Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) provides citrus growers with a way to overcome the challenges of huanglongbing (HLB) disease. While grapefruit is the predominant variety grown in CUPS, research is underway to expand the varieties grown under screen. That’s one of the remaining CUPS research hurdles for Arnold Schumann, professor of soil fertility and water quality at the University of …
By John M. Chater Huanglongbing (HLB) has changed the citrus landscape in Florida in many ways. One important consideration is rootstock selection. HLB affects the growth rate of a citrus tree substantially. Trees grow at a much slower rate on average compared to healthy trees. In the citrus under protected screen (CUPS) environment, trees can grow faster than a healthy …
Huanglongbing (HLB), shifting consumer preferences and rising production costs are reshaping the citrus juice industry. These challenges are making fruit quality and efficient use of available crops increasingly important, a new research review reports. The researchers identify HLB as a major challenge for juice production. The disease reduces tree health, increases fruit drop and lowers yields. It can also change …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Every so often, a name from Florida’s early citrus days rises above the rest — not just because of what they built, but because of how deeply their work shaped the communities around them. John Stansel Taylor is one of those names. If you grew up anywhere near Largo or Pinellas County, you’ve felt his influence …
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently hosted a citrus under protective screen (CUPS) and individual protective covers (IPCs) field day at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. The two approaches have proven effective in excluding the Asian citrus psyllid and HLB disease from trees. During the event, a panel discussion featured …
University of Georgia Professor Liang Dong is developing sensor technologies designed to detect drought, disease and insect pressure before signs of plant stress are visible. The goal is to help farmers make faster, more informed management decisions. Dong is the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) eminent scholar in precision agriculture and also serves as associate director for research at the Institute …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Oct. 13 it is awarding $86.6 million in grant funding to support the specialty crop industry through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The funding includes citrus-specific projects in Arizona, California, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. ARIZONA University of Arizona Yuma Agricultural Center has funding of $94,506 to deploy two real-time flux tower systems in …
Controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) may help improve leaf nutrition in citrus trees affected by huanglongbing (HLB), but choosing the right fertilizer program is critical to maintaining yields, according to new research. A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences study compared two CRF programs with a conventional fertilizer program in mature Valencia sweet orange trees growing in Florida’s sandy …
Fruitnet Citrus Congress 2026 will assemble growers, exporters, importers, retailers, breeders, technology providers and other industry specialists to address fresh citrus marketing Nov. 24–25 in Valencia, Spain. At the heart of this year’s program is an international panel bringing together players from Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Spain and South Africa. As new suppliers claim a greater share of the European market, …
Researchers have identified two emerging bacterial species on Rangpur limes in Brazil, highlighting the importance of food-safety practices when citrus is grown near livestock or poultry operations. The researchers investigated three bacterial strains recovered during screening of lactic acid bacteria from Rangpur limes. One strain was identified as Escherichia albertii and two as Kosakonia cowanii. The researchers used biochemical testing, …
Sponsored Content The world today is experiencing significant geopolitical turmoil. For the Florida citrus industry, one important question is how to turn this uncertainty into an opportunity. While the United States is certainly not immune to global challenges, our country remains in a relatively strong position compared to many others. The United States has become the world’s largest producer of …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced on Oct. 7 the establishment of a West Indian fruit fly quarantine in Port Isabel, Cameron County, Texas. APHIS took the action in cooperation with the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). The action parallels the quarantine established by TDA on Aug. 21. APHIS is taking this action …
A new study suggests that tackling both the bacterium responsible for huanglongbing (HLB) and the tree’s own response to infection may offer a better path for managing the disease. A report on the research — “Combating citrus greening disease by simultaneously targeting the pathogen and callose-mediated phloem occlusion” — examines how the disease disrupts the movement of sugars through citrus …
By Lauren Diepenbrock Fall in Florida is not generally a time for insect, mite and other invertebrate pest populations to decline rapidly. In Florida citrus, we often see the opposite of this. MITES In the hot, dry end of summer and early fall, mite populations often soar, requiring management to prevent excessive damage to fruits. See The Florida Citrus Production …
On the cusp of another harvest season, Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association, believes there will be a bumper crop in the South Georgia, North Florida and South Alabama areas. “I’ve not talked to a single person who has said, ‘I’m not going to have fruit this year’ — not with satsumas and not with Cara Caras. …
Florida Citrus Mutual and the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation held joint board and field meetings in Fort Pierce on Oct. 15. Nearly 70 citrus growers, researchers and industry leaders came together to explore the latest research, emerging technologies and opportunities to strengthen Florida’s citrus industry. The day began at Picos Farm, an experimental research site at the …
The 2026 Citrus Achievement Award winner, Ned Hancock, has seen his groves and acreage decline over the past 20 years as HLB has ravaged the Florida citrus industry. But he believes there are some positive signs pointing the industry in the right direction. This year’s final crop estimate, putting production slightly ahead of the previous year, was among those positive …
Citrus growers and researchers know that oxytetracycline (OTC) trunk injection can reduce the amount of the bacterium associated with huanglongbing (HLB) disease and improve fruit production and juice quality. However, new research shows the treatment also causes changes in microbial functions around citrus roots. Researchers conducted a field study in a commercial Southwest Florida orchard containing 8-year-old Valencia sweet orange …
In 2025, high school student Tanishka Aglave regaled the Highlands County Citrus Growers Association (HCCGA) annual meeting with a discussion of her prize-winning investigation into a natural alternative treatment for HLB. Instead of using the standard HLB treatment oxytetracycline (OTC) as a trunk injection, she injected HLB-infected trees with an extract from the Indian curry leaf plant. She reported that …
University of California, Riverside (UCR) citrus researcher Mikeal Roose is among 23 honorees across the University of California (UC) campuses who recently received UC Regents Innovation Awards. Roose is credited with co-developing the seedless Tango mandarin. The awards recognize UC faculty members whose research has real-world impact. Roose was among 11 honored in the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award category for …
