Protecting the safety (and Training) of farm workers involved with spray programs (pesticides) is part of every day life on the farm.

To help you along the way, we have put together two documents that can help you.

You can log on to a web site and use one of the seventeen training videos, or access key materials and documents that will help you with your spray program.

Please allow the NWA to help you on your farm to train (and protect) your workers.
Let us know how we can be of further service to you. Thank you.

Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides

WPS Training Videos and Materials

2010 NWA Awarded to Universities

Development and evaluation of early monitoring techniques for Squash vein yellowing virus, the cause of watermelon vine decline

Evaluating fungicide programs for reducing severity to gummy stem blight

Evaluation of new fungicides as soil and foliar treatments for control of Phytophthora capsici on watermelon

Evaluation of resistant rootstocks for managing root-knot nematodes in grafted watermelon

Field trials for Gummmy Stem Blight Resistance

Frequency and distribution of old and possible new viruses in watermelon

Generation and evaluation of a mutation-line collection useful for enhancing resistance for potyviruses and major diseases of watermelon

2009 NWA grants Awarded to Universities

Using capacitance probes to monitor soil moisture and determining plant root density and extent under different irrigation regimes for optimal drip irrigation management in grafted and non-grafted watermelons.

Clemson University
Gilbert Miller
Blackville, SC
Final Report

Grafted Watermelon Herbicide Trial

University of Florida Stephen Olsor & Joshua Adkins, Ph.D.	North Carolina State Jonathan Schultheis
Clemson University Richard Jassel Final Report	North Carolina State University Katie Jennings

Nitrogen sources, rates and application methods in watermelon production

University of Georgia Tucker Price Cordele, GA Final Report

University of Georgia Josh Mayfield & Dr. Glendon H. Harris Tifton, GA

Identification of watermelon varieties having high and stable yield over a diverse set of environments

North Carolina State University Todd C. Wehner Kinston, NC	Clemson University Gilbert Miller Blackville, SC
University of Georgia Tucker Price Cordele, GA	University of Florida Steve Olson Quincy, FL
Texas A&M University Steve King College Station, TX Final Report

Evaluation of rootstocks and managing root-knot nematodes in grafted watermelon

USDA Judy A. Thies & Shaker Kousik Charleston, SC Final Report

Clemson University Dr. Richard Hassell Charleston, SC

Evaluation of Actigard and other new fungicides for managing Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon

USDA, ARS C.S. Kousik (shaker) & Judy Final Report

Charleston, SC

Improved grafting method for watermelon transplants

Evaluating fungicide programs for reducing severity to gummy stem blight

Phytophthora capsici rot, water use efficiency, fruit disorders, fruit yield and quality, and fruit storability as affected by irrigation rates in watermelon

University of Georgia
Juan C. Diaz-Perez, Dan MacLean & Pingsheng Ji
Tifton GA
Final Report

2008 NWA grants Awarded to Universities

“Grafted Watermelon:  Evaluation of Planting Density for High Yield, 2008 Results”
Read Full Article

NWA Grafting Proposal - Clemson University, NC State University, University of Georgia, University of Florida and USDA/ARS - Lane, OK Read Full Article

Watermelon Proposal (forecasting downy mildew) - Dr. Gerald Holmes, NC State University
Read Full Article

Phytophthora Proposal, Dr. Gerald Holmes & Dr. Bill Jester, NC State University
Read Full Article

Grafting Watermelon Proposal, Dr. Richard Hassell, Clemson University
Read Full Article

Watermelon Cultivars and Rootstock Research 2007
Read Full Article

Grower Watermelon Grafting Methods 2007
Read Full Article

Downy Mildew Forecasting Report
Read Full Article

U.S. Watermelon Standards
Read Full Article

2007 Grafting and Rootstock Research - Clemson
Read Full Article

2007 Grafting and Rootstock Research - NC State
Read Full Article

Watermelon Grafting Methods Report 2008
Read Full Article

On Guard Against Watermelon Vine Decline

Deep in winter, we dream of summertime and delicious outdoor picnics filled with hot dogs, lemonade, and refreshing watermelon. But the availability of that popular, nutritious fruit could be drastically affected by a looming new threat. Read Full Article

Researchers identify cause of watermelon vine decline

With popular and nutritious watermelon now battling a new plague called watermelon vine decline, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Fort Pierce, Fla., are trying to pinpoint the cause of the disease and find ways to control it. Read Full Article

Ethanol Transportation Backgrounder

The Ethanol Transportation Backgrounder is an overview of transportation issues facing a rapidly expanding U.S. ethanol industry.  This report will provide insights into the development of the Ethanol Industry across the country; where we are today; what is being built to expand ethanol availability; and where we are going with this new fuel market Read Full Article

Watermelon Proposal 07

The University of Georgia was awarded a grant of $5,000 to “Assess the resistance to carboxamide, QoI, and thiophanate fungicides in the gummy stem blight pathogen, Didymella bryoniae, and evaluation of fungicide programs for disease and fungicide resistance Read Full Article

Honey bee virus threatens nation's food supply, USDA says

(AXcess News) Washington - USDA researchers, in cooperation with scientists at two leading U.S. Universities, have found that the U.S. population of honey bees is threatened by a virus, which if it cannot be contained could severely hamper food production in the United States on crops that require pollination. Read Full Article

Progress made against watermelon threat

A keen eye, fast action, and a vast plant collection may help nip in the bud a potential widespread threat to watermelons. Read Full Article

Whiteflies May Meet Their Match in the Form of New Fungus

Whiteflies are very, very tiny. Under a magnifying glass, they resemble moths—but from afar they look like wispy snowflakes. Read Full Article

New grants issued by NWA to Researchers for 2007

The NWA approved four grants to universities and the USDA to investigate numerous aspects of grafting watermelon plants and rootstocks, ethanol production and other bio-energy aspects of watermelon, and the forecasting of downy mildew. Each proposal is attached below for your review. Read Full Article

Management of whitefly populations for the control of watermelon vine decline in Florida

Field studies were designed to confirm that a new ipomovirus, Squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV), causes watermelon vine decline (WVD) in Florida and is transmitted by the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci,  (Biotype “B”) .... Read Full Article

Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) transmitted Squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV): a component of Watermelon Vine Decline in South Florida.

Watermelon Vine Decline and Fruit Rot
Pam Roberts, Rosa M. Muchovej, Benny Bruton, Carlye Baker, Scott Adkins

In Spring 2003 and 2004 in Southwest Florida and in Fall 2003 and 2004 in West Central Florida (Manatee County area), a severe watermelon vine decline occurred as the crop approached harvest or soon after the first harvest. Foliar symptoms included a slight yellowing, wilting of the vines, scorched and brown leaves, premature leaf loss, ... Read Full Article

Vine Decline research steps
by Bob Morrissey

A combined effort between the FWA and NWA is progressing to gain momentum and begin an aggressive research effort with the collaborative efforts of Dr. Pam Roberts – UF/IFAS, Dr. Benny Bruton – USDA (Lane, OK) and Scott Adkins – USDA (Ft. Pierce, FL). The NWPB has also pledged some financial support to this effort. ... Read Full Article

Phytophthora Fruit Rot – A Menace to Watermelon Production
Bill Jester, Horticultural Science Department and Gerald Holmes, Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University

An ugly profit-robbing disease reared its head in 2003 on the east coast of the United States. The Eastern North Carolina watermelon production region experienced unusually high rainfall in the months of June, July and August. The rains were frequent and the ground had very little time to dry out. Over 2,000 acres of watermelo ... Read Full Article

Management of GSB on Watermelon Transplants with Seed Applied Fungicides and Field Fungicide Programs Involving Pristine
Dr. Kenneth Seebold1 and Dr. David Langston2, 1University of Kentucky at Lexington and 2University of Georgia at Tifton

Gummy stem blight (GSB), caused by Didymella bryoniae, is the most destructive disease of watermelons and cantaloupes in Georgia. Losses to GSB are high each year, and the disease has proven difficult to control with fungicides and cultural practices. Management options for control of GSB in the field are rotation, deep turnin ... Read Full Article

Scientific Research

Access this web site, managed and provided by North Carolina State University, to review the forecasting of downy mildew. Timely information on the occurrence of Cucurbit Downy Mildew and the future movement of inoculum (fungus spores) across the North American continent is important to curcurbit producers in managing this destructive and fast-moving disease epidemic.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/cucurbit/

http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/projects.htm
http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=62-22-00-00
http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/Research.htm?modecode=62-22-00-00
http://www.ars.usda.gov/pandp/people/people.htm?personid=24455
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/sep97/trap0997.htm
http://www.lane-ag.org/cucurbit/references/cucurbits.htm
http://www.lane-ag.org
http://www.lane-ag.org/h2omelon/Frames.htm
http://www.icugi.org/
http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/wmelon/wmelonmain.html
US Davis Postharvest