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News for citrus growers around the globe
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher Christopher Vincent was awarded an Early-Career Research Fellowship in the Environmental Protection and Stewardship track from the Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Vincent is an associate professor of citrus tree ecophysiology in the Horticultural Sciences Department at the Citrus Research and …
Both University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) speakers at a Nov. 28 winter weather workshop warned about the risk of evaporative cooling when using irrigation to protect citrus from freezing temperatures. Microsprinkler irrigation has been the main form of cold protection for Florida citrus for at least the last five decades. The need to understand evaporative …
Fundecitrus says it repudiates recent articles that claim productivity in Brazil’s São Paulo and Minas Gerais citrus belt will be reduced by 60% in the next five years due to citrus greening disease. Fundecitrus says Chilean and Spanish news portals published such reports on Nov. 14. According to Fundecitrus, this information is not valid, nor was it ever provided by …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (USDA/NASS) final estimates for the 2022–23 season show U.S. citrus production reaching 4.9 million tons, down 12% from 2021–22. This marks the lowest combined production levels for U.S. citrus in at least 50 years. The U.S. citrus crop was valued at $2.6 billion in 2022–23, 13.5% below the prior year’s value. …
It’s no secret that Florida’s citrus industry has seen significant shrinkage since the advent of citrus greening in the state. In the December issue of Citrus Industry magazine, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) economist Ariel Singerman takes an in-depth look at the acreage attrition. He examines the figures by county over the past 20 years. …
Blood oranges could provide citrus growers with another variety to grow in the cold-hardy citrus region. But further research is needed to verify its effectiveness in the Southeast, says Ali Sarkhosh, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor. “We harvested those fruit in Quincy at the North Florida Research and Education Center. We still don’t …
By Xavier Martini and Romain Exilien Despite intensive control efforts, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), the vector of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the bacteria causing citrus greening, remains the most devastating pest of citrus. The ACP typically relies on tactile, visual and odor cues to detect its host. By combining an irritant, a visual masking and a true repellent, University of Florida …
Turkey’s citrus industry has already experienced effects from climate change, Okan Ozkaya, professor at Cukurova University, reported in a recent World Citrus Organisation (WCO) presentation. His presentation was titled Impact of Climate Change in the Citrus Sector in Turkey and the Broader Eastern Mediterranean Area. “Climate change has been a scenario for many years, but we started to see the …
Baits are currently the best tool for Bulimulus bonariensis snail management, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologists reported recently. Assistant professors Lauren Diepenbrock and Nicole Quinn also provided an update on snail research. Diepenbrock works at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Quinn works at the Indian River Research and Education Center …
In mid-November, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center hosted an OJ Break educational program in Lake Alfred. Attendees were provided with research updates on CRISPR gene editing and emerging pests. Nian Wang, a UF/IFAS professor of microbiology and cell science, spoke on his work with CRISPR technology. He provided insight …
Four California congressmen recently asked U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack to have the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) buy $100 million worth of California navels. The orange purchase would help alleviate the impacts of storms. The letter from Congressmen Jim Costa, David Valadao, Doug LaMalfa and Josh Harder follows: We write in support of the Section 32 request submitted …
By Maegan Beatty As the cooler months start to arrive, it is important to protect citrus trees from overnight freezes and extreme weather conditions. Last December, the All In For Citrus podcast addressed what cold protection should look like for Florida citrus growers in an interview with Chris Oswalt, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus …
Brazil’s government, institutions and citrus growers need to join efforts to overcome greening “so that Brazil does not go through the same situation as Florida,” a São Paulo agriculture official declared Nov. 7. Orlando Melo de Castro, undersecretary of agriculture, made those remarks to about 500 people at an international citrus symposium in Araraquara, São Paulo. “To this end, we …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Florida citrus has long been part of holiday celebrations and eventually became more than just a recipe or side dish at meals. The citrus industry became a symbol of Florida’s agricultural prowess, and its importance to the state’s economy and culture was celebrated. The holidays bring out the best in people who are able to give …
Michael Rogers, the director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, and some of his colleagues recently attended the Asian Citrus Congress in India. During the November All In For Citrus podcast, Rogers discusses what was learned and observed on the trip. While many of India’s citrus groves are small-scale …
Cycle 5 of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) new tree planting program remains open for applications until 5:00 p.m. on Nov. 30. The application can be found online here. An update has been made to the general rules, expanding the acreage of eligible projects from a maximum of 100 acres to a maximum of 250 acres. As a reminder, there is no …
Agriculture is the driving force in the Brazilian economy, and Brazil is a leading food supplier to the global market, economist Marisa Zansler told the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) at its last meeting. Zansler is director of economic and market research at the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). She visited Brazil in August and provided the FCC with an update …
Crop planning is an essential part of the citrus production process. What are you going to grow? Where are you going to market? How are you going to overcome HLB (huanglongbing or citrus greening)? John Chater, assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, discussed the different factors that …
Lebbeck mealybug populations are not tied to flush production, entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock reported recently. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor also noted: Diepenbrock sampled lebbeck mealybug populations in commercial citrus groves in Central Florida. Analysis of the seasonal trapping data provided easily observable trends. Based on these trends, she offers the following initial …
By Fernando Alferez, Ute Albrecht, Ozgur Batuman, Jawwad Qureshi and Saoussen Ben Abdallah Individual protective covers (IPCs), which are psyllid-exclusion mesh bags, are increasingly being adopted to efficiently protect newly planted citrus trees from huanglongbing (HLB) infection. However, IPCs typically must be removed after two to three years due to tree growth. Early evidence indicates that brassinosteroids (Brs), a relatively …
