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News for citrus growers around the globe
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Aug. 20 released its Final Herbicide Strategy to protect more than 900 federally endangered and threatened species from the potential impacts of herbicide. EPA will use the strategy to identify measures to reduce the amount of herbicide exposure to these species when it registers new herbicides and when it reevaluates registered herbicides. For …
Individual protective covers (IPCs), used primarily to protect young citrus trees from HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids, have become ubiquitous in Florida citrus groves in recent years. New University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research shows the trees grown under the IPCs also grow well for a few years after growers remove the bags. Growers typically remove …
Silvec Biologics announced that an RNA vector delivery product to combat HLB has progressed to the Full Science Review Phase of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pesticide Regulation Improvement Act registration process. The product was developed in collaboration with Southern Gardens Citrus (a subsidiary of U. S. Sugar), the University of Florida (UF) and Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Silvec is …
Federal and state agriculture officials took several actions this month regarding Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantines in Texas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) have: BROWNSVILLE Establishment of the Brownsville quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection on July 26 of Mexfly larvae in citrus …
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a final rule that revises pre-harvest agricultural water provisions in the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule. It replaces the previous microbial quality criteria and testing requirements with systems-based, pre-harvest agricultural water assessments. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is committed to providing support for farms that …
The August episode of the All In For Citrus podcast features highlights from this year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The event included two citrus educational sessions that covered a wide range of topics, including HLB management, other pest management topics and new varieties. Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus …
By Jake Price The University of Georgia Owari satsuma pruning project is going to be very interesting. With extremely heavy fruit loads this year, I feel sure next year will be an “off” year for satsumas. It will be interesting to see what the fruit yields will be on the pruned trees compared to the unpruned trees. The six trees in this …
HLB has drastically changed how citrus is grown in Florida. The September issue of Citrus Industry magazine offers insight on some of the newer production practices growers are using to manage the disease. In a feature story, Citrus Industry Editor-in-Chief Frank Giles looks at how citrus nutrient management recommendations are continuing to evolve in the HLB era. In the article, …
By Amir Rezazadeh The giant swallowtail butterfly (Papilio cresphontes) is a beautiful insect, admired for its large wingspan and vibrant yellow and black coloration. However, for citrus growers, this butterfly is often viewed with less enthusiasm. The larvae of the giant swallowtail, commonly referred to as “orange dogs,” can cause significant damage to citrus trees. Understanding the nature of this …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) recently modified the policies and requirements for the citrus black spot (CBS) quarantine area in Florida. Modifications address the movement of regulated articles and provide a protocol to remove areas from the CBS quarantine. This federal order updates the APHIS-Approved Packinghouse Procedures for Phyllosticta citricarpa, Causal Agent …
In Brazil, a more effective and sustainable insecticide for HLB-spreading psyllids was developed by Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Company) in partnership with the Institute of Chemistry of the State University of Campinas (Unicamp). The work resulted in a controlled-release system of the insecticide thiamethoxam molecule. Encapsulation was performed in polymeric nanoparticles, structures more than 80,000 times smaller than the thickness …
This is the second installment of Q&A features with Brenda Eubanks Burnette, the 2024 Citrus Achievement Award winner. Burnette’s citrus career began in 1981 when she won the Florida Citrus Queen Pageant. Outside of winning, do you have a favorite memory or two surrounding the pageant? BURNETTE: At that time, the Florida Citrus Queen received a car to use for …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension agent Mongi Zekri recently discussed numerous ways growers can enhance their nutrient programs for better tree and fruit performance. TIPS FOR MAKING ADJUSTMENTS Zekri offered the following tips for adjusting a fertilizer program. SOIL TESTING Soil testing is most effective when done annually, Zekri suggested. “Choose a lab you trust …
Federal and state officials on Aug. 11 removed the Oriental fruit fly quarantine in California’s Riverside and San Bernardino counties. This action releases the remaining 365 square miles of the quarantine, which contained 1,800 acres of commercial agriculture. Release from quarantine occurred after three generations elapsed since the date of the last detection, based on a degree-day model. The U.S. …
U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) scientists have developed a high-quality and inexpensive pectin that can successfully gel in low-sugar products and still be scalable for commercial production. Pectin, a soluble fiber used mainly for gelling food products like jams and jellies, is naturally found in fruits and vegetables. Most commercial pectins are from citrus fruit peels …
J. Scott Angle, who recently served as University of Florida (UF) provost, will return as leader of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). He will become UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources in September, a position he originally assumed in 2020. He left as leader of UF/IFAS in July 2023 to become interim provost and …
The educational program on the first day of the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo focused on trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) being applied to citrus to treat HLB. Trees have received their second OTC treatment, and growers are hopeful trees will respond with better fruit retention and improved quality. Ute Albrecht, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette During this year’s Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, I interviewed a number of citrus growers as part of the Oral History Program. One of them was Brad Turner, who later sent me an article by E.F. DeBusk from the 1930 Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society. DeBusk was a Florida Citrus Hall …
The European Union (EU) in July intercepted 11 shipments infested with the quarantine pests citrus black spot (CBS) and false moth in citrus imports from South Africa. Eight CBS cases were intercepted in lemons, one in oranges and one in grapefruit. There was one false moth detection in oranges. The Valencian Farmers Association (AVA-ASAJA) called on Ursula von der Leyen, …
Brazil’s Fundecitrus recently declared battle in the fight against HLB-spreading psyllids. The citrus association’s recently launched “It’s battle time!” advertising campaign reinforces the need for rigor in psyllid control during the most critical period of the year. It is at this time, between the end of winter and spring, that high numbers of psyllids are captured in traps installed in …
