Author: Justin Ballew
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Question of the Week – Leafcutter Bee
This week, the question was: What created these near perfectly circular holes around the margin of this muscadine leaf? These holes were created by leafcutter bees while collecting materials to build their nests. These are native bees that are important pollinators of numerous species of wildflowers and cultivated crops. Leafcutter bees use the cut pieces […]
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Weekly Field Update – 5/16/22
Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week and check back on Thursday for the answer! Midlands Justin Ballew reports, “Last week was cooler and felt like spring again, but that seems to be gone now. We got a little rain late last week (0.4 […]
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Question of the Week – Fourlined Plant Bug
This week, the question was: What is this critter on this sunflower leaf? This is a fourlined plant bug. This small insect is commonly seen in the spring and usually disappears by early summer. It is a relatively minor pest of numerous plants including brassicas, cucurbits, beans, and members of the Solanaceae family, though it […]
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Weekly Field Update – 5/9/22
Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week and check back on Thursday for the answer! Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Spider mites in the area are increasing in number on a variety of crops including strawberries and watermelons. When choosing an insecticide always choose […]
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Why Tomato Crops Today Are So Susceptible to Diseases
Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath was recently named as a columnist for American Vegetable Grower. Dr. Keinath’s first article was recently published featuring tomato disease. Check out an excerpt below. Why are tomatoes so susceptible to disease? Of three possible answers — aggressive pathogens that specialize on tomato, the tomato plant itself, or the growing […]
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Question of the Week – Stinkhorns
This week, the question was: What are these weird-looking things coming out of the leaf litter in a wooded area? These are stinkhorn mushrooms, not aliens. Stinkhorns are different from other mushrooms which disperse their spores by releasing them into the air. Instead, they produce their spores in a sticky substance known as the gleba. […]
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Weekly Field Update – 5/2/22
Don’t forget about the Brassica Field Day coming up next Monday morning (8:30-1:00) at the Coastal REC in Charleston, SC. Please be sure to register ahead of time, so they will have enough food on hand for lunch. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the […]
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Question of the Week – Mantid Ootheca
This week, the question was: What is this on the underside of this crepe myrtle limb? This is a praying mantid ootheca. An ootheca is a protective structure in which the adult female lays her eggs. It is constructed out of a frothy secretion from her ovipositor that dries into a hard, foam-like material. The […]
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Weekly Field Update – 4/25/22
Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week and check back on Thursday for the answer! Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Some welcome rainfall last week will help establish cucumbers and watermelon. Cucumber beetles are present in a large number of fields at present. While […]
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Question of the Week – Genetic Mutation
This week, the question was: What is going on with this squash plant? The yellow venation in this plant was caused by some sort of genetic mutation. While attractive, mutations like this may affect the performance (yield) or marketability of a plant. Sometimes new cultivars are developed from genetic mutations that are viewed as desirable, […]
The South Carolina Grower 