citrus acreage

Central Florida Grove Prices Tumble

Ernie Neff Land

Central Florida grove land sold for about 30% less per net tree acre in 2020 than the year before, according to a firm that sells much Florida land. Brian Beasley, senior advisor at SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler in Lakeland, reported the sales in the firm’s Lay of the Land 2020 Market Report. “We assume most of this decrease (in prices) …

Protect Your Citrus Groves with Extinguish® Fire Ant Baits

Josh McGill Citrus, Sponsored Content

At Central Life Sciences, we recognize our role in educating citrus growers on the importance of protecting their citrus investment from fire ants. Our solutions provide growers with effective and economical products. For citrus growers looking to protect and grow their investment, it is important to not overlook the threat of fire ants. Fire ants are a common insect threat …

Expo Focus: ‘What Growers Can Do Now’

Ernie Neff Citrus Expo

Many of the citrus presentations featured on the first day of Citrus Expo, Aug. 18, will focus on “what growers can do now” to keep groves productive, Michael Rogers reports. Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, offers what he calls “a 30,000-foot view” of the citrus seminar …

Making Sense of Biologicals – Biofertilizers: Improving Nutrition in Citrus Trees

Tacy Callies MSOB, Nutrition

Citrus greening disease appears to be a problem for the foreseeable future for Florida growers. But what if growers could improve nutrition so trees could better cope with the disease? Scientists at Douglas Plant Health believe biofertilizers have that capability. “Think about it from a human health standpoint,” says Marcus Jones, vice president of research and development at Douglas Plant …

Cover Crops Promising, But …

Ernie Neff Cover Crops

Scientist Sarah Strauss has learned some interesting and promising things about the use of cover crops in Southwest Florida citrus over the past 2.5 years. But the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher has not yet found that cover crops provide what growers seek most — increased yields. Use of the crops has also not yet …

Interplanting Improves Wasp Control

Ernie Neff Pests

Lucerne (also known as alfalfa) interplanting improved citrus gall wasp (CGW) control in Australia’s New South Wales (NSW). The interplanting is practiced by some citrus growers in NSW to suppress weeds, reduce soil compaction and improve soil fertility. Jianhua Mo of the NSW Department of Primary Industries addressed the matter; a summary of Mo’s comments follows. One possible explanation is …

Mexican Lemon Sector Seeks Russian Market

Tacy Callies lemons, Mexico

By Francisco Seva Rivadulla The Mexican lemon sector has set its sights on an interesting commercial market — Russia. Despite COVID-19, Russia continues to offer very good commercial options for this citrus fruit from the Aztec country. “The Russian market is very important for the Mexican citrus sector, which currently has a business strategy to diversify its export markets, and …

Sneak Peek: August 2021 Citrus Industry

Tacy Callies Sneak Peek

August brings the biggest issue of Citrus Industry magazine of the year! That’s due to the annual Citrus, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo on Aug. 18-19 in North Fort Myers, Florida. The August issue serves as the show guide to the event and includes the seminar schedule, an exhibitor directory and everything attendees need to make the most of the …

PIECES OF THE PAST: The ‘Plymouth Rock’ of Citrus

Tacy Callies Pieces of the Past

I recently acquired a visitor’s guide for Plymouth Citrus Products Cooperative. The guide invited visitors to tour the cooperative’s facilities located in where else but Plymouth, Florida, which is between Orlando and Leesburg.  According to the guide, the cooperative provided “quality canned and frozen citrus products, citrus pulp and molasses.” Visitors were encouraged to take a guided tour that showcased …

Treating Pathogens Without Antibiotics

Ernie Neff Diseases, Pests

Federal researchers announced that they have found an innovative way to treat pathogens (harmful bacteria) and pests in citrus trees and potato and tomato plants without the use of antibiotics. The researchers are with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The research was done in collaboration with the University of Florida and AUM LifeTech Inc. The …

U.S. Grapefruit Exports to France Threatened

Tacy Callies Export, Grapefruit

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service, a new French ban on the sale of fruits and vegetables with identifying stickers could threaten future exports of U.S. grapefruit. The ban is slated to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2022. The USDA report states that most U.S. grapefruit and some sweet potatoes shipped overseas have stickers that …

Protect Citrus Trees From Heat Stress

Tacy Callies Weather

By Amir Rezazadeh Heat stress affects the production of different citrus varieties, particularly seedless varieties. The severe effect of heat stress can be seen during the flowering and fruit set stage as well as June drop. High temperature can affect different growth stages of citrus trees, such as vegetative growth, flowering and fruit set. EARLY SIGNSThe following are early signs …

CUPS Tree Growth Surprises Growers

Ernie Neff CUPS

Brothers Jerry and Keith Mixon have been surprised by how well trees grow in their citrus under protective screen (CUPS) facilities in Alturas, Florida. “All of the varieties we are growing have responded amazingly,” they said recently about their CUPS experience. Though each brother has his own CUPS structures, they jointly discussed their results. The brothers have a combined 130 …

Maximizing Rootstock Seed Production

Tacy Callies Seed

By Fernando Alferez, Deived Uilian de Carvalho, Daniel Boakye, Tim Gast and Manjul Dutt Endemic HLB in Florida has provoked increased pressure to replant and reset infected groves. This has resulted in concern from citrus growers and nursery operators about seed availability for the most popular rootstocks in the state. In the past, all rootstock fruit (both early and late …

Improved Orange Cultivars

Ernie Neff Varieties

Improved sweet orange cultivars for processing and fresh fruit were the topic of a virtual presentation July 14 by plant breeder Jude Grosser. Grosser works at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred.   HAMLIN SOMACLONE N13-32This new and distinct early-season clone of Hamlin has improved juice color and …

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All In For Citrus Podcast, July 2021

Tacy Callies All In For Citrus Podcast

A pest problem in citrus under protective screen (CUPS), heat stress guidance, and Citrus Expo news headline the July episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. Citrus Research and Education Center Director Michael Rogers begins the episode with an overview of the seminars at this year’s Citrus Expo. He said his University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural …

Turkey: Lemons Up, Grapefruit Down

Ernie Neff International

Lemon production in Turkey climbed in 2020-2021, but grapefruit production is expected to decline, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. LEMONSLemon production reached 1.1 million metric tons, which is 13% more than in the 2019-20 season. Lemons have a longer season compared to oranges and tangerines in Turkey because different lemon varieties ripen at different times …

Growers Discuss CRAFT Projects

Ernie Neff Research

Four Florida growers recently discussed efforts they’ll take to cope with HLB in plantings subsidized by the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program. Their comments were part of a virtual educational session sponsored by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) and Florida Citrus Mutual. CRDF Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler said the projects discussed were among 103 funded …

Keeping Young Ag Workers Safe

Ernie Neff Education, Safety

The National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety (NCCRAHS) announced resources that can be used to help keep young agriculture workers safe. NCCRAHS pointed out that there are serious risks to children doing farm work, as well as positives. During the past decade, more youth have died working in agriculture than in all other industries combined, the …

South Africa Shipping More Citrus

Ernie Neff International

Summer Citrus from South Africa (SCSA) recently reported a 7% increase in shipment volume compared to the 2020 season. “Easy peelers are on-par with year-to-date estimates while navel oranges are slightly ahead,” SCSA stated in a media release. “Overall, quality and sizing are aligning well with the expectations of the U.S. market.” Boats from South Africa are scheduled to arrive …