Field Day to Feature GA and Nutrition Trials

Ernie Neff Nutrition

Growers will have the opportunity to learn more about recent citrus research trials on nutrition and gibberellic acid (GA) and their impact on tree health. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Polk County will host a field day on Dec. 14 to share research findings with growers. The field tours will begin with an overview …

medfly

Medfly Quarantine in Southern California

Len Wilcox California Corner, Pests

A portion of San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties have been placed under quarantine for the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) following the detection of two wild flies in and around the city of Upland in San Bernardino County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), and the San Bernardino and Los Angeles county agricultural …

Pummelo Interstocks Could Improve Performance of HLB Trees

Tacy Callies Research

By Manjul Dutt, Ethan Nielsen, Lamiaa Mahmoud, Maria Quirico and Jude Grosser All commercially cultivated citrus scion varieties are grafted onto rootstocks before being planted in the field. The rootstocks are selected based on specific desirable qualities (abiotic/biotic stress resistance) and the ability to produce a good crop in a specific location. The ideal rootstock confers disease resistance, hardiness, tolerance …

Scout for Problems, Even in CUPS

Ernie Neff CUPS, Pests

Growers should monitor for pests and diseases, even in the citrus under protective screen (CUPS) systems designed to keep HLB-spreading psyllids out of trees, according to entomologist Jawwad Qureshi. He told more than 25 people participating in a Dec. 1 virtual seminar that CUPS “are not foolproof systems,” and said citrus can’t be grown successfully without pest management. Qureshi works …

Getting New Varieties to Growers

Ernie Neff All In For Citrus Podcast, Varieties

The executive directors of two organizations that play a vital role in getting citrus varieties into the hands of growers summarize how the process works. They are John Beuttenmuller with Florida Foundation Seed Producers (FFSP) and Peter Chaires with New Varieties Development & Management Corporation (NVDMC). When University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant breeders propose …

citrus forecast

Florida Citrus Packers: Fix Grapefruit Import Action Now

Ernie Neff Export/Import, Grapefruit

Florida Citrus Packers recently called for a fix to a so-called “patch” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that allegedly creates unfair advantages for Mexico and other countries over domestic grapefruit producers. Citrus Industry previously reported that the agriculture commissioners for Florida and Texas wrote letters protesting the USDA action.   Florida Citrus Packers Executive Vice President Peter Chaires …

How to Own Your Data and Profit From It

Ernie Neff Agriculture

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, data derived from farms might be more valuable than the crops growers produce. That’s because farmers can make money from their information when companies use it for other purposes, says a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientist. The key for producers is to take ownership of their information. …

Douglas Plant Health Is Now DPH Biologicals™

Tacy Callies Industry News Release

Douglas Plant Health announced it has changed its name to DPH Biologicals. The new name recognizes the century-long commitment of its parent company, Douglas Products, to deliver effective and high-quality products to its customers while more clearly focusing on expanding its biologicals product platform to deliver value to customers by sustainably increasing productivity, yield and profitability. In 2018, the assets …

nutrition

BMPs Addressed in Bill

Ernie Neff BMPs

Florida Sen. Ben Albritton filed a bill (SB 1000) to address issues related to best management practices (BMPs), the Nov. 19 Florida Citrus Mutual Triangle newsletter reported. According to the Triangle, the bill addresses several issues stemming from outdated science supporting University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) nutrient recommendation rates pertaining to BMPs. The bill also …

Texas Freeze Update: Fruit Is Sparse

Ernie Neff freeze, Texas

Surviving citrus trees in South Texas have bounced back from extreme freeze during Winter Storm Uri in February, but fruit is sparse this season, said Texas A&M AgriLife Extension horticulturist Juan Anciso.   An AgriLife Extension study estimated the severe freeze caused $230 million in damage to Texas’ citrus industry. Around 80% of the orange crop and almost 70% of …

Grapefruit Import Action Protested

Ernie Neff Export/Import, Grapefruit

The state agriculture commissioners for Florida and Texas recently urged U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to reinstate juice content requirements on grapefruit imports. They stated that a so-called “patch” issued earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture creates unfair advantages for Mexico and other countries over domestic grapefruit producers. “There appears to have been a ‘patch’ quietly …

Sneak Peek: December 2021 Citrus Industry

Tacy Callies Sneak Peek

Everyone seems to get busier during December as the holidays near. With the harvest season in full swing, this is especially true in the Florida citrus industry. Amidst the rush to complete holiday preparations and tend to never-ending grove tasks, it’s a good idea to pause for a moment to consider farm safety issues. The December issue of Citrus Industry …

International Marketing Efforts for Florida Citrus

Ernie Neff Florida Department of Citrus, Marketing

The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) described its 2020-21 international marketing efforts at last month’s meeting of the Florida Citrus Commission, which governs the FDOC. Katie Bruce, international marketing manager, discussed the FDOC’s past-year programs in the United Kingdom (UK), France, Japan, South Korea and Canada for fresh grapefruit and orange juice. Bruce also presented an overview of preliminary 2021-22 …

Which Rootstock to Select

Tacy Callies Rootstocks, Tip of the Week

Valencia trees on high-vigor (left) and low-vigor (right) inducing rootstocks in a Central Ridge field trial. Note the higher yield efficiency of the smaller trees on the right and the leaning of these trees due to Hurricane Irma. By Ute Albrecht Rootstock selection is critical for longevity and productivity of a grove. The decision should be based on compatibility with …

Mandarin: ‘The Perfect Piece of Fruit’

Ernie Neff Mandarins

Mandarin citrus is “the perfect piece of fruit,” Suntreat Packing Vice President Scott Owen told a recent Global Citrus Congress audience. “It tastes great. It’s easy to peel. It doesn’t have seeds. It’s a healthy snack, so moms love to give it to kids.” Mandarins are now a $1.8 billion market, compared to $1.2 billion for oranges, Owen said. He …

ACP Management With UV-Reflective Mulch and Flush-Timed Sprays

Tacy Callies HLB Management

By Jawwad Qureshi, Lauren Diepenbrock and Davie Kadyampakeni The future of the Florida citrus industry depends on successfully replacing the present bearing tree inventory with new plantings and transitioning them into crop production. This would be a relatively routine process were it not for the ubiquitous presence of huanglongbing (HLB) and its vector, Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). Early infection can …

CREC Open House a Hit

Ernie Neff Events

The Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) Nov. 16 open house and field day “was quite a crowded event. It went off really well,” CREC Director Michael Rogers reports. Rogers says the event drew about 200 industry members, as well as 150 CREC faculty, staff and students. The CREC is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …

HLB Research Grants Go to UF/IFAS

Ernie Neff Research

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) was recently awarded more than $2.2 million in federal grants for HLB research. The funding came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program. UF/IFAS researchers are also serving in leadership roles in two other NIFA-funded …

Spider Mites in Florida Citrus

Ernie Neff Pests

By Lourdes Perez Cordero If you are a citrus grower in Central Florida, more than likely you have encountered spider mites. These are a common pest of commercial citrus in the state and their characteristic thin webs make them easy to spot in trees. Spider mites become more abundant between March and June, when the weather conditions are dry, and …

PIECES OF THE PAST: A Thanksgiving Mantra

Tacy Callies Pieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Several years ago, I was at the 2017 Florida Ag Hall of Fame dinner for my friend, Bernie Lester, who was being inducted that year. He recounted such a wonderful story during his speech that I asked him to send it to me so I would have it for the Citrus Archives, and I’d like to …