Texas has the most farms of all United States both in terms of number and size. Agriculture is a major contributor to the economy of Texas and is the primary land use in the state. It is the country's leading producer of livestock. Wine production in Texas is significant, although small by global standards. The state is a major producer of rice as well as the top producer of cotton in the US.
Maize agriculture began on the Great Plains by AD 900, initiating the Southern Plains villagers period of western Oklahoma and Texas. It probably came about as an extension westward and northward of the Caddoan cultures of eastern Texas. The Plains Village culture consisted of hamlets and semi-permanent villages along major rivers such as the Red, Washita, and Canadian. Subsistence was a combination of agriculture and hunting. A drying climatic trend beginning AD 1000 or 1100 may have tipped the subsistence scale more toward hunting and less toward a dependence upon agriculture. [1] The Antelope Creek Phase of Plains villagers, dated from AD 1200 to 1450 in the Texas panhandle was influenced by the Southwestern Pueblo people of the Rio Grande valley in New Mexico. [2] The historic descendants of the Southern Plains villagers are possibly the Wichita and Pawnee Indians. [3]
Staples of indigenous Texan agriculture which remain important in the 21st century are corn, beans, squash, pecans, and prickly pear. [4]
Cultivation of mung bean here began during World War II when a Chinese native by the name of Henry Huie – who worked as a U.S. Army cook – planted the staple crop in the clay plains near Vernon. [5]
Texas leads the nation in number of cattle, usually exceeding 16 million head. The sprawling 320,000 deeded acres (130,000 ha) La Escalera Ranch , located 20 miles (32 km) south of Fort Stockton, is one of the largest cattle ranches in the Southwestern United States.[ citation needed ]
Texas leads nationally in production of sheep and goat products. [6]
Texas is a leader in cereal crop production. Three counties in the state— Colorado, Wharton, and Matagorda —take advantage of water from the Lower Colorado River Authority to grow rice and are responsible for about 5% of annual U.S. rice production. [7]
The Rio Grande valley is one of the best areas for the cultivation of grapefruit. Early varieties like the Duncan had many seeds and pale flesh, but in the 1880s citrus growers in Texas and Florida discovered pink-fleshed seedless grapefruit mutations like the Ruby Red, which along with red-fleshed varieties like the Rio Red and Star Ruby are preferred varieties for modern commercial production. [8] Phomopsis stem-end rot is a common problem in grapefruit here. [9] : 436 Burger and Davis found in 1982 that etaconazole and imazalil are effective against the post-harvest effects if Phomopsis has already occurred pre-harvest in Texas groves. [9] : 437
Grapes are a common crop in some parts of Texas. [10] [11] Pierce's Disease is a common problem in the East and South. [10] From 1970 to 1996, PD was unknown outside of the southern part of the state. Though thought to be impossible, in 1996 suddenly many vineyards were heavily hit in north central Texas and some were wiped out completely. [10] [11] PD resistance is important here due to PD's prevalence. [11] Some areas suffer from Cotton root rot of many crops, including grape. [10] It is so associated with this state that it is also called Texas root rot.[ citation needed ]
In the 1990s strawberry acres had greatly increased especially around Poteet, however by 2004 imported strawberries had competed almost all strawberry production out of the state. [12]
Texas is also a large producer of cantaloupes. [6]
Texas has a long history of wine production. The sunny and dry climate of the major winemaking regions in the state have drawn comparison to Portuguese wines, in addition to other regions in Europe like Spain, France, and Italy. [13] Some of the earliest recorded Texas wines were produced by Spanish missionaries in the 1650s near El Paso. Texas ranked as the fifth largest wine producing state by 2019. [14]
The state is home to over 42 members of the Vitis grape vine family with fifteen being native to the state, more than any other region on earth. [15] [16] As of 2019, the state had over 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) planted with Vitis vinifera . [15] Despite being the largest of conterminous states, this relatively small amount of planted land is dwarfed by the production of even the smallest French AOCs like Sancerre. The Texan wine industry is continuing its steady pace of expansion and has gained a reputation as an established wine growing region in the United States. [17]Texas and Arkansas are among the higher producers of spinach in North America and form the eastern limit of large scale commercial production. [18] : 3 Major spinach pests here include Myzus persicae (Sulzer), Pegomya spp., and Circulifer tenellus (Baker). [18] : 3
Texas is the westernmost limit of commercial okra production. [18] : 5 Pests include the red imported fire ant ( Solenopsis invicta (Buren)), the southern green stink bug ( Nezara viridula (Linnaeus)), and leaffooted bugs (various Leptoglossus spp.). [18] : 5
Texas is one of the largest producers of onions. [18] : 5 Production here suffers from onion thrips ( Thrips tabaci (Lindeman)) and onion maggots ( Delia antiqua (Meigen)). [18] : 5
Texas is one of the major growers of watermelons. [18] : 5 Whiteflies and aphids commonly vector Cucurbit viruses here. [18] : 5 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides commercial production guides for both seeded and seedless. [19] For seeded varieties they recommend Allsweet, Black Diamond, Bush Sugar Baby, Calhoun Grey, Charleston Gray, Crimson Sweet, Crimson Tide, Dixielee, Golden Crown, Jubilee, Mickylee, Minilee, Mirage, OrangeGlo, Prince Charles, Royal Jubilee, Tendersweet, and Yellow Doll; while for seedless varieties, Gem Dandy, Matrix, Summersweet 5244, Tiffany, and Tri-X 313. [19] In both, common diseases are Alternaria , Downy Mildew, Fusarium Wilt, Gummy Stem Blight, nematodes, Powdery Mildew, and various viruses. [19] Common insect pests are aphids, armyworm (beet armyworm and fall armyworm), Cabbage Looper, cutworm, various leafminers, various mites, thrips, webworm, and various whiteflies. [19] AgriLife also makes recommendations for fungicide, insecticide, and herbicide control of all these in this crop, and for common weeds. [19]
AgriLife provides many other commercial grower guides: asparagus, green/snap bean, pinto bean, table beet, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe/muskmelon, carrot, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, cilantro, collards/kale, pickling cucumber, slicing cucumber, eggplant, garlic, honeydew, melon, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, onion, parsley, bell pepper, jalapeño, potato, pumpkin, radish, Southern pea/cowpea, spinach, squash, sweet corn, sweet potato, Swiss chard, tomato, and turnip. [19]
Texas is 'king of cotton,' leading the nation in cotton production, its leading crop and second-most-valuable farm product. [6]
Fire ants ( Solenopsis invicta ) are an invasive agricultural pest here. [20]
Although the Asian cockroach ( Blattella asahinai (Mizukubo)) is a widespread invasive species here it inflicts only minor damage on horticulturals. [18] : 55 It also serves as an egg predator of more pestiferous insects, including corn earworm ( Helicoverpa zea (Boddie)) and beet armyworm ( Spodoptera exigua (Hübner)). [18] : 55 In southern counties the roach is one of the most numerous egg predators, in row crops at ~50 roaches per metre (15/ft). [18] : 56–67 The Surinam cockroach ( Pycnoscelus surinamensis ) is not proven to be a major pest but data is lacking. [18] : 57 It should not be confused with the Indian cockroach ( P. indica ) which does not occur here. [18] : 57
Flea beetles, specifically the redheaded ( Systena frontalis (Fabricius)) and Smartweed ( S. hudsonias ) are common in the east but rarely found to the west of there. [18] : 78–79 They are voracious, polyphagous herbivores of both crops and weeds. [18] : 78–79 Due to their affinity for weeds as well, crop protection must include weed management. [18] : 79 The Southern tobacco flea beetle ( Epitrix fasciata (Blatchley)) is found along the Gulf Coast. [18] : 83
A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus Vitis. Grapes are a non-climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters.
Agricultural biotechnology, also known as agritech, is an area of agricultural science involving the use of scientific tools and techniques, including genetic engineering, molecular markers, molecular diagnostics, vaccines, and tissue culture, to modify living organisms: plants, animals, and microorganisms. Crop biotechnology is one aspect of agricultural biotechnology which has been greatly developed upon in recent times. Desired trait are exported from a particular species of Crop to an entirely different species. These transgene crops possess desirable characteristics in terms of flavor, color of flowers, growth rate, size of harvested products and resistance to diseases and pests.
A seedless fruit is a fruit developed to possess no mature seeds. Since eating seedless fruits is generally easier and more convenient, they are considered commercially valuable.
The economy of the State of Texas is the second largest by GDP in the United States after that of California. It has a gross state product of $2.694 trillion as of 2023. In 2022, Texas led the nation with the most companies in the Fortune 500 with 53 in total. As of 2023, Texas grossed more than $440 billion a year in exports, more than double the next highest state California.
Agriculture is one of the bases of Argentina's economy.
The spined soldier bug is a species of stink bug common in North America. They are predators of gypsy moth caterpillars and the larvae of beetles such as the Colorado potato beetle and the Mexican bean beetle. Since the Mexican bean beetle is widely regarded as a notorious agricultural pest in North America, soldier bugs are generally considered to be beneficial garden insects.
Israeli cuisine primarily comprises dishes brought from the Jewish diaspora, and has more recently been defined by the development of a notable fusion cuisine characterized by the mixing of Jewish cuisine and Arab cuisine. It also blends together the culinary traditions of the various diaspora groups, namely those of Middle Eastern Jews with roots in Southwest Asia and North Africa, Sephardi Jews from Iberia, and Ashkenazi Jews from Central and Eastern Europe.
Florida wine refers to wine made from grapes and other fruit grown in the U.S. state of Florida. Wine grapes were grown in Florida earlier than anywhere else in North America.
Scirtothrips dorsalis, the chilli thrips or yellow tea thrips, is an extremely successful invasive species of pest-thrips which has expanded rapidly from Asia over the last twenty years, and is gradually achieving a global distribution. It has most recently been reported in St. Vincent (2004) Florida (2005), Texas (2006), and Puerto Rico (2007). It is a pest of economic significance with a broad host range, with prominent pest reports on crops including pepper, eggplant, mango, citrus, strawberry, grapes, cotton, tea, peanuts, blueberry, and roses. Chilli thrips appear to feed preferentially on new growth, and infested plants usually develop characteristic wrinkled leaves, with distinctive brown scarring along the veins of leaves, the buds of flowers, and the calyx of fruit. Feeding damage can reduce the sale value of crops produced, and in sufficient numbers, kill plants already aggravated by environmental stress. This thrips has also been implicated in the transmission of three tospoviruses, but there is some controversy over its efficiency as a vector.
Mythimna unipuncta, the true armyworm moth, white-speck moth, common armyworm, or rice armyworm, is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1809. Mythimna unipuncta occurs in most of North America south of the Arctic, as well as parts of South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Although thought to be Neotropical in origin, it has been introduced elsewhere, and is often regarded as an agricultural pest. They are known as armyworms because the caterpillars move in lines as a massive group, like an army, from field to field, damaging crops.
This article summarizes different crops, what common fungal problems they have, and how fungicide should be used in order to mitigate damage and crop loss. This page also covers how specific fungal infections affect crops present in the United States.
Frankliniella tritici, the eastern flower thrips, is a species of thrips in the genus Frankliniella. F. tritici inhabits blossom, such as dandelion flowers. They can directly damage plants, grasses and trees, in addition to commercial crops, and as a vector for tospoviruses, a form of plant virus, it particularly affects small fruit production in the United States, including strawberries, grapes, blueberries and blackberries. It can also affect alfalfa, oats, beans and asparagus crops. The species features strap-like wings edged with long hairs, a design which increases aerodynamic efficiency in very small arthropods; the reduced drag means the insect uses less energy. They extract nutrients directly from individual plant cells, and may also digest cells of fungi in the leaf litter.
Agriculture in the Southwest United States is very important economically in that region.
Agriculture plays a major role in the history and economy of the American state of Florida. Florida's relatively warm climate gives it a competitive position for many markets in the United States. Florida produces the majority of citrus fruit grown in the United States. Bell peppers, tomatoes, sugarcane, peaches, strawberries, and watermelons are also important crops. Florida produces a small amount of wine.
Thrips tabaci is a species of very small insect in the genus Thrips in the order Thysanoptera. It is commonly known as the onion thrips, the potato thrips, the tobacco thrips or the cotton seedling thrips. It is an agricultural pest that can damage crops of onions and other plants, and it can additionally act as a vector for plant viruses.
Agriculture is a significant sector in California's economy, producing nearly US$50 billion in revenue in 2018. There are more than 400 commodity crops grown across California, including a significant portion of all fruits, vegetables, and nuts in the United States. In 2017, there were 77,100 unique farms and ranches in the state, operating across 25.3 million acres of land. The average farm size was 328 acres (133 ha), significantly less than the average farm size in the U.S. of 444 acres (180 ha).
Berry-growing in Canada is mostly confined to its rainiest areas, although a lesser amount is grown elsewhere. Most berries are grown in southwest British Columbia, except lowbush blueberry which is almost only grown in The Maritimes. Significant amounts of strawberries are grown in southern Ontario, southern Quebec, and the southern part of the Maritimes, and smaller amounts around urban areas of the Prairies. Cranberry production has recently increased in BC and the east and as of 2016 is the second most exported berry by value at CAN$ 88,469,000. Blueberry is the most important, indeed top among all fruits in the country, by – cultivated area, 79,515 hectares – farm gate value, CAN$ 261,532,000 – and export value, CAN$ 422,441,000. Grape is third by – cultivated area, 12,480 hectares – and farm gate, CAN$ 151,093,000. Cherry is third in export value at CAN$ 82,841,000
The 2020 table grape harvest was worth $2.12 billion while wine grapes brought in $1.7 billion, down 15.3% year-on-year. By weight this was 17% lower versus 2018. The next year, 2021 saw a much better yield. From 829,000 acres (335,000 ha) viniculturists got 6.94 short tons per acre (15.6 t/ha) for a total harvest of 5,755,000 short tons (5,221,000 t). At an average of $909 per short ton ($1,002/t) they were paid $5,229,902,000 for the season. Of that, 4,844,600 short tons (4,394,900 t) were for destined for processing industries and at $835 per short ton ($920/t) that was worth $4,046,382,000. The fresh harvest was 910,400 short tons (825,900 t) and selling at a price of $1,300 per short ton ($1,433/t), this sector was worth $1,183,520,000 for the season.
