Tag: cucumber

September 23, 2014 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

FIELD CROP PRODUCTION – PACIFIC REGION

P1050311SUGARCANE: The 2014 production of sugarcane in Hawaii is forecast at 1.43 million tons, up 2 percent from the previous year, but unchanged from the August forecast. Harvested acreage is estimated at 19.0 thousand acres, up 7 percent from last year. Yield is forecast at 75.0 tons per acre.

The 2014 U.S. production of sugarcane for sugar and seed in 2014 is forecast at 29.4 million tons, down 4 percent from last year. Producers intend to harvest 883 thousand acres for sugar and seed during the 2014 crop year, down 28.3 thousand acres from last year. Expected yield for sugar and seed is forecast at 33.3 tons per acre, down 0.5 tons from 2013.

COTTON: California Upland cotton production in California is forecast at 215 thousand bales, down 35 percent from the 2013 crop. Harvested acreage is estimated at 59.0 thousand acres, down 35 percent from a year ago. Yield is forecast at 1,749 pounds per acre, up 1 percent from last year.

California American Pima cotton production is forecast at 510 thousand bales, down 16 percent from the 2013 crop. Harvested acreage is forecast at 154 thousand acres, down 17 percent from last year. Yield is forecast at 1,590 pounds per acre.

U.S. upland cotton production is forecast at 16.0 million 480-pound bales, up 30 percent from 2013. Harvested area is expected to total 9.69 million acres, down 4 percent from last month but up 32 percent from 2013.

The U.S. American Pima cotton production, forecast at 578 thousand bales, is down 9 percent from last year. Expected harvested area, at 189.4 thousand acres, is down 5 percent from 2013.

RICE: California’s 2014 rice crop forecast, at 36.8 million cwt., is down 23 percent from the previous year. The yield forecast is 8,600 pounds per acre, up 2 percent from last month and up 1 percent from last year. Planted and harvested acreages are forecast at 433 thousand and 428 thousand acres, respectively. As of September 1, nearly all of the rice acres had headed.

The 2014 U.S. rice production is forecast at 218 million cwt, down 5 percent from August, but up 15 percent from last year. Area for harvest is expected to total 2.91 million acres, down 4 percent from August, but 18 percent higher than 2013. Based on conditions as of September 1, the average United States yield is forecast at a record high 7,501 pounds per acre, down 59 pounds from August and down 193 pounds from last year.

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August 30, 2012 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Scientists unwind the secrets of climbing plants’ tendrils

In the search for precious sunlight, instead of growing sturdy trunks to reach towards the light, climbing plants such as honeysuckle and grapevines cling to their surroundings and then heave themselves upwards. Scientists have now cracked how some plants do this, and in the process they have created a new kind of spring.

Climbing plants have been puzzling biologists since the 19th century – including Charles Darwin. The technique the plants use to winch themselves upwards is well known, but the underlying mechanism has been a mystery until now.

The new research, published in the journal Science, investigates in unprecedented detail the supporting tendrils of the cucumber plant. When first formed, a tendril is almost straight, and while growing it slowly waves around in a poorly understood process called circumnutation. When it encounters a foothold, the end of the tendril wraps around it, securing a support.

The tendril then shortens by coiling up into a corkscrew-like helix, pulling up the rest of the plant. But rather than twisting only in one direction – impossible without twisting the plant at the other end – the two halves of the coiled section curl up in opposite directions, separated by an uncoiled stretch called a perversion, so there’s no net twist. How this coiling occurs wasn’t understood.

A group of scientists led by Sharon Gerbode and Josh Puzey, who carried out the work while at Harvard University, investigated the nature of recently discovered specialised cells that form a stiff ribbon of material inside each soft, fleshy tendril.

This ribbon controls a tendril’s shape, and the team suspected that to coil, cells on one side of the ribbon are stiffened and shortened more than those on the other side, causing a turn towards the stiffened side.

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June 3, 2011 General Ag News and Notes, Vegtables Post a Comment

E coli infections spread around world as Germany reports 200 new cases

Cases of infection by the deadly E coli bacterium have continued to spread around the world from its source in northern Germany, reaching a dozen countries by Friday evening as the German chancellor and Spanish prime minister moved to calm a diplomatic row over the source of the infection.

The Czech Republic and the US have joined the list of those dealing with cases amid concern that some of those infected had not visited Germany and so must have been infected elsewhere.

Angela Merkel has said she would push for EU help for farmers in Spain – whose cucumbers were wrongly blamed by German authorities for the outbreak.

Germany reported a further 200 cases diagnosed on the first two days of the month as the total number of people infected worldwide rose above 1,800. The total number of reported deaths in Germany is 19. Just 11 cases have been confirmed in England.

“All these cases except two are in people who reside in or had recently visited northern Germany during the incubation period for the infection … or, in one case, had contact with a visitor from northern Germany,” said the World Health Organisation in a statement.

The spread of cases in Germany has begun to slow, however, raising hopes that the outbreak might be controlled as Germans heed warnings to wash and prepare vegetables carefully and avoid raw cucumber, tomatoes and lettuce.

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June 1, 2011 General Ag News and Notes, Vegtables Post a Comment

E coli outbreak in Germany adds 365 more confirmed cases

The mysterious German E coli outbreak that has killed 16 people shows no sight of abating, with 365 new cases confirmed on Wednesday.

The source of the outbreak remains unknown, though the majority of those affected either live in Germany – particularly in or around the northern city of Hamburg – or have travelled there recently.

The German disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), reported 365 new E coli cases today, a quarter of them involving the hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication resulting from E coli infection that affects the blood and kidneys.

European Union officials said three cases had also been reported in the US, adding that most infections reported outside Germany involved German nationals or people who had recently travelled to the country. On Tuesday, a Swedish woman became the first person to die outside Germany after returning from a trip there.

On Wednesday, the northern state of Mecklenburg Western Pomerania issued a plea for blood donations in case the number of victims continues to rise.

German authorities initially identified cucumbers imported from Spain as the likely source of the outbreak but they admitted on Tuesday that further tests on the cucumbers showedthat, while contaminated, they did not carry the bacterium strain responsible for the deaths.

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August 13, 2009 General Ag News and Notes, Vegtables Post a Comment

Monthly Hawaii Vegetable Report 08-13-09

Click Here for the PDF for the Monthly Hawaii Vegetable Report.

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

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Contact Information:
Mark E. Hudson, Director
USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512

Office: (808) 973-9588 / (800) 804-9514
Fax: (808) 973-2909
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“MONTHLY HAWAII VEGETABLE” reports are available on our website and also PRINTED monthly. Subscriptions for PRINTED copies are free to those persons who report agricultural data to NASS (upon request) and available for $4 per year to all others.

 

Chinese cabbage production totaled an estimated 344,000 pounds in June 2009, a decrease of 34 percent and 28 percent from May 2009 and June 2008, respectively. Fewer acreage for harvest along with lower yields accounted for the drop in production from a month earlier and a year ago. Spraying was necessary to help maintain control of insect infestation. Although temperatures were warm, the crop was still rated in fair to good condition.

Head cabbage growers harvested 945,000 pounds during June 2009, an increase of 1 percent and 27 percent from the previous month and a year earlier, respectively. The slight increase in production from May was the result of more acreage for harvest offsetting the drop in yield. Better yields along with an increase in acreage for harvest accounted for the higher production from a June 2008. Crop condition was rated fair to good.

Sweet corn production totaled 253,000 pounds in June, 16 percent lower than May 2009, but 16 percent higher than June 2008. The drop in production from May was the result of less acreage available for harvest, while the increase in production from June a year earlier was because of more acreage for harvest. Crop condition was rated fair to good.

Cucumber producers harvested 434,000 pounds in June 2009, a decrease of 7 percent and 15 percent from May 2009 and June 2008, respectively. Lower yields accounted for the decrease in production from both months as the acreage available for harvest was unchanged. The crop was in fair to good condition.

Dry Onions marketings totaled 154,000 pounds for June 2009, a decrease of 49 percent and 33 percent from May 2009 and June 2008, respectively. The crop was in fair to good condition.

Green Onions production was estimated at 125,000 pounds, an increase of 15 percent and 8 percent from May a month earlier and June a year ago, respectively. The crop was rated to be in fair to good condition.

February 4, 2008 General Ag News and Notes, Papaya, Vegtables

Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Crop Weather (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending February 3, 2008.

current_hi020508.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514 February 3, 2008

“HAWAII CROP WEATHER” reports are available on our website and also PRINTED weekly. Subscriptions for PRINTED copies are free to those persons who report agricultural data to NASS, upon request and available for $20 per year to all others.

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
On the Big Island, mostly cloudy and rain-filled days slowed growth and fruit development during the week. The reduced sunlight also kept temperatures on the cool side. Incidences of Banana Bunchy Top virus remain isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Overall, orchards in eastern sections of Hawaii County were in generally good condition. Oahu?s banana orchards were in fair condition. Fields in the leeward and central areas of Oahu made fair to good progress. Windward Oahu fields were in fair condition as cloudy conditions and cooler temperatures continued to slow crop progress and reduce yields. Kauai?s orchards were in fair condition. Harvesting was anticipated to remain steady during the coming weeks. Stripped leaves, as well as cooler temperatures and overcast skies, continued to slow crop development and fruit ripening.

Papayas
Cool, wet conditions slowed orchard growth and fruit development on the Big Island. Orchards in the Puna district remained in fair to good condition. New seedlings established quickly with the high rainfall. Active flowering was evident in most fields, but the heavy rains made fieldwork difficult. Spraying will have to be maintained once the weather clears. Orchards on Oahu were in fair to poor condition. Spraying to control disease and insect infestations remained steady. Kauai?s orchards made fair progress during the week. Acreage for harvest is relatively small, and overall pickings are forecast to remain light. Spraying for disease control was delayed because of inclement weather conditions.

Vegetables

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