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News for citrus growers around the globe
(NSF) — In a legal battle that started in 2003, an appeals court Wednesday upheld a ruling that directed the state to pay more than $13.6 million to Lee County homeowners whose healthy citrus trees were cut down amid an effort to halt the spread of citrus-canker disease. A panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected arguments that …
By Jawwad Qureshi Management of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is needed in multiple environments, such as organic and conventional production systems and urban areas. However, the tools and approach may be different depending on the circumstances. Chemical control is the primary method used in commercial production to reduce psyllid populations, but the increased use of insecticides negatively affects the …
(UF/IFAS) — University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension will educate growers on how to protect their crops and prepare for cold weather at the upcoming Winter Weather School. This year, the event will address winter crop protection for citrus, blueberries and ornamental plants; all of which need cold protection during severe weather. “While we have …
Mark Ritenour with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) reports on evaluations of new fresh mandarin and sweet orange selections. Ritenour is a professor at the Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce. Ritenour lists four mandarin varieties that had “100 percent healthy fruit” after six or seven weeks in storage, even without being …
Helping manage their father’s business — Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery in Frostproof, Florida — was an easy career choice for Levette Rucks and her brother, Phil Rucks Jr. “I feel it’s in my blood,” says General Manager Levette, who earned a master’s degree in accounting at the University of Florida in 2013. “When I was growing up, my dad (Phil …
Fred Gmitter provided an update at Citrus Expo on University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus varieties, including OLL-20 and Bingo. Gmitter is a UF/IFAS citrus plant breeder and geneticist at the Citrus Research and Education Center. Gmitter said OLL-20, a new sweet orange, has “exceptional flavor characteristics … It looks to be something that could …
Holly Bell, director of cannabis for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, provides an optimistic update on the future of hemp in Florida. Bell spoke at the first Florida Industrial Hemp Conference and Exhibition held Nov. 3–5 in Orlando. Following her presentation, she talked with Southeast AgNet’s Tacy Callies. According to Bell, growing hemp in Florida became legal …
(IMG) — IMG Citrus, a family-owned, vertically integrated citrus grower, packer and shipper in Vero Beach, Florida, is reintroducing white grapefruit to the U.S. market. Most white grapefruit is exported directly from the United States to its primary market in Japan, where it maintains consistently high popularity. However, IMG Citrus will be expanding its white grapefruit consumer base to the …
(UF/IFAS) — As citrus growers, packers, processors, gift-fruit shippers and others taste, feel and smell the latest varieties from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), they hope their taste buds explode with flavor and that a fresh aroma fills the room at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). These participants will get two more …
(NSF) — Hurricane Irma continues to challenge Florida’s citrus industry. Two growing seasons separated from the September 2017 storm that flooded groves and uprooted citrus trees across the state, the industry has seen production rebound quicker than some anticipated. But now the problem is an oversupply of citrus because of fruit from other countries, and Florida growers may be forced …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock provides an update on the long-horned beetle, the newest Florida citrus pest. The beetle was discovered in a Hendry County grove in September. Diepenbrock reports that a grove crew worker “hit a branch and the branch fell right off.” After finding a hole in the branch, the …
(UF/IFAS) — Dinesh Phuyal, who is pursuing a master’s degree in horticultural sciences from the University of Florida’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, recently garnered a prestigious Yara North America Crop Innovation Scholarship. The award is Phuyal’s fourth academic honor this year for his efforts to improve Florida grapefruit tree size, fruit yield and fruit quality. Phuyal studies higher …
(UF/IFAS) — Florida’s citrus growers may now access the updated Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide, which is more user- and mobile-friendly. Revisions include current University of Florida rootstock horticultural traits, three new rootstocks that tolerate citrus greening and an updated bibliography. “The fourth edition of the Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide has a new look and information for a comprehensive description …
Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler discusses the recent Florida citrus crop forecast and new CRDF research projects. Dantzler says the orange forecast of 74 million boxes was “a little lower than I thought it was going to be, but it’s about in line with what most growers thought … I think the good news …
After five years of growing citrus under protective screen (CUPS), Arnold Schumann has named Ray Ruby grapefruit and Honey Murcott tangerine as his favorite varieties to grow in the system. Schumann is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. He addressed the topic of …
The Senate passed an appropriations minibus package that included critical funds for Florida secured by Senator Rubio (H.R 3055, Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, Interior, Environment, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act of 2020). In his role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Rubio secured major funds for Florida’s citrus industry: $8.5 million …
A group of growers, production managers and researchers hopes to ensure future nutrition research funded by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) answers grower questions about nutrition. The dozen-plus members of CRDF’s Nutrition Working Group held their first meeting Oct. 30 at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. The panel is about evenly split between grower …
Grower turnout at recent citrus nutrition meetings and a fruit display exceeded University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) expectations, says Michael Rogers. Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), also provides an update on the search for a new member of the UF/IFAS plant breeding team. Rogers says attendance at meetings where …
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will host a field day focused on improving citrus soil health, a topic of growing interest to researchers and growers. With the challenges of citrus greening, there is an increased need for understanding overall tree health, including the soil, Juanita Popenoe, UF/IFAS Extension multi-county agent, said. The field day …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette In 1921, citrus pomologist D.W. Hadsell wrote a Citrus Industry article titled “The Care of Young Citrus Trees.” Following is information from his article on how things were done “back in the day.” According to Hadsell, “successful tree planting requires special attention to at least four essentials.” He lists the necessary steps as follows: Keep the …
