During a historically low period of Florida citrus production, Inverness grower Chuck Bellamy has found a way to keep fruit on his trees. In the June cover story of Citrus Industry magazine, he tells what regenerative practices have reduced fruit drop in his grove. Not only is he keeping more oranges; he has lowered his production costs in the process.
Cover crops are just one part of Bellamy’s formula for success. An article by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Sarah Strauss, Emma Dawson and Elayna Karlsen-Ayala explains how cover crops improve soil health. The authors discuss how soil health is measured and give examples of soil health indicators.
In addition to cover crops, organic amendments, such as compost, are another resource growers are employing to improve soil health. However, compost applications can result in increased weed pressure. Fortunately, there are ways to combat this problem. Ute Albrecht, Ankit Pokhrel, Sarah Strauss and Ramdas Kanissery of UF/IFAS address how to successfully integrate the use of organic soil amendments and weed management in their article. They share research results on which herbicides were most effective in suppressing weeds.
Finally, read the latest research on identifying HLB therapeutics with citrus tristeza virus-based vectors. UF/IFAS scientist Choaa El Mohtar describes how the technique is helping researchers get one step closer to developing HLB-resistant plants.
Find all of these articles and more in the June issue of Citrus Industry, coming soon to your mailbox or inbox. If you are not already receiving the magazine, subscribe here.
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