The Citrus Industry section of the August issue of Specialty Crop Grower magazine features practical production advice, a new variety resource, citrus marketing insights and more.
The section opens with a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) article explaining crop load management and alternate bearing in citrus. Fernando Alferez and Muhammad A. Shahid discuss why citrus trees naturally fluctuate between heavy and light crops, how HLB and weather conditions influence production, and management practices that can help improve yield consistency. Growers will learn about fruit thinning and why crop load management is becoming increasingly important as fresh-market citrus expands in the Southeast.
The August issue also introduces the new Citrus Research and Field Trial Foundation (CRAFT) column from Tamara Wood, interim executive director of CRAFT. Wood outlines the organization’s transition as it assumes responsibility for the research portfolio previously managed by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation. She explains how bringing research and field trials under one organization will help move promising discoveries from the laboratory to commercial groves more efficiently.
Choosing the right trees for new plantings remains one of the most important decisions growers make. Frank Giles highlights a new UF/IFAS Citrus Variety Guide that showcases more than 50 recently released cultivars and rootstocks. The article notes growers can use field-trial data and the redesigned UF/IFAS citrus website to compare scion-rootstock combinations and identify selections that best fit their production goals.
Artificial intelligence is changing the way consumers search for information, and the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) is adapting its marketing strategy accordingly. Giles reports on a presentation from the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference that explains how AI-powered search is reshaping digital marketing and what the department is doing to keep Florida citrus visible online. Digital edition readers can also watch one of the department’s most successful recent social media videos.
Also in the August issue, the FDOC’s Marisa Zansler examines the outlook for consumer demand for Florida citrus and the opportunities that remain despite lower production.
Brenda Eubanks Burnette’s Pieces of the Past column honors the legacy of the influential Parrish family. Peter Chaires’ Citrus Nursery Source recognizes longtime New Varieties Development & Management Corp. Chairman Frank Hunt for his years of dedicated service to the Florida citrus industry.
Don’t miss the August issue of Specialty Crop Grower, coming soon! New readers can subscribe here.
Share this Post