factors

Factors That Impact Control of Citrus Leprosis

Daniel Cooper Brazil, Diseases

Several factors can influence the period of citrus leprosis control after acaricide applications, according to a study by Daniel Andrade, a professor and researcher from São Paulo State University in Brazil. The research aimed to better understand how these factors can affect and increase the leprosis control period. “We studied acaricides, the moment of application of the acaricide, the presence …

Diseases Without Borders: Leprosis and Yellow Vein Clearing Viruses

Josh McGill Diseases

By Ozgur Batuman Plant virus diseases are unusually difficult to manage if introduced into new production sites. Citrus-infecting viruses, particularly those spread by insect vectors, are no exception to this. Florida is regularly challenged by a barrage of invasive pests and pathogen species that could devastate the citrus industry. Viruses causing citrus leprosis and citrus yellow vein clearing diseases are …

Alert Issued for Leprosis in Brazil

Josh McGill Brazil, Diseases

Brazil’s Fundecitrus is alerting citrus growers to take extra measures against leprosis during the current critical period for disease occurrence, May to September. At this time, fruit are in development, and the lack of rain favors outbreaks of the leprosis-transmitting mite. Leprosis is an important disease of Brazilian citrus that in recent years has caused significant damage to orange groves. …

Leprosis Management Recommendations for Brazil

Josh McGill Brazil, Diseases

Fundecitrus recently issued recommendations for leprosis management in Brazil. Leprosis has been expanding in the Brazilian citrus belt for the last six years and is an increasingly significant cause of fruit drop. The disease also causes a reduction in the useful life of the tree, weakened by defoliation and drying of the branches. The main disease management strategy is to …

Keep Leprosis From Re-entering Florida

Josh McGill Diseases, Florida

Citrus leprosis has not been reported in Florida since 1968, but researcher Ozgur Batuman called it “an approaching threat to Florida citrus” in a recent virtual seminar. Batuman, a citrus pathologist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, urged growers to be on the lookout for the disease. According …

Stay Aware of Citrus Leprosis Symptoms

Tacy Callies Diseases, Tip of the Week

By Amit Levy Citrus leprosis is an exotic viral disease not currently present in Florida citrus, although the virus is present in non-citrus hosts. This disease was reported in citrus in Florida and Brazil in the early 1900s, where it caused great crop and tree losses, but was eliminated from Florida in the early 1960s. In recent years, the disease …

Citrus Leprosis Poses a Threat to Florida

Tacy Callies Diseases

By Amit Levy, Ozgur Batuman, Peggy Sieburth and Lauren Diepenbrock Citrus leprosis is an exotic viral disease not currently present in Florida. This disease is of interest since it was reported in citrus in Florida and Brazil in the early 1900s, where it caused great crop and tree losses, but it was eliminated from Florida in the early 1960s. Currently, …

Citrus Leprosis: a Continuing Threat in Florida and North America

Tacy Callies Diseases

By Richard F. Lee The old-timers called citrus leprosis “nailhead rust.” Prevalent in Florida in the early 1900s, the disease was first called leprosis in the 1920s by H.S. Fawcett. Although the disease was widespread in Florida at one time, it mysteriously disappeared in the mid-1960s. L.C. Knorr [University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education …

leprosis

Researcher Provides Leprosis Update

Ernie Neff Diseases, Research

The citrus viral disease leprosis, found briefly in Florida in the 1960s, is now in South America, Central America and Mexico. Ron Brlansky, University of Florida professor emeritus, provided an update on the disease at a March OJ Break in Lake Alfred. “It (leprosis) causes fruit spotting, leaf spots, leaf drop, fruit drop and even some major twig dieback of …

Sneak Peek: September 2023 Citrus Industry

Josh McGill Citrus Expo, nursery, Sneak Peek

The Florida citrus industry has seen more than its fair share of challenges and changes in recent years. But through it all, Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery has been a constant positive presence. This is due to strong leadership from Nate and Anna Jameson and their ability to adapt to changing times. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently …

Trunk Injection Not a Silver Bullet for HLB

Josh McGill Diseases, HLB Management

Although trunk injection of oxytetracycline hydrochloride  (OTC-HCl) has received much recent press for its promise in managing HLB, there is still no silver bullet for the devastating disease. That was part of plant pathologist Ozgur Batuman’s message at a Dec. 10 seminar addressing HLB and other citrus diseases that may exacerbate HLB’s effects on trees. “There is no single effective …

Fundecitrus Researchers Attend Citrus Congress

Josh McGill Events, International

Researchers from Brazil’s Fundecitrus participated in the 14th International Citrus Congress held in Mersin, Turkey, Nov. 6–11. The event brought together participants from public and private research institutions, as well as the production and commercial sectors of citrus. Representatives from 28 countries participated in the congress, including the United States, South Africa, Australia, Israel and several countries in Europe. Fundecitrus …

Brazil’s First Orange Forecast for 2022–2023

Josh McGill Brazil, Crop Forecast

The 2022–2023 initial orange crop forecast for Brazil’s São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt is 316.95 million boxes. The forecast was published on May 26 by Fundecitrus and its cooperators. The projected volume is 20.53% higher than the previous crop, which totaled 262.97 million boxes. The orange production forecast includes:• 59.48 million boxes of Hamlin, Westin and Rubi• …

HLB Reduces Phytophthora Management Efficacy

Josh McGill HLB Management, Research

The pathogen phytophthora has long presented problems for Florida citrus growers. But the HLB disease that has plagued Florida since 2005 reduces the efficacy of phytophthora management, citrus pathologist Ozgur Batuman reported in a recent virtual seminar. Batuman, who works for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, said improved fungicide timing, number of applications and rates …

HLB Strategies From Zoom’okalee

Josh McGill HLB Management

In a Jan. 12 virtual Zoom seminar from Immokalee (dubbed “Zoom’okalee” in the presentation), researcher Ozgur Batuman reviewed old and new approaches to controlling HLB. The seminar was titled “Citrus Disease Trends We Should Heed: HLB, Phytophthora and Leprosis.” Batuman works for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) …

Citrus Diseases to Pay Attention to

Tacy Callies Diseases

Phytophthora and leprosis diseases can each substantially reduce productivity of a citrus tree, but when they attack trees already weakened by HLB, the result can be fatal. Ozgur Batuman, assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), explained how co-infection impacts HLB-infected trees during a recent UF/IFAS webinar. PHYTOPHTHORA DISEASESPhytophthora species are soil-borne fungal pathogens …

Stem Pitting Could Develop in Florida Citrus

Ernie Neff Diseases

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) stem pitting, which causes severe problems in Asia and other places, could develop in Florida, according to plant pathologist Amit Levy. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher at the Citrus Research and Education Center discussed the disease at this year’s virtual Citrus Expo. Noting that “early detection is essential,” Levy said …

Sneak Peek: February 2020 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy Callies Sneak Peek

The February issue of Citrus Industry magazine lets growers know what diseases to be on the lookout for this season and how best to spot them in the grove. University of Florida (UF) researchers Megan Dewdney and Evan Johnson give citrus growers tips on planning for disease management in 2020 in their article. Citrus canker, greasy spot, melanose, black spot …

Inside Brazil’s Citrus Industry

Tacy Callies Brazil

By Stephen H. Futch and Rhuanito S. Ferrarezi Many changes have taken place in the Brazilian citrus industry over the past 20 years as growers battle pests, diseases and market challenges. Throughout this process, the industry has encountered difficulties but has continued to maintain production through innovative practices that are founded in science, economics and sustainability. This article provides an …

Managing Mites in Florida Citrus

Tacy Callies Pests

By Lukasz L. Stelinski, Jawwad A. Qureshi and Philip A. Stansly Florida citrus is host to four main groups of mites categorized by differences in lineage and morphology. However, only rust mites, spider mites and broad mites historically cause economic damage to commercially grown citrus in the state. The fourth group, referred to as false spider mites, are vectors elsewhere …