The threats to Florida agriculture come in many shapes and sizes. Hurricane Ian was a massive storm stretching more than 100 miles wide that uprooted trees, destroyed nurseries and flooded groves. Meanwhile, developers purchase thousands of acres at a time to create new communities, wiping agricultural operations off the map. But one of the greatest threats we face can be as small as a millimeter. Invasive pests are tiny, but mighty enough to cripple an industry in a matter of days or weeks.
Pepper thrips are an invasive species currently wreaking havoc in Florida. Ranging in size from one to four millimeters, they are difficult to see. They fly from plant to plant, curling leaves and sucking the sap. The damage restricts the plant's growth and reduces crop yields.
Pepper thrips were first detected in Florida in 2020, and they are now affecting a wide variety of plants, including 43 species from 19 plant families, such as fiber crops, vegetables and ornamental plants in nurseries, farms and garden centers throughout South Florida. There is only one Florida grower currently under active quarantine to prevent the spread of pepper thrips, but since 2020 more than a dozen have been quarantined, preventing their products from moving during critical planting and landscaping times.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry is working closely with Florida's nursery and landscape industry to detect, intercept and control these damaging pests.
Read more at floridapolitics.com