netting

Netting for Seedless Mandarins in California

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Mandarins

Jesse Silva of Kings River Packing recently discussed with AgNet West’s Nick Papagni the increasing use of netting in California citrus orchards. This practice is used for seedless mandarin production in particular. “There’s really been a push for seedless mandarins in the industry,” Silva said. “Over the last 10 years, we’ve all worked diligently to find the very best varieties …

Oriental Fruit Fly

Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Lifted

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests, Regulation

The Oriental fruit fly quarantine in California’s Orange County has been lifted following the eradication of the invasive pest. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Orange County agricultural commissioner, announced the action. The Oriental fruit fly is known to infest more than 250 types of fruits and …

brown garden snail

Best Bets for Brown Garden Snail Management

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests

Brown garden snails (Cornu aspersum) can reach incredible population densities in California citrus orchards if left unmanaged. More than 1,000 snails per tree have been documented in some cases, according to Mark Hoddle, University of California, Riverside biological control specialist. To help growers deal with this problem, Hoddle recently participated in a Citrus Research Board webinar. He presented information on …

sweet orange scab

New Sweet Orange Scab Quarantine Established

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Diseases, Regulation

A new quarantine area for sweet orange scab (SOS) was recently established in the Burbank area of California’s Los Angeles County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture announced the quarantine area. The 91-square-mile quarantine was established because of an SOS detection in a plant …

lemon selections

Seven Lemon Selections Under Study

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, lemons

In a recent webinar, Tracy Kahn provided details about seven lemon selections undergoing Citrus Research Board trials at four California locations. Kahn is the Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection endowed chair at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). The information she presented included the selections’ compatibility with various rootstocks. All of the lemon selections are irradiated and described as seedless, except …

California

California HLB Quarantines Expanded

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, HLB Management, Regulation

Federal and state agriculture officials recently expanded the areas quarantined for huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening) disease in California. The quarantined area in the Foothill Ranch and Mission Viejo areas of Orange County has been expanded by 26.69 square miles, the Riverside area of Riverside County by 11.3 square miles, and the Valley Center area of San Diego …

Georgia citrus

Innovation and Sustainability: Lessons From California for Georgia Citrus

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Georgia

By Lindy Savelle In mid-April, members of the Georgia Citrus Association (GCA) traveled to California’s Central Valley to study the systems, innovations and strategies that have made the state a powerhouse in citrus production. Our goal was clear: to bring back ideas, solutions and inspiration that can help shape the future of Georgia’s growing citrus industry. Our group included growers, …

Valencia orange

California Valencia Orange Forecast Issued

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Crop Forecast

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), cooperating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, has forecast California’s 2024–25 Valencia orange production at 15 million cartons. California’s final utilized production the prior season was 18.6 million cartons. Cartons have a standard equivalent weight of 40 pounds.  CDFA reported there are 25,000 bearing Valencia acres in 2024–25, …

navel

California Navel Production Costs Soar

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Economics

It costs $4,215 per acre to grow navel oranges in California in 2025, California Citrus Mutual (CCM) reported following a recent survey of production costs. That’s up from $3,300 in 2020 (a 35% increase), $2,712 in 2015 (a 75% increase), $2,099 in 2010 (a 125% increase) and $1,555 in 2005 (a 171% increase). Additionally, CCM reported that picking and hauling …

scarring

Pest Scarring Damage Can Differ by Citrus Variety

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Fresh, Pests

A new pictorial guide can help California growers differentiate between the damages caused by the same pest on different citrus varieties. Comparing the Fruit Rind Scarring That Three Early-Season Pests Cause in Mandarin Species and Sweet Orange was published by University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Early-season insect pests — such as katydids, earwigs and citrus thrips — feeding …

What the Georgia Citrus Association Learned in California

Daniel CooperAs Seen On Instagram, California Corner, Georgia

By Clint Thompson and Nick Papagni The Georgia Citrus Association’s trip to California last week allowed industry leaders to look for opportunities to advance citrus in the cold-hardy region. One of the focuses was learning about the different varieties produced in California that could have a potential future in the Southeast. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association …

hlb

HLB Quarantine Expands in California

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, HLB Management, Regulation

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) declared a citrus quarantine expansion in San Diego County’s Valley Center on March 26. The expansion occurred after detection of HLB disease in two citrus trees in residential neighborhoods in the Valley Center area during regular inspections.    HLB is a major threat to San Diego County’s $144 million annual citrus crop …

European earwig

European Earwig May Be Threat to U.S. Citrus

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests

The European earwig (Forficula auricularia) has been in the United States for more than a century, thriving in all but the far southeastern states. The omnivorous arthropod has been noted as both a pest and as a beneficial insect, feeding on crops as well as on aphids. Recently, researchers have found evidence that suggests it also damages citrus groves, both …

HLB Quarantine Area Expanded in California Again

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, HLB Management, Regulation

Federal and state officials have expanded the quarantine for huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening disease) in the Mission Viejo area of California’s Orange County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, expanded the quarantine by 13.16 square miles. The expansion was in response …

tour

Georgia Citrus Association Planning California Citrus Tour

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Events, Georgia

The Georgia Citrus Association (GCA) is organizing an educational tour of citrus operations Kings River Packing and AC Foods in California April 14–17. Kings River Packing is a family-owned citrus grower rooted in California’s Central Valley, with a legacy dating back to 1853. Eight generations later, Kings River Packing has expanded from its original 160-acre homestead to encompass 3,500 acres …

emergency program

Emergency Program Expanded in California for HLB/ACP

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, HLB Management, Regulation

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently announced the expansion in Orange County of an emergency program for HLB and the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) that spreads the disease. The expansion follows confirmation throughout January of the causative bacterial agent of HLB in plant tissue and/or ACP in Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Orange, Santa …

Citrus Showcase

California’s Citrus Showcase Set for March 12

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Events

California Citrus Mutual (CCM) is inviting growers and allied agricultural industry members to the 2025 Citrus Showcase March 12 at the Visalia Convention Center in Visalia, California. The event will feature informational seminars, free continuing education unit-approved courses, a trade show and an industry luncheon.  The event’s morning session will feature Marisa Zansler, director of economic and market research at …

Sweet Orange Scab

Sweet Orange Scab Quarantined Area Expanded

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Diseases, Regulation

Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), is expanding the sweet orange scab quarantine in the Santa Ana area of Orange County in California. APHIS is expanding this quarantined area by 32 square miles because of a sweet orange scab detection in …

Medfly

Medfly Quarantine Expanded Again

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests, Regulation

Twice in December, agriculture officials expanded the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine area in California’s Alameda and Santa Clara counties, designated the Fremont quarantine. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) made the expansions Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. The quarantine was expanded in response to …