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News for citrus growers around the globe
Florida agricultural leaders launched an initiative to identify and implement climate-smart agriculture solutions and ecosystem services that benefit the public, producers and the planet. The Florida Climate Smart Agriculture (FLCSA) Work Group is the collaborative effort of Solutions from the Land (SfL) and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The multi-stakeholder effort is led by …
Florida and California specialty crop growers recently gathered for a virtual discussion presented by J.L. Farmakis, Inc. to talk about issues unique to their crops and regions. Citrus grower Lee Jones with Cross Covered Caretaking represented the Sunshine State. He shared some of the struggles and successes of growing citrus in Florida. Jones says one of the biggest challenges he …
Penn State and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have used cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas technology to develop a diagnostic test that could enable early diagnosis of huanglongbing (HLB). In a study newly published in the journal Phytopathology, the researchers demonstrated that the new test can detect the presence of the HLB causal agent — the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) — …
An extract from orange juice production is offering an eco-friendly way for developing transparent wood, an innovative structural material for building construction. Since it was first introduced in 2016, transparent wood has been developed by researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. The wood lets natural light through and can store thermal energy. The key to making …
It takes strong partnerships between the citrus industry and researchers to make advancements toward issues facing growers. This month’s All In For Citrus podcast details the importance of those partnerships, highlighting one special relationship that has been critical to variety development. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center Director Michael Rogers begins …
It may not officially be summer yet, but with temperatures heating up, Steve Johnson, chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission, has a reminder about the value of drinking orange juice (OJ) for hydration. “A glass of orange juice is a great hydration option in addition to water since it naturally contains a high percentage of water — almost 90%, says …
Hardee County, Florida, orange grower Kenny Sanders saw his orange production dip in the 2020-21 season compared to the prior year. However, he still made a good profit, thanks to strong fruit prices. “I went down from 400 boxes an acre to 308 boxes, which I can live with, but it’s not as nice,” Sanders said. “We had a good …
A group of scientists working in California, New York and Washington has found that Lisbon lemon trees had less of a molecular response than Washington navel orange trees to the pathogen that causes HLB. That pathogen is Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas). In part, this might be because leaves of infected lemons tended to accumulate micronutrients, which led to less of …
Beneficial insects could be a citrus grower’s best friend. In a time when producers are applying insecticides to control the Asian citrus psyllid, the vector of citrus greening disease, it’s important to preserve the psyllids’ natural enemies, like lady beetles and lacewings. Jawwad Qureshi, University of Florida entomologist, implores growers to scout their groves periodically to see what insects are …
Frequent irrigation with good quality water can improve fruit growth and development and overall productivity. By Tripti Vashisth HLB-affected citrus trees have small and weak root systems. Though the roots are efficient in taking up water and nutrients, there are not sufficient roots to support the tree’s canopy requirement. Therefore, the trees often experience water and nutrient deficit. Not all …
By Ute Albrecht and Leigh Archer Trunk injection is a targeted delivery of materials into the stem or trunk of trees as an alternative to spraying or soil drenching. It is practical for disease and pest management in high-value forest trees and ornamental plants where aerial applications are problematic because of environmental and human health-related concerns. Interest in using the …
New research affirms a unique stable antimicrobial peptide (SAMP) found in an Australian plant can destroy HLB and help prevent infection. Hailing Jin, University of California Riverisde geneticist who led the research, shared the exciting discovery during the 2021 Florida Citrus Show. The naturally occurring peptide is found in HLB-tolerant citrus relatives, such as the Australian finger lime. The peptide …
A researcher at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) in Greece is using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to estimate crop yield. “Crop yield is the most important piece of information for crop management in precision agriculture. Early crop yield estimations allow farmers to optimize farm operation scheduling, field management and product marketing decisions,” said AUA associate professor Spyros Fountas. Fountas …
Citrus researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are taking a more comprehensive look at how tools to manage HLB affect young trees. The goal is to develop integrated approaches and update management practices for growers. After one year of the research project, some interesting results are already emerging. The research project, “Establishing Healthy …
Florida citrus growers may have a new tool to help them slow the presence of HLB in already diseased trees, courtesy of researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The researchers found that injecting a benign Xylella fastidiosa EB92-1 bacteria biocontrol into infected citrus trees over a period of six years reduced the incidence …
Amid arguments about the troubled citrus industry and the health of farmworkers, a chemical company is challenging a state decision to block aldicarb, a pesticide that could help fight citrus greening disease. AgLogic Chemical, LLC filed an administrative challenge on May 11, about three weeks after the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) denied an application to use …
By Francisco Seva Rivadulla The Mexican lemon sector is betting on the diversification of international markets and has its sights set on the Asian market. Oliver Huesmann, director of Fruit Consulting and expert in the Asian market, says lemons have possibilities in all Asian countries. “What is needed is a promotion of this Mexican product so that the consumer knows …
Reductions in the projected Florida grapefruit and tangerine/tangelo crops were the only changes in the May 12 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) citrus crop forecast. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reduced Florida’s grapefruit crop projection by 2%, to 4.2 million boxes, down from 4.3 million boxes in April. The total 100,000-box reduction was in red grapefruit, which dipped to …
Companies spend a lot of time developing product labels. “The companies that make the crop protection products work very hard to make them right,” Valent USA’s Senior Field R&D Scientist Craig Campbell said. “I work on labels. They are there as the most important guide for a grower, an applicator or anyone using a pesticide.” In the latest episode of …
Monitoring tree nutrient content via sap analysis is a fairly new concept in Florida citrus, but has at least a decades-long history in other crops. That history and other background information about the technique were addressed in a recent University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) virtual seminar. The workshop’s purpose was to introduce Florida’s citrus growers …
