Browse Drought Stories - Page 2

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News from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Blueberries growing on the Alapaha farm in Alapaha, Georgia in this file photo. CAES News
Blueberry Crop
Ideal weather conditions this season allowed blueberry farmers in southeast Georgia to produce their best crop since 2016, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agent Renee Allen.
Terrell County Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent Seth McAllister sorts peanuts out on a maturity board during the Georgia Peanut Tour on Sept. 19, 2019. CAES News
Peanut Crop
Georgia’s recent hot, dry weather has dryland peanut farmers making tough decisions about when to dig their crops, according to Scott Monfort, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension peanut agronomist.
UGA Extension peanut agronomist Scott Monfort estimates that Georgia’s peanut crop hasn’t been this dry this late in the growing season since 2014. Since approximately half of the state’s crop is planted in dryland fields, yields this year are expected to drop. CAES News
Summer Drought
Current drought conditions could negatively influence Georgia peanut farmers’ plans for this year’s dryland crop, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension peanut agronomist Scott Monfort.
UGA graduate student Jamie Morgan tests the water in an algae-filled pond on Bill Atkinson's farm in Dacula. CAES News
Toxic Algae
The sudden and unexpected death of a Marietta, Georgia, couple’s beloved dog after swimming with its owners in Lake Allatoona has filled social media feeds since the incident on Aug. 10. The incident brings to light the dangers of toxic algae growth. In neighboring North Carolina, another couple lost three dogs in one day after an afternoon swim in a pond.
Bermuda grass stem maggot damages the upper leaves of a forage crop. Lisa Baxter estimates about 60% yield loss in this picture. CAES News
Forage Pest Management
Drought-like conditions this summer are forcing Georgia forage farmers to delay treatments for Bermuda grass stem maggot, according to Lisa Baxter, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension forage specialist.
Black shank disease turns tobacco leaves yellow and causes the plant to wilt and eventually die. CAES News
Black Shank Disease
While most Georgia crops are suffering from the recent lack of rainfall across the state, tobacco farmers have some reason to celebrate. Three consecutive weeks of dry weather in May have curbed incidences of black shank disease, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension tobacco agronomist J. Michael Moore.
Bell peppers with blossom end rot symptoms caused by excess of sun light. CAES News
Unseasonably Hot
Georgia’s vegetable growers need to irrigate more frequently as unseasonably high temperatures are forecast to remain high with little to no rainfall expected. Andre da Silva, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable specialist, said it is urgent that vegetable producers heed this advice.
Irrigation maintenance is key for farmers to avoid costly malfunctions once the growing season begins. CAES News
Warming weather
Georgia temperatures are rising, and the weather is only going to get hotter with little rain in the forecast. That’s not good news for Georgia’s cotton producers who are in the middle of planting this year’s crop, says Jared Whitaker, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension cotton agronomist.
Downforce is a planter setting that helps farmers plant seeds at the appropriate soil depth. CAES News
April Climate
Farmers in the southern half of Georgia benefited from drier conditions this April, while producers in the soggy northern half of the state are still working to prepare fields for spring planting.
Corn planted at the Bellflower Farm on the UGA Tifton campus in this March 30 photo. CAES News
Planting Conditions
Georgia farmers should expect dry weather when they plant their crops this spring, but Pam Knox, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences agricultural climatologist, anticipates an active tropical storm season in the Atlantic Ocean this summer.