A citrus disorder called greasy green has plagued Florida grapefruit producers for several years, causing a significant reduction in profits. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Associate Professor and Extension Specialist Megan Dewdney discussed the disorder and its management at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo in August. Dewdney works at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and …
Pre-Harvest Clues for Better Citrus
By Flavia Zambon and Mac Hossain The Millennium Block is located at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC). It is designed to support long-term citrus trials under real-world growing conditions, including HLB pressure, but without oxytetracycline injections. Currently, the block has 19 distinct grapefruit and pummelo scions in …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Upcoming Opportunities To Tour and Taste
By Peter Chaires It’s time to log some dates on the calendar. Citrus breeding teams have set dates for this year’s variety displays, field days and open houses. These events present excellent opportunities to learn about their priorities, methods and results. There are opportunities to sample the fruit of the latest promising selections, as well as tour test plantings and …
Genetic Transformation of Citrus: Timelines and Progress
Researcher Manjul Dutt told a Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo audience in August why it can take up to 14 years to get a genetically modified citrus tree from discovery to commercial release. He also discussed the transgenic citrus progress at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), where he is an assistant professor at the …
Bamboo May Offer Alternative to Citrus in Florida
With a global market valued at nearly $67 billion, bamboo may offer an alternative crop for Florida citrus growers whose groves have been devastated by HLB. “Bamboo is a good alternative crop to diversify beyond citrus,” said Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). “The …
Insights Into HLB Tolerance
A study by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers provides insights into the mechanisms of HLB tolerance in C. australis hybrids. A recent article about the study by Sheetal Ramekar, Lamiaa M. Mahmoud, Jaideep Kaur Deol, Stacy Welker and Manjul Dutt of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center was published in BMC Genomics. Citrus …
Factors That Influence Juice Quality
By Tripti Vashisth, Johann Hiller and Taylor Livingston Poor fruit quality has long been a significant hurdle for sweet orange growers in the HLB era. With high fruit drop rates and challenges in harvest management, many growers find themselves picking fruit earlier than ideal, resulting in subpar Brix levels. To effectively improve the Brix of the fruit, it is essential …
Survey Shows Oxytetracycline Use and Benefits
A 2024 survey showed that most Florida citrus growers used oxytetracycline (OTC) trunk injection on most of their acres, resulting in improved yield and reduced fruit drop. Tara Wade, associate professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, presented survey results at the recent Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. OTC …
Sneak Peek: September 2025 Citrus Industry
The September issue of Specialty Crop Grower features an article on the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo’s extensive educational program. Read highlights of what growers learned over the two-day Tampa event and hear more in the August episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. The Citrus Industry section of the magazine begins with an article detailing two big announcements …
Florida Residents Educated About HLB
Residential trees — where citrus greening disease (also known as huanglongbing or HLB) was first detected in the Florida — can serve as reservoirs for disease-spreading Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) if the pests are not properly managed. Recognizing that disease prevention is a coordinated effort, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is teaching Florida residents …
Citrus Industry Leader Has High Hopes for OTC
Rick Dantzler, Citrus Research and Development Foundation chief operating officer, provided hope for citrus growers during the recent Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. He believes citrus greening disease could soon be a thing of the past. But to get growers to that “tree of the future,” they need short-term solutions to overcome the devastating disease. Dantzler continues to tout trunk …
All In For Citrus Podcast, August 2025
The August All In For Citrus podcast features seminar recaps from the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, which was held this month at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. The event included an extensive citrus educational program with more than 20 presentations. Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and …
New, Faster Solutions Needed for Citrus Survival
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers have made significant progress in finding ways to manage citrus greening disease. But solutions needs to be expedited for the sake of the citrus industry’s future in Florida. Scott Angle, UF/IFAS senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, emphasized that point during last week’s Citrus & Specialty Crop …
The Five Rs of Citrus Sustainability
One of the themes that emerged during the citrus seminars at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo was that integration of multiple strategies is needed to keep HLB-infected trees productive. Davie Kadyampakeni’s talk detailed the five Rs of sustainable citrus production in the era of HLB. Kadyampakeni is an associate professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and …
Installing and Using Soil Moisture Sensors
By Sandra M. Guzmán and Amir Rezazadeh During Florida’s rainy and hurricane season, accurate water management becomes even more critical for citrus growers. Soil moisture sensors (SMSs) can be used as a baseline tool for making informed irrigation decisions. But to get reliable readings, it is critical to choose, install and use them correctly. WHERE TO INSTALL Proper SMS placement …
UF/IFAS Launches New Magazine at Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) debuted a new publication at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The UF/IFAS Citrus Magazine is an Extension initiative to deliver Florida’s geographically dispersed citrus research to growers. “You can expect three editions per year, featuring articles written by UF/IFAS citrus scientists and Extension faculty across the state,” said …
Florida CUPS: From a Small Plot of Potted Plants to 1,500 Acres
When University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Professor Arnold Schumann started a citrus under protective screen (CUPS) plot in Florida in 2014, the grapefruit trees were in above-ground pots. The plot at the Citrus Research and Education Center was on 1.33 acres that included 1 acre of planted citrus. After five years, the grapefruit trees on …
Reducing Fruit Drop in HLB Citrus
By Tripti Vashisth Fruit drop has become one of the biggest challenges for Florida citrus growers, especially in groves hit hard by HLB. On top of the disease, recent hurricanes like Ian and Milton have made the problem worse, causing fruit to drop not just during the storm but often weeks later. Other stresses — such as drought, flooding or …
Summer Update Informs Growers on Impactful Issues
The annual Citrus Grower’s Summer Update meeting on Aug. 14 in Valdosta, Georgia, provided cold-hardy growers with updates on several factors impacting the industry. Information on topics ranging from snails to phytophthora to Asian citrus psyllid trapping were presented to growers who are on the cusp of harvesting another season’s crop. Jake Price, University of Georgia (UGA) area citrus agent …
Gene-Edited Citrus Comes Closer to Commercial Realization
In 2012, Jennifer Doudna, Emmanuelle Charpentier and their research team published a paper in the journal Science describing the CRISPR-Cas9 system as a precise gene-editing tool. It was considered a major scientific breakthrough with huge possibilities in human medicine and in agriculture. Doudna and Charpentier were awarded the Noble Peace Prize in chemistry in 2020 for their pioneering work with …