Scientists Help Watermelon Growers Nip Disease in the Bud
As people around the nation enjoy slices of cool watermelon this Memorial Day weekend, they can thank a dedicated network of Florida growers and UF scientists for ample supply and thus reasonable prices.
Florida is the top producer of watermelon in the country, and more than third of the state’s supply comes from the Suwannee Valley, where Bob Hochmuth is the assistant director of the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center’s regional campus. When signs of disease or pests emerge, Hochmuth and 11 other UF/IFAS Extension agents in the region activate an alert system, which informs growers and managers of approximately 50 watermelon farms about the potential threat and how to combat it.
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