Polk Small Farms: New and Revised Agriculture Publications, June 2012

Agriculture
	HACCP: An Overview (FSHN0512/FS122) The acronym HACCP (pronounced /’hæ-sip/) stands for “Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point”. It is a food safety management system that is increasingly used in all aspects of the food industry. This 3-page fact sheet introduces the topic and summarizes the key components of a HACCP program. Written by R. Goodrich-Schneider, K. R. Schneider, M. D. Danyluk, and R. H. Schmidt, and published by the UF Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, May 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs122
Crops
	Agricultural Management Options for Climate Variability and Change: Conservation Tillage (AE486) This 4-page fact sheet focuses on the use of conservation tillage in crop production systems as a strategy to minimize the risks associated with climate variability and change and to improve resource-use efficiency. Written by Kip Balkcom, Leah Duzy, Daniel Dourte, and Clyde Fraisse, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, June 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae486
	*Bean Plataspid: Megacopta cribraria* (Fabricius) (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Plataspidae) (EENY527/IN939)** Also known as the kudzu bug, lablab bug, and globular stink bug, the bean plantaspid is native to Asia, where it is not an agricultural pest. But in the U. S., it is reported as a pest of soybean in Georgia and South Carolina. Adults from established populations overwinter on light colored structures, in leaf litter, and underneath the bark of trees. Also, like stink bugs, adults tend to excrete an odor as a defense mechanism when disturbed. The defense chemical these insects secrete may stain the surface of the house, building or vehicle where aggregation occurs. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Ashley Poplin and Amanda Hodges, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, June 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in939
	Lesser Cornstalk Borer Damage to Sugarcane and the Effects of Tillage and Harvest Residue Management (ENY454/SC094) This 6-page fact sheet provides an overview of this pest, its damage to sugarcane, and the plant’s response, and describes the results of a study of harvest residue and controlled tillage experiments. Written by Hardev S. Sandhu, Leslie E. Baucum, and Gregg S. Nuessly, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, May 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/sc094
	Common Weed Hosts of Insect-Transmitted Viruses of Florida Vegetable Crops (ENY863/IN931) This 12-page fact sheet expands upon and updates the information on several weeds reported as virus hosts by UF/IFAS plant pathologists in 2001 and provides links to further information on specific viruses that affect vegetable crops. Written by Gaurav Goyal, Harsimran K. Gill, and Robert McSorley, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, April 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in931
	Growth, Reduction, and Survival of Bacteria on Tomatoes (FSHN1206/FS190) Tomato producers are committed to taking proactive steps to ensure and enhance the safety of their fresh-market tomatoes, but even with better food safety controls, the risk for outbreaks of illness associated with tomato consumption still exists. This 32-page fact sheet highlights current tomato safety related studies on the growth, reduction, and survival of bacteria on fresh-market tomatoes. The authors evaluated bacterial studies on natural antimicrobials and detergents, as well as food processing, cross-contamination, and shelf-life studies. Written by Angela M. Valadez, Keith R. Schneider, and Michelle D. Danyluk, and published by the UF Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, May 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs190
	Outbreaks of Foodborne Diseases Associated with Tomatoes (FSHN1208/FS192) Concerned about the safety of fresh-market tomatoes? This 5-page fact sheet highlights tomato-related outbreaks in the United States and Europe and reviews the locations and venues of tomato preparations as well as the severity of outbreaks. Written by Angela M. Valadez, Keith R. Schneider, and Michelle D. Danyluk, and published by the UF Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, May 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs192
	Field Symptoms of Boron Toxicity and Deficiency in Florida Peanuts (SL366/SS567) Boron is an essential micronutrient needed by peanut to prevent “hollow heart” and to provide for sufficient plant growth, but it can be a challenge to manage for peanut production on sandy soils. There may be times when peanut growers, extension agents, and consultants find field symptoms when either boron toxicity or boron deficiency is the cause of peanut yield loss and low kernel quality. This 4-page fact sheet reviews the boron management strategy in Florida, presents information on boron sufficiency and toxicity levels from the literature, and provides photographs of field symptoms that can be used by growers and Extension agents. was written by J. W. Breman, W. D. Thomas, H. E. Jowers, and R. S. Mylavarapu, and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, May 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss567
Nursery & Greenhouse
	Measuring the Irrigation Requirement of Container-Grown Nursery Plants (ENH1197/EP458) Three factors determine the irrigation requirement for container-grown crops: evapotranspiration, capture factor, and distribution uniformity. This 4-page fact sheet describes how these factors can be measured so that irrigation requirements can be determined in the container nursery. Written by Jeff Million and Tom Yeager, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, June 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep458
	Professional Disease Management Guide for Ornamental Plants (PP202/PP123) Florida’s warm, humid environment is a gardener’s paradise and a great location for ornamental plant producers to grow numerous plant species — but these conditions also are suitable for the development of a wide variety of plant pathogens and insects that can spread them. Florida is also a major port of entry for the international trade of ornamental plants, which carries the risk of introducing exotic invasive pathogens, so growers are required to follow certain phytosanitory regulations. These challenges require growers to develop the most efficient production plans possible, incorporating as many tactics as they can to maximize plant health and minimize opportunities for pest and disease outbreaks—a concept known as integrated pest management (IPM). This 16-page fact sheet is intended to be used by growers, landscape professionals, and other pest control operators as a reference for managing ornamental plant diseases. Written by P. F. Harmon and S. D. Bledsoe, and published by the UF Department of Plant Pathology, June 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp123
Livestock
	Ultrasound and Carcass Merit of Youth Market Cattle (AN279) Market cattle shown at county and state fairs and other youth shows across the United States are food animals. The endpoint value of food animals is primarily based on their carcass merit. Ideally, carcass merit should be assessed from actual carcasses. However, when carcass data cannot be collected, ultrasound evaluation of market cattle is an excellent method to accurately assess differences in fat thickness, ribeye area, and percentage of intramuscular fat within the ribeye. This 7-page fact sheet was written by Chad Carr, Dwain Johnson, and Mark Shuffitt, and published by the UF Department of Animal Science, June 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an279
		Use of Ultrasonography to Age Pregnancy in Early Gestation in Dairy Cows (VM184) Using ultrasonography for diagnosis and aging of pregnancy is becoming more widespread among bovine practitioners because it can be done earlier than by traditional methods, and because it can be used to monitor fetal development and determine fetal age and sex. This 3-page fact sheet presents a detailed measurement of the amniotic vesicle from 27 to 34 days after breeding so a more precise aging of early pregnancies can be performed. Written by Klibs N.A. Galvão, and published by the UF Department of Veterinary Medicine-Large Animal Clinical Sciences, May 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vm184