By Noor Ul Basar, Muhammad Adnan Shahid, Duplicate Sambani and Davie M. Kadyampakeni
Huanglongbing (HLB) remains the greatest challenge facing citrus production in Florida. While there is currently no cure for HLB, effective management of affected trees remains a primary focus for Florida citrus growers. Efficient nutrient management is an important strategy for maintaining the health and productivity of HLB-affected trees. However, the substantial decline in root health associated with HLB can reduce the efficiency of nutrient management strategies.
Therefore, exploring additional management tools that can enhance root growth, improve nutrient uptake efficiency and increase tree resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses remains important. In this context, biostimulants are increasingly being considered as a complementary tool in citrus production.
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) preliminary work on biostimulants in Florida orange and satsuma mandarin has shown significant improvements in fruit yield, root health, fruit quality, tree size and freeze tolerance. Thus, Florida citrus growers should consider biostimulants as a supplement rather than a replacement for conventional fertilizers and sound nutrient management practices. Humic and fulvic acids, beneficial microbes, and seaweed extracts are linked to nutrient acquisition, root development and higher root density.
Biostimulants play a substantial but conditional role in sustaining plant health. Therefore, growers should carefully follow product recommendations and evaluate their effectiveness under specific grove conditions. Strategic integration of biostimulants with existing management practices may be particularly beneficial under Florida’s sandy soil conditions, where maintaining a healthy root system and improving the efficiency of water and nutrient uptake are critical to sustaining the productivity of HLB-affected trees.
Noor Ul Basar is a research associate, Duplicate Sambani is a graduate student, and Davie M. Kadyampakeni is an associate professor, all at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Muhammad Adnan Shahid is an assistant professor at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy.
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