Taking Available Tools to the Grove

Tacy Callies HLB Management

The quest for long-term solutions to HLB is well underway. Technology like CRISPR is being developed to introduce tolerance or resistance to HLB. Conventional breeding also is seeking rootstocks and varieties that can resist the disease. In the meantime, growers are reminded to utilize available tools that help trees remain productive in an HLB environment. During the August Citrus & …

Planning Pointers for Insect Management

Tacy Callies Pests, Tip of the Week

By Lauren Diepenbrock Insect and mite management is a year-round challenge in Florida citrus. With the warm climate, pests are at the ready as soon as plant resources are available to them. With knowledge of insect and mite biology in relation to tree phenology, plans can be developed to protect fruit and maintain productive citrus trees. Populations of some highly …

Good Times, Good Food, Great Company

Morgan Cole Events

Get ready to tailgate at the Florida Citrus Show! This one-of-a-kind event is returning to the Treasure Coast on April 3. In between seminar sessions, the trade show will become a tailgate party that you won’t want to miss. The day will kick off with breakfast and coffee in the tailgate hub. Attendees will have the opportunity to walk the …

Updates on FDOC Research Projects

Tacy Callies Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, Research

Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) members on Jan. 17 heard an update on one recent Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) scientific research project and learned about some future research plans. Rosa Walsh, FDOC director of scientific research, presented the information. PROGRAM FOR EXPEDITED PROPAGATIONWalsh reported that the 2022–23 Program for Expedited Propagation of HLB Tolerant and Resistant Trees was successful. She …

weed management

Brassinosteroid and Weed Management Research Updated

Daniel Cooper HLB Management, weeds

Brassinosteroids for HLB-infected trees and the latest on year-round weed management were discussed at a Jan. 17 OJ Break at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, Florida. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt hosted the event. UF/IFAS assistant professors Fernando Alferez and Ramdas Kanissery made the presentations …

Irrigation Strategy to Enhance Fruit Growth and Retention

Tacy Callies Irrigation, Tip of the Week

By Tripti Vashisth  Huanglongbing (HLB) severity is associated with small fruit sizes and lower fruit numbers at harvest. Moreover, small fruit are more likely to drop and drop earlier during preharvest fruit drop. Unfortunately, management practices suggested to increase fruit size or reduce drop have had mixed results. So, before looking for ways to increase fruit size and number, it …

Registration Now Open for Florida Citrus Show

Morgan Cole Events

The Florida Citrus Show returns on April 3! Registration is now open for the 2024 show. Join us for a trade show full of the top agricultural companies, informational seminar sessions and an exciting tailgate party. This isn’t your average trade show. In between seminar sessions, growers can mingle with exhibitors and sample their tailgate dishes. Be sure to visit …

Update on UF/IFAS Leadership

Tacy Callies Industry News Release

Robert Gilbert, who has served the past six months as University of Florida (UF) interim senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, will serve in a full leadership role for at least another 18 months. Gilbert has served as University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research dean and interim senior vice president while Scott Angle …

Starting in the Grove to Find New HLB Therapies

Tacy Callies HLB Management, Research

By Randall P. Niedz, Guilherme Locatelli, Nick Larson, Lorenzo Rossi, Ellen Cochrane and Michelle Heck Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) developed an idea to bypass lab assays and test molecules directly in the field for their ability to solve HLB. As part of a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant (number 2020-70029-33176), …

HLB-Affected Trees Use Less Water

Tacy Callies HLB Management, Irrigation, Tip of the Week

By Davie Kadyampakeni  Huanglongbing (HLB) is a citrus disease that affects the growth of the fibrous roots of citrus trees. This means that HLB-affected trees may have reduced root volume, which impacts water uptake. A greenhouse study was conducted from October 2019 to July 2021 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and …

New Center to Accelerate HLB Solutions

Tacy Callies Breeding, Technology

By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP My job is to help you make money. By changing the way the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) does business in pursuing citrus solutions, I hope to change your business for the better. We’ve just launched a UF/IFAS Crop Transformation Center (CTC). It has the potential to speed delivery …

Mulch Suppresses Psyllids in Young Trees 

Tacy Callies Psyllids, Tip of the Week

By Jawwad A. Qureshi, Lauren Diepenbrock and Davie Kadyampakeni  Protecting citrus trees from the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is critical to reducing the spread and severity of huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The frequent availability of viable shoots in young trees is attractive to psyllid colonization, feeding and oviposition events. UV-metalized reflective mulches reflect ultraviolet light, which is disturbing for some insects …

Food Traceability Rule: Overview and Requirements

Tacy Callies Food Safety, Regulation

By Clara Diekman and Michelle Danyluk The Food Traceability Rule (FTR) is a federal regulation that establishes recordkeeping requirements for persons who manufacture, process, pack or hold foods on the Food Traceability List (FTL). The goal of this rule is to help the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identify and remove potentially contaminated food from the market more rapidly, …

march

All In For Citrus Podcast, December 2023

Tacy Callies All In For Citrus Podcast

In the December episode of the All In For Citrus podcast, Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), gave a tip of the hat and congratulations to Ruth Borger who retired this fall. Borger was the CREC communications specialist. She transitioned to this position after eight …

Sneak Peek: January 2024 Citrus Industry

Tacy Callies Sneak Peek

The January issue of Citrus Industry magazine rings in the new year with positive news! Find out how one Florida grower is producing up to 500 boxes per acre. Matt Machata tells how he rehabilitated his family’s groves in Lake Wales. He shares the details of his dry fertilizer and foliar application schedules. Attention to nutrition, irrigation and soil health …

A Tool to Help Assess Tree Health

Tacy Callies Tip of the Week

By Tripti Vashisth, Taylor Livingston and Jamie Burrow Canopy density is one of the most effective measurements to assess tree health of HLB-affected trees. Canopy density accurately distinguished between high and low fruit-producing trees in field trials, whereas CLas Ct value has been found to not be correlated with fruit yield. Many new tools such as nutrient management guidelines, plant …

Finger Lime Interest Expands in Florida

Tacy Callies Limes

Florida is not a major producer of finger limes — yet. Australia has the most finger lime acreage in the world, and most U.S. finger limes are grown in California and Hawaii. But Florida’s acreage is expanding, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) horticulturist Manjul Dutt reported during a Dec. 20 presentation at the Citrus Research …

Bud Advisories Help Growers Time Psyllid Sprays

Tacy Callies Industry News Release

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is reminding citrus growers that flower bud advisories are now being issued. The UF/IFAS advisories can help growers determine when to spray for HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids and when to stop spraying in an effort to protect pollinating bees. Tripti Vashisth, a UF/IFAS associate professor of horticultural sciences, will …

Steam Aids Herbicide in Goat Weed Control

Tacy Callies weeds

Using steam and a low dose of herbicide helped control goat weed in citrus better than a higher dose of herbicide, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers found. Goat weed, which poses major challenges for citrus, is found throughout the Southeast — from Texas, east to South Carolina and south to Florida. “It produces many …

New AgTech Expo Looks at Rapidly Moving Sector

Tacy Callies Events, Technology

The Gulf Citrus Growers Association and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center presented the Florida AgTech and AI Expo in Punta Gorda on Dec. 14. The event showcased emerging trends in technology and how some farms are putting ag technology to work in the real world. In addition to …