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Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “donaldson”
U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) scientists are studying the possibility of the Donaldson sweet orange replacing the HLB-ravaged Hamlin in orange juice (OJ). The scientists work at the U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory in Fort Pierce, Florida. While assessing citrus trees with oranges that might be used for commercial OJ production, the scientists found the Donaldson tree at the …
The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on June 14 received an update about a program for expedited propagation, in which 23 nurseries are participating. The goal of the expedited tree propagation program is to have several million HLB-tolerant or HLB-resistant trees planted in the next several years. Rosa Walsh, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) director of scientific research, provided the update. …
During this summer’s Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference, Matthew Mattia, a post-doctoral associate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), discussed his work to identify the origins of the Donaldson citrus variety. The variety is a single tree on the USDA A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm near Groveland, Florida. Mattia was the first to discover the tree on the farm in …
The Florida Department of Citrus’ Program for Expedited Propagation (PEP) of HLB-tolerant and resistant trees was conceived during the 2022 Florida legislative session following the discovery of the Donaldson tree among the collection at Whitmore Farms. The goal is to provide the resources needed to ramp up availability of Donaldson trees and others like it, so that growers interested in …
A recently discovered HLB-infected tree that is producing high levels of fruit holds hope for Florida’s citrus industry, according to Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) Chairman Steve Johnson. “By now, many of you have heard about the Donaldson tree,” said Johnson. “Recently rediscovered at USDA’s (U.S. Department of Agriculture) Whitmore Farm, this decades-old tree is abundantly producing early-season oranges and despite …
The Florida Citrus Show marked another successful event in March in Fort Pierce. The show provided attendees with a fun, informative day to learn about citrus and specialty crops while engaging with exhibitors during the tailgate-style trade show. CRAFT UPDATE Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) programs have been very popular with growers and have incentivized new citrus plantings across …
The Citrus Industry section of the April 2026 issue of Specialty Crop Grower highlights ongoing efforts to strengthen Florida’s citrus sector amid challenges. Articles this month showcase education, nutrient management and variety development. A recap of the Florida Citrus Show details a successful March event in Fort Pierce that combined education with a lively tailgate-style trade show. Growers Daniel Hunt, …
By Peter Chaires Commercial and nursery growers, processors, packers, suppliers, caretakers, associations and research scientists came together on Dec. 5 to participate in the A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm Open House and Field Day. This great event is co-hosted annually by the Florida Citrus Research Foundation (FCRF) and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). TOUR The event provided a broad …
Valencia SPB 1-14-19 remained the most propagated Florida citrus variety for at least the fourth straight year in 2024–25, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). The FDACS Division of Plant Industry’s Bureau of Citrus Budwood Registration recently released the Citrus Budwood Annual Report 2024–25. The report is a highly detailed 44-page document. US-942 returned as …
By Peter Chaires In July, the Florida Foundation Seed Producers Inc. (FFSP) advised the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) and the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) of eight newly released University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus varieties that may fall under F.S. 601.13 (4). This state statute provides the FCC with a first option to obtain …
In early December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hosted its annual field day at the A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm in Groveland, Florida. The field day was canceled last year due to Hurricane Milton. The storm brought 110 mph winds that stripped trees of fruit and caused other damage. The field day showcased various rootstocks and varieties that have been …
There has been high interest in the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation programs recently as a new cycle of applications has been bolstered by record funding of more than $100 million from the Florida Legislature. This includes the introduction of a new CRAFT program called the Emerging Varieties Program. It will provide citrus growers with a $40 per …
The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation recently announced that the Florida Legislature allocated an historic amount of funding to citrus research in the 2025–26 state budget. CRAFT is expected to receive $104.5 million of the allocated funding to continue applied research through large-scale field trials. The CRAFT Foundation is designing new programs with this investment. Information about the upcoming …
By Peter Chaires The 2024–25 citrus season is another challenging one for Florida’s valued citrus nurseries. Uncertainty has been the consummate challenge for nurseries trying to anticipate grower needs. One large nursery grower recently interviewed believes that door-yard propagations are now nearing commercial propagations. Who would have ever thought we would see this happen? However, after a dismal 2022–23 propagation …
The Florida Citrus State of the Industry Survey seeks input from growers on key issues affecting their groves. The survey has been conducted for many years, has tracked the trajectory of HLB and reported on production practices. While not a scientific survey, it has reflected general trends over the years. Last month, we published results on trunk-injection therapy and the …
Specialty crop growers might be aware of the disease sweeping through Florida’s citrus industry. Its impact has been tremendous and has tested the survival of the state’s signature crop. This year will mark the 20th anniversary of the official confirmation of citrus greening disease (also known as huanglongbing or HLB) in Florida. In the past two decades, the state’s output …
By Peter Chaires The summer of 2024 has been one of suspense, hope and anticipation. There is great suspense in learning how many acres will remain in citrus production, be repurposed or worse yet, be developed. There is a great sense of hope that Mother Nature will provide ideal growing conditions for the crop, and natural disaster recovery will not …
By Peter Chaires The New Varieties Development and Management Corp. (NVDMC) has awarded funding to citrus projects for the 2024–25 season. Exciting things are happening in crop transformation, but significant progress is also being made in conventional breeding. The NVDMC board continues to support conventional breeding projects, each with a focus on near-term results, while still setting a foundation for …
By Peter Chaires The Georgia Citrus Association held its seventh annual meeting on Feb. 27 at the University of Georgia (UGA) campus in Tifton. As usual, the event was well organized and well attended. The agenda included topics such as: It was a value-packed day. HLB RECOMMENDATIONS Roger Smith of TreeSource Citrus Nursery in Woodlake, California, traveled quite a distance …
A pair of panel discussions during the citrus seminars at the Florida Citrus Show gave growers the opportunity to engage with experts on top-of-mind topics. BREEDER RECOMMENDATIONS The citrus seminar program started with a discussion among citrus breeders moderated by Flavia Zambon, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor at the Indian River Research and …
