Citrus thrips

California Growers Gear Up for Citrus Thrips Threat

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests

Citrus thrips caused serious problems for many California growers last year. This year, growers appear to be gearing up in case it is another bad season for thrips. “Going into this spring, there’s a lot of eyes on it,” said Colby Campbell, general manager of Cobblestone Fruit. “Everybody’s watching, and I think everybody has made preparations. Guys have called ahead …

breeding program

California Citrus Breeding Program Gets More Funds

Daniel Cooper Breeding, California Corner

The presidents of the Citrus Research Board (CRB) and California Citrus Mutual (CCM) applauded congressional leaders for recently approving additional funds for the new citrus breeding program in Parlier, California. Congress is allocating an additional $500,000 in federal funding on top of the $1 million granted last year to expand the program into California. The program will now receive $1.5 million in …

valencia orange

Valencia Orange Forecast for California

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Crop Forecast

California’s 2023–24 Valencia orange forecast, issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), is 16 million cartons. The forecast was based on the results of the 2023–24 Valencia Orange Objective Measurement Survey conducted from Jan. 2 to Feb. 27. CDFA reported that Southern and Central California have received significantly more rain than usual over the winter and spring, …

areas

HLB Quarantine Areas Expanded in California

Daniel Cooper California Corner, HLB Management, Regulation

Federal and state agriculture officials have expanded the areas quarantined for huanglongbing (HLB; also known as citrus greening) in California. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).  APHIS is adding portions of Los Angeles, San Diego and Ventura counties …

california

California Citrus Growers Anticipate Good Year Despite Challenges

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests, Production

Two California citrus industry leaders recently shared their perspectives on the prospects of the industry.  Al Bates, chief executive officer and president of Sun Pacific, said the yield for this year’s crop is mediocre but that “the fruit size is larger and ideal from a consumer perspective.”  The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) projected a 1% increase in …

bill

Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Prompts California Bill

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Legislative, Pests

California Assembly member Eloise Reyes on Feb. 15 introduced a bill establishing a statewide goal to manage the introduction and spread of invasive species across California. Assembly Bill 2827 was introduced in response to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) quarantine for the Redlands and Yucaipa areas of San Bernardino County due to impacts of the Oriental Fruit …

fruit fly

California Fruit Fly Quarantines Expanded Again

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Agriculture officials expanded the Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis/OFF) quarantine in California’s San Bernardino and Riverside counties on Dec. 22, 2023. On Dec. 27, 2023 and Jan. 17, 2024, they expanded the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata/Medfly) quarantine in Los Angeles County. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) …

Citrus Showcase

Citrus Showcase Coming to California

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Events

California Citrus Mutual (CCM) will host the 2024 Citrus Showcase on March 14 at the Visalia Convention Center in Visalia, California. The event will feature informational workshops, continuing education unit-approved courses, a trade show and an industry luncheon. The luncheon keynote speaker will be California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross.  “We are extremely pleased to have a …

Identifying California’s Numerous Fruit Flies

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests

Sandipa Gautam, University of California area citrus integrated pest management advisor, recently wrote that California is experiencing an unusually high number of invasive fruit flies in the 2023–24 season. She noted that several areas in California are now under fruit fly quarantines. Excerpts from her article follow: Several species of invasive fruit flies that belong to the family Tephritidae are …

cycle 2

California’s CRaFT Accepting Cycle 2 Applications

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Psyllids

California’s Citrus Research and Field Trials (CA-CRaFT) program is now accepting Cycle 2 applications from commercial growers. This initiative aims to showcase the efficacy of additional control measures against the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). ACP is the carrier of the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus bacterium causing huanglongbing (HLB) disease in citrus. For Cycle 2, applications will be accepted until program capacity …

Yellow Vein Clearing Virus Spreads in California

Tacy Callies California Corner, Diseases

Positive identifications of citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV) have been found in the Hacienda Heights area of Los Angeles County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the identifications during the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) routine multi-pest survey. This is the second area in California where CYVCV has been detected. The …

California Researchers Seek HLB Tolerance

Tacy Callies California Corner, HLB Management, Research

University of California, Riverside (UCR) has received three federal grants totaling more than $11 million for research focused on instilling HLB-tolerance in citrus trees. The grants are from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The funding was enabled by the 2018 Agricultural Improvement Act, which authorized the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Development …

california

New Neonicotinoid Regulations in California

Tacy Callies California Corner, Pesticides, Regulation

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) has adopted new regulations to protect pollinators from the hazards associated with exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides containing the active ingredients clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. The regulations affect the application of these pesticides on certain food and feed crops, including citrus. Product labels will not be updated with these requirements. CDPR suggests that …

California Fruit Fly Quarantines Continue to Expand

Tacy Callies California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Federal and state officials have expanded Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata; Medfly), Zeugodacus tau fruit fly and Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni; QFF) quarantines in California. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The Medfly and tau fruit fly quarantines …

California Leads U.S. Grapefruit Production

Tacy Callies Grapefruit, Production

For the third season in a row, California led the nation in grapefruit production again in 2022–23. Over the past decade, the title of top grapefruit-producing state has alternated between Florida, California and Texas. But the Florida citrus industry continues to decline, and Texas grapefruit producers experienced a major setback in February 2021 with Winter Storm Uri. California produced 160,000 …

frost season

Frost Season Arrives in California

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Weather

California Citrus Mutual (CCM) recently reported that the 2023 frost season is underway for the state’s San Joaquin Valley citrus growers. “That means growers will be closely monitoring weather forecasts to prepare for any cold spells that may sweep through the valley in the coming months,” the citrus growers’ trade association stated.  Although long periods of below-freezing temperatures are of …

requirements

HLB Quarantine Requirements Updated for California

Daniel Cooper California Corner, HLB Management, Regulation

California’s Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD) has officially updated the requirements for moving bulk citrus fruit within and from a huanglongbing (HLB) quarantine area to a packer/processor. CPDPD is part of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Here’s an overview of the newly updated requirements, per the CPDPD’s Citrus Grower/Grove Manager Information page: All fruit, no matter …

quarantine

New HLB Quarantine Area for California

Daniel Cooper California Corner, HLB Management, Regulation

A newly established quarantine area has been declared following the detection of HLB in five trees in the Valley Center area of California’s San Diego County. The trees were located on a residential property with non-commercial citrus acreage. This is the first time the disease has been confirmed in Valley Center, marking the third area in San Diego County to …

phytophthora diseases

Phytophthora Diseases in California Citrus

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Diseases

Greg Douhan with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) recently wrote about phytophthora diseases in California citrus. Edited excerpts follow: There are at least four species of Phytophthora species (P. citrophthora, P. parasitica, P. syringae and P. hibernalis) associated with citrus in California. The three diseases in citrus caused by these fungal-like pathogens are phytophthora root rot, phytophthora …

fruit fly

Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Expanded in California

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests, Regulation

The Oriental fruit fly (OFFor Bactrocera dorsalis) quarantine in San Bernardino and Riverside counties in California was expanded in October and November by federal and state agriculture authorities. The actions were taken on Oct. 12, Nov. 3, Nov. 9 and Nov. 17 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of …