University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are conducting a grower survey about the use of oxytetracycline (OTC) trunk injection in citrus production. The researchers want to learn about the adoption, efficacy and economic feasibility of OTC injections. The survey, which can be accessed here, will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. It should be completed …
Tips for Trunk Injection of Oxytetracycline
By Ute Albrecht and Ozgur Batuman Follow these important tips for proper trunk injection of oxytetracycline as a citrus therapeutic. APPLICATION TIMING INJECTION TECHNIQUE ADDITIONAL ADVICE Ute Albrecht (ualbrecht@ufl.edu) and Ozgur Batuman (obatuman@ufl.edu) are associate professors at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. Sponsored Content5 Facts About Fire …
How Much Yield Is Needed to Offset the Cost of Injecting Trees With Oxytetracycline?
By Ariel Singerman Citrus growers in Florida are now allowed to inject their trees with oxytetracycline (OTC) to try to control Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus and/or suppress citrus greening. The use of OTC is expected to improve the trees’ health and, in turn, increase yield. In this article, cost estimates are used to address the question of what yield response is …
Research Update on Oxytetracycline Injection for HLB Management
By Ute Albrecht The German scientist Paul Ehrlich pioneered the research for “magic bullets” — chemicals that could kill a microorganism but did not harm the patient. He also coined the term “chemotherapy” and paved the way for developing synthetic drugs. The first synthetic antibiotic (the first sulfa-type antibiotic) to successfully treat human bacterial diseases without major side effects was …
Latest CRDF Funding Includes Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride Projects
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors convened its March meeting with a busy agenda, addressing fast-moving current events. Discussion focused on newly approved oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC-HCl) trunk-injection products currently being applied in groves. The board funded a project to measure the impact of OTC-HCI applications on the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). Specifically, the study will determine …
Citrus Agent Discusses Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride Products
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) multi-county citrus Extension agent Ajia Paolillo recently provided information about two commercial oxytetracycline hydrochloride products approved for use against HLB. TJ Biotech LLC was the first company to receive approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for trunk injection of this formulation. EPA granted TJ Biotech a Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, …
Injectable Oxytetracycline Registered
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) on Oct. 28 granted a 24(c) special local need registration for the injection of ReMedium TI for the control or suppression of HLB. The TJ BioTech product is oxytetracycline (OTC) hydrochloride, an antibiotic. “EPA (the federal Environmental Protection Agency) has 90 days to object, but it is my understanding that growers …
Oxytetracycline Product Promises Timely Relief From HLB
What may be the closest thing yet to a timely silver bullet for HLB was discussed Oct. 26 at Lake Alfred’s Citrus Research and Education Center. Josh Steinbronn, director of research and development at TJ BioTech, said trunk injection of his company’s ReMedium TI oxytetracycline product suppresses Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the causal agent of HLB. He added that injection …
Citrus Industry Weighs In on Oxytetracycline Trunk Injection
Trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) has been proposed as a means to manage HLB in citrus. University of Florida research shows OTC injections increase yield and fruit quality but cause tree injury. TJ BioTech expects to receive EPA registration in late fall of this year for an OTC product that could be injected into trees. Florida citrus industry growers and …
Adjuvants Did Not Improve Delivery of Foliar-Applied Oxytetracycline
In 2016, federal authorities began allowing Florida citrus growers to spray oxytetracycline solutions on their trees to combat citrus greening disease. Since then, researchers have been investigating oxytetracycline delivery methods. In a Citrus Expo presentation, Christopher Vincent, assistant professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, shared …
Oxytetracycline Sprays vs. Trunk Injections
Since 2016, federal authorities have allowed Florida citrus growers to spray oxytetracycline solutions on their trees to combat citrus greening disease. A newly published University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) study suggests that the bactericide would be more effective if it were injected into citrus tree trunks, a practice not currently approved under U.S. law. Citrus …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: What’s on Tap for 2024–25
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 …
Reasons to Believe HLB Is Beatable
Growers gathered in Bonita Springs in mid-June for the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference. The event hosted by Florida Citrus Mutual drew a good crowd. The mood of growers was mixed. While there was hope that HLB trunk-injection therapies might have resulted in more dramatic improvements to this year’s crop, there also was recognition that these therapies represent one of …
Low pH Does Not Cause Tree Injury in Trunk Injections
Sponsored Content In this special series, Tom Johnson, owner of TJ BioTech, tackles questions about optimizing trunk-injection applications to treat HLB. Q: Some are suggesting that oxytetracycline injections may be creating tree injury due to low pH. What have you learned about this from your ongoing research? Tom Johnson: A substantial amount of research has been conducted by TJ BioTech …
Alico Increases Production and Names New Chairman
Alico, Inc.’s Citrus Division harvested more fruit in the three months and nine months ended June 30 than during the same periods in the prior fiscal year. Harvests for the three-month and nine-month periods were approximately 0.8 million and 3.1 million boxes, respectively, compared to 0.4 million boxes and 2.7 million boxes, respectively, in the prior fiscal year. POUND SOLIDS AND …
Fourth Generation to Lead Fresh Citrus Business
There have been many challenges faced by the Florida citrus industry in its long and storied history. Innovative growers have found ways to overcome those challenges, making citrus one of the core industries in the state. Few would argue that HLB is not the biggest challenge to date, but growers continue to innovate to try to save the industry. A …
Preview of the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo Seminars
In the July All In For Citrus podcast, Tripti Vashisth, associate professor of horticultural sciences with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), gave a sneak peek of the citrus educational seminars at the upcoming Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The event takes place on Aug. 21–22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. Vashisth coordinated …
CRDF Approves Project to Enhance Breeding Efforts
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) convened for its July board of directors meeting with several projects under consideration. The board approved funding of a work program for the plant improvement teams of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The project is funded for three years. It …
Label Change Is Great News for Growers
Sponsored Content In this special series, Tom Johnson, owner of TJ BioTech, tackles questions about optimizing trunk-injection applications to treat HLB. Q: What does the special local need label for ReMedium TI® mean for citrus growers heading into next season? Tom Johnson: TJ BioTech recently requested a ReMedium TI® label change from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. …
Ag Policy Leaders to Headline Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo
The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo is scheduled for Aug. 21–22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. This year’s event will be the second at the fairgrounds — a venue which was well received by attendees of last year’s Expo. The event features an expansive trade show providing growers with an opportunity to learn about the products and services …