Melons

Scientists find new watermelon viruses in Florida; help available

Florida watermelon growers, the most productive in the nation, face two new viruses. But finding a disease is the first step to managing it, says a University of Florida scientist who helped pinpoint the diseases.... more »

North Carolina State salutes Quesada-Ocampo’s ‘40 Under 40’ honor

Lina Qusada-Ocampo, North Carolina State associate professor and vegetable pathology Extension specialist, was named to this year's list of the Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under 40 honorees. Quesada-Ocampo, faculty member in the Department of Entomology and... more »

Be on the lookout for fusarium fruit rot, other threats in the mid-Atlantic

There continue to be no reports of late blight on tomato or potato in the mid-Atlantic region. But, this week there was a confirmed report on tomato in eastern Tennessee determined to be caused by... more »

USDA revises trade standards for watermelons

The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service is revising the U.S. Standards for Watermelon to provide a common language for trade. AMS is establishing a total tolerance for Anthracnose and decay in the U.S. No. 1 and... more »

Sales of new Syngenta watermelon variety will benefit veterans’ groups

To mark National Watermelon Day on Aug. 3, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds has introduced a new seedless watermelon variety – Valor – developed to help growers maximize profitability. Introduced in the 2022 growing season, for every new Valorplant... more »

Spotted cucumber beetle management urged in Illinois

There seems to be a larger number of striped and spotted cucumber beetles this year in Illinois compared to previous years. It is important to control these beetles as they transmit the pathogen that causes... more »

North Carolina State student gets hands-on with horticulture research

For Nettie Baugher, North Carolina State’s online Master of Horticultural Science program offered the best of both worlds. Baugher’s undergraduate degree is in horticulture, and she currently works in horticulture as a commercial horticulture area agent... more »

Cantaloupe juice – the next big thing?

Summer in Georgia yields a bounty of fresh fruit and vegetables. In fact, Georgia is one of the top producers of cantaloupe in the U.S., and Georgia-grown watermelons and cantaloupes are the stars of summer... more »