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News for citrus growers around the globe
High wind speeds were prevalent when Hurricane Debby passed through the North Florida region last week. Perry, Florida, received the brunt of those winds. According to Lisa Strange, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension agent in Taylor County, wind speeds were recorded at 80 miles per hour. It led to some citrus trees toppling over. Others …
Through Hort Innovation investments on behalf of growers and the Australian government, the National Citrus Repository Program has been established as an ‘insurance policy’ to protect Australia’s citrus industry against destructive, incurable diseases. The repository houses more than 120 publicly-owned true-to-type ‘foundation tree’ variety clones so growers can access clean, disease-free planting material for assured quality and yield protection. According …
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service forecasters issued an Atlantic hurricane outlook update on Aug. 8 very similar to its initial outlook issued in May. Both outlooks projected an above-normal hurricane season. The forecasters updated the number of expected named storms to 17 to 24 (with winds of 39 mph or greater), of which eight to 13 …
Sponsored Content In this special series, Tom Johnson, owner of TJ BioTech, tackles questions about optimizing trunk-injection applications to treat HLB. Q: Is there more to the purity of a trunk injection of ReMedium TI® than just the purity of the active ingredient? Tom Johnson: The purity of a trunk injection is important to the overall performance of the active …
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 …
Since no cure exists for citrus greening-diseased plants, Brazilian researchers are developing ways to modify orange trees and the environment around groves to make it harder for greening-spreading psyllids to thrive. LOCATION AND LAYOUT The ideal grove envisioned by Fundecitrus researchers, in collaboration with the Spanish National Research Council/Polytechnic University of Valencia and Durham University (England), starts with a careful …
By Michael E. Rogers Do you plan to attend the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo on Aug. 21–22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa? If so, you’ll want to stop by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Extension booth to pick up the latest publication on HLB management assembled by UF/IFAS citrus experts. …
The University of Georgia (UGA) announced the appointment of citrus Extension specialist Mary Sutton and peach and citrus breeder Dario Chavez. MARY SUTTON Sutton will focus on maximizing citrus production and improving its efficiency in the face of challenges. Issues important to citrus production in Georgia include: Sutton received her master’s degree in horticulture from UGA in 2019 and her …
Global production of tangerines/mandarins, grapefruit and lemons/limes is expected to climb in 2023–24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) reported in its Citrus: World Markets and Trade publication. TANGERINES/MANDARINS Global tangerine/mandarin production for 2023–24 is estimated up 1.2 million tons to 38.2 million tons. Here are expectations for major producing countries: GRAPEFRUIT Global grapefruit production in …
The Orange Focus Group of the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) on July 23 cut its projections for navel and Valencia orange exports in the 2024 season. NAVELS The projected number of 15-kilogram cartons of navel orange exports is now 21 million. That continues the downward trajectory that was started in May when the season-opening estimate of 25.7 …
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 …
The second annual Growing Together Symposium was hosted at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in early August. The event was a forum for growers and agricultural industry professionals to learn about various business-related topics. Center director Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski welcomed attendees and noted the Apopka, Florida, facility is continuing its …
Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane researchers on Aug. 6 continued to call for an extremely active 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. The August forecast is the same as the July forecast for all parameters except for named storms, which was reduced from 25 to 23. Twelve of the named storms are predicted to reach hurricane strength. Six of the 12 hurricanes …
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 …
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is putting pesticide spray drift protections in place 15 years sooner in the review process for new pesticides than has historically occurred. The protections are for farmworkers, their families and the general public near where pesticides are applied. The earlier protections for spray drift were announced July 15. EPA will now assess the potential …
The impact of Hurricane Debby on the cold-hardy citrus region appears minimal, according to one industry expert. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association and member of the Georgia Citrus Commission, said any damage from the wind-heavy storm was limited to the younger citrus trees. Savelle has groves in Georgia’s Thomas County. YOUNG TREES “When we get a …
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 …
An Alabama citrus grower credits the surging population in Baldwin County for his success at marketing his satsuma crop. In retirement, Craig Goolsby has established a small but effective citrus operation. He has approximately 360 mature trees and planted another 150 last year. Goolsby is hoping to continue a strategy that’s focused largely on local marketing. Goolsby says he’s blessed …
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 …
By Jamie D. Burrow and Michaela Ivy Since the spring, planning has been underway for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus Extension team booth to be on display at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The event is Aug. 21–22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. The booth will be in the same …
