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News for citrus growers around the globe
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on Sept. 12 proposed a new rule that would strengthen protections for temporary foreign farmworkers in the H-2A program. This is the third proposed regulation tied specifically to the H-2A program in the last year. It follows the final DOL rule published in October 2022 that modernized key aspects of the H-2A program and …
By Tripti Vashisth, Wesley Webb and Taylor Livingston As trees become symptomatic for HLB, leaves experience an imbalance of plant hormones. This hormonal imbalance exacerbates HLB symptoms and can lead to more stem dieback, poor vegetative growth and fruit drop. This ultimately leads to reduced bearing wood, resulting in yield losses and tree decline. Thus, the use of growth-promoting hormones …
Portions of Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties in California have been placed under quarantine for the Oriental fruit fly (OFF), and a quarantine in Orange County has been removed. See the updated quarantine map here. CONTRA COSTA COUNTYIn Contra Costa County, detections near the cities of Brentwood and Oakley have resulted in a quarantine zone covering 99 square miles. …
By Ute Albrecht, Larissa Nunes and Gabriel Pugina The current label recommends trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) into the rootstock, but this may not always be possible. Previous University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) studies have shown that both rootstock and scion injections are effective. However, researchers have not yet studied if different rootstocks influence …
The Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association hosted a grower forum in September to discuss how trees are looking after the first application of oxytetracycline (OTC) has been injected. The event had a good turnout, and growers were mostly optimistic about what they are seeing in groves. Nearly all in attendance have treated at least some portion of their acreage …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette I recently received Waverly Growers Cooperative’s 50th Golden Anniversary booklet (1914–1964) from a reader. One of the things I found interesting was how the town of Waverly was formed, and how various places in the area got their names. Between 1882 and 1884, W.B. Campbell, Asa Gibbons and F.W. Ohlinger homesteaded in a stopping place for …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) scientists and research partners have found a faster, safer and less expensive way for growers to detect the invasive lebbeck mealybug. A recent study published in Journal of Applied Entomology describes their work. The lebbeck mealybug (Nipaecoccus viridis) feeds on and damages various citrus fruit and ornamental plants. The invasive species …
By Ernie Neff New tools available to aid in establishment of young citrus groves all have pros, cons and unknowns, entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock told a Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo audience in August. Diepenbrock is an entomologist and assistant professor with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. She opened her presentation by saying insecticides alone are …
By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP Citrus has the attention of new University of Florida President (UF) Ben Sasse. That bodes well for UF’s continued commitment to the industry. Ag TourIt started on June 3, when I took the president on a 28-hour tour of Florida agriculture. It included a stop at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in …
A Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas)-positive Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) sample has been collected from a residential property in California’s Ventura County. CLas is the bacterium that causes HLB. The Citrus Research Board’s Jerry Dimitman Laboratory confirmed the positive sample. This is the first confirmed CLas-positive ACP sample found in Ventura County. The positive sample, comprised of 12 adult psyllids from …
Low temperatures and fluctuations in environmental conditions are among what researcher Ashraf El-Kereamy described as a “possible hypothesis” for the cause of lemon pitting in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Other possible causes include what he called “overdoing a good thing” such as fertilizer and irrigation, or something affecting the integrity of the lemon’s wax layers. El-Kereamy is director of the …
Research by Rhodes University PhD graduates Tamryn Marsberg and Michael Jukes has led to the patent of two viral-based products. MultiMax and CodlMax are alternatives to chemical pesticides on citrus, apples and litchi. The advantage of these products includes their lack of non-target effects; the pest is controlled without harming the environment. The products could assist with control of the …
One of the overlooked casualties of tropical storms and hurricanes is field research conducted by scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Research on new varieties, plant treatments and other practices can be upended in a day by a violent storm. That happened to some of Christopher Vincent’s research. The UF/IFAS assistant professor of …
By Frank Giles and Tacy Callies The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo hosted two citrus educational sessions during the Aug. 16–17 event held at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. The sessions included both long-term research aimed at delivering trees resistant to HLB as well as what growers can do today to help mitigate the effects of the disease in …
Florida Citrus Packers recently presented IMG Citrus founders Michel and Veronique Sallin with the organization’s highest recognition, the John T. Lesley Award. The presentation was made at the fresh fruit industry’s annual Citrus Packinghouse Day. The award is for individuals making sustained and outstanding contributions to Florida’s fresh citrus industry. IMG Citrus operates more than 11,000 acres of citrus groves …
By Peter Chaires Each year, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus breeding teams provide opportunities for interested parties to sample fruit from new and recent selections. This is a great opportunity to remain current on research results. Participation from growers, processors, packers, marketers and fruit enthusiasts is desired. Shoppers in produce departments represent a …
Citrus researcher Nian Wang has been appointed to the Graves Eminent Scholar Chair in Biotechnology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Wang is a professor of microbiology and cell science at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). He was appointed to the chair because of his work to develop a tree resistant to …
The timeline for the California citrus season is later than average but is getting started in the Coachella and Imperial valleys. Rainstorms have been a recurring theme for 2023, causing a bit of damage in some areas. However, Casey Creamer, president and chief executive officer of California Citrus Mutual, told AgNet West there is always hope for a good year …
Research has confirmed the initial phase of resistance of the HLB-spreading psyllid to the active ingredient malathion in some microregions of the citrus belt of São Paulo and Triângulo/Southwest Mineiro. Malathion is from the organophosphate chemical group. The research was conducted by Fundecitrus in partnership with Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture/University of São Paulo (Esalq/USP). This is the third …
By Tacy Callies Before they were married, Nate and Anna Jameson vowed they would one day farm for themselves. They met while attending the University of Florida. Nate graduated with a Bachelor of Science in ag operations management, while Anna earned her degree in animal science. After graduation, Anna worked for Lykes Meat Group and Nate for Ben Hill Griffin …
