MAX FACTS
growing tips, news and trivia
Battling Invasive Bugs
They are creepy, crawly and do not belong in Florida. Invasive species cost
residents half a billion dollars a year, but now the federal government is
stepping in to fork out millions to help fight the growing pest problem.
Invasive species like the giant African land snail and the ambrosia beetle
are just two bugs on the growing list of non-native species thriving in the
Sunshine State. The government has allotted $5.4 million in the 2014 Farm
Bill to help fight the costly pests. The money will fund programs to eradicate
giant African land snails, protect avocado plants from the laurel wilt, beef
up dog inspections for incoming travelers and help research citrus
greening and honeybee pests. The Florida Department of Agriculture
estimates the agriculture industry is worth $108 billion dollars.
(Source: wptv.com)
Organic Apple Demand
An early end to the organic apple season in Washington has contributed to
strong demand relative to the amount of fruit available. That, combined with
a slow start to the import season, has made for strong prices. “There’s
not enough fruit to go around, so even at high prices, it’s difficult to
find enough volume,” says Ben Johnson, president of Bridges Organic
Produce. Bridges imports apples from Argentina beginning in January,
and Johnson notes that this year’s import season got off to a slow
start. With Washington’s season finishing up earlier than usual, that’s
made for strong prices. “Demand for organics has been getting
stronger,” says Ben. “A lot of retailers that focus on organics are
expanding, building new stores and growing quickly, so that tells me
the market for organics will continue to increase.”
(Source: freshplaza.com)
Dormant Seeds Give Rise to More Species
More than just an insurance policy against late frosts or unexpected dry spells, it turns out that
seed dormancy has long-term advantages. Using data compiled over more than 40 years
by University of Kentucky seed scientists Jerry and Carol Baskin, researchers analyzed
seed dormancy data for more than 14,000 species of trees, shrubs, vines and herbs.
When the researchers mapped the data onto the seed plant family tree, they found
that plants with the ability to regulate the timing of germination in response to
environmental cues were more likely to spin off new species. Researchers
suspect that this is the case because when they first emerge from the soil,
plant seedlings are vulnerable. They don’t have protective thorns or woody
tissue, or any of the other defenses that are more typical of adult
plants yet. Having the capacity to fine-tune their development to the
environment seems to be crucial for plant diversification.
(Source: sciencedaily.com)
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Maximum Yield USA | June 2014