegetables comprise an economically important segment of Georgia’s agricultural production, so there is a need for vegetable breeders to have comprehensive, crop-specific data on grower priorities, varietal performance, and production constraints.
UGA’s vegetable breeding program performed a needs assessment survey to assess growers’ preferences, the results of which are presented in this resource. This data will be used to inform the development of regionally adapted high-performing vegetable varieties.
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Blueberry gall midge, a small fly native to North America, has emerged as one of the serious pests of blueberries in Georgia. Severe gall midge infestations can cause up to 80% crop loss without proper intervention. Bud sampling to monitor for larvae is the only way to confirm its presence. Insecticide sprays need to be timed to target adult midges before they have a chance to lay eggs.
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The pecan leafroll mite is a noninsect pest of pecan trees. Eriophyid mites are a significant group of plant-feeding mites that infest annual and perennial plants. They often go unnoticed because of their very small size and the fact that they usually reside within plant tissues. In Georgia pecans, damage from the pecan leafroll mite damage is typically observed from May and persist until nut harvest, and regular monitoring of mite populations is needed to prevent severe infestations and to ensure effective management.
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This resource provides citrus growers in Georgia with an overview of how different types of freeze events damage citrus trees, and both passive and active protection methods to protect citrus trees during freezes. Recovery from freeze events also is covered.
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Thrips parvispinus is an invasive insect pest that poses a serious global threat to vegetables and ornamentals in both fields and greenhouses. This guide will help you identify and manage this pest.
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Plant disease losses in 2023, including control costs, amounted to an estimated $715.43 million. The value of the crops used in this estimate was approximately $6863.22 million, resulting in a 10.42% relative disease loss across all crops included in this summary. Some estimates for fruits, ornamentals, and turf rely on Extension specialists’ knowledge of the industry and industry sources for information. Because of the retirement of the Extension specialist for ornamental and commercial landscapes, disease losses for this category were not included in the report.
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This resource describes whiteflies and the damages they cause in cucurbit crops, and offers recommendations for cucurbit crop varieties for fall season production in southern Georgia that are resistant or tolerant to silverleaf disorder and whitefly-transmitted viruses.
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This is an annual report (PDF) highlighting research conducted on Vidalia onions in recent years. Research topics include: variety trials, irrigation and fertilizer strategies, sulfur content in soils, effect of fertilizers on yield, thrips, factors affecting postharvest incidence of bacterial bulb rot, and Botrytis leaf blight. To read or download individual articles, refer to the report series.
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This publication summarizes the Vidalia onion flavor analysis results from the 2024–2025 growing season and compares the performance of each variety over the past three growing seasons.
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