By Maegan Beatty
Earlier this month, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) hosted the 2025 Citrus Health Forum. Growers gathered to learn about citrus production and hear regional citrus updates.
Muhammad Shahid, UF/IFAS assistant professor, presented information on optimizing nitrogen fertilization to enhance the quality of satsuma mandarins. Shahid and his postdoctoral researchers emphasized the importance of site-specific nitrogen management based on soil conditions and plant needs. Improper nitrogen levels — either excessive or insufficient — negatively affect fruit size, flavor and overall development. The session explored how nitrogen influences sweetness, acidity, peel texture, firmness and marketable yield. By implementing precise nitrogen strategies, Shahid said growers can improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact and enhance fruit quality.
During a field tour led by Shahid, participants learned about ongoing citrus research at the NFREC. The UF-950 rootstock trial is evaluating eight different rootstocks to determine the best combinations for improving fruit yield and quality. Shahid said growers showed strong interest in the variety evaluation block, where approximately15 citrus varieties are being tested for cold hardiness, fruit quality and yield potential. The tour also included a visit to a high-density satsuma planting block, where innovative techniques are being explored to maximize space and productivity.
“The field tour provided valuable insights into these cutting-edge research efforts and sparked meaningful discussions among growers about how these trials could shape the future of citrus production,” Shahid said.
Mary Sutton, University of Georgia assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, provided an update on Georgia citrus, following the recent storms that crossed the Southeast.
“The main takeaway is that citrus was pretty lucky this season,” Sutton said. “The hurricane (Helene) caused minimal damage to structural branches and there was a fair amount of fruit loss.”
It was estimated that around 30% of fruit was lost during the hurricane season. The damage varied based on location, but Sutton said that there was an estimated loss of around $18 million to the Georgia citrus industry.
As for the winter storm, areas in southern Georgia saw 3 to 12 inches of snow in January. This ultimately resulted in leaf loss across all types of citrus. However, the citrus trees still have a lot of green wood. Sutton said this suggests they will be able to recover the canopy they lost.
“Despite all this, Georgia still had a record year with around 15 million pounds produced,” she said.
Other topics discussed at the Citrus Health Forum included citrus greening, weed management and an update from the Cold Hardy Citrus Association. The event provided a valuable platform for industry professionals, researchers and growers to collaborate, share insights and explore strategies for overcoming challenges in the citrus industry.
Maegan Beatty is a University of Florida student and AgNet Media intern.
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