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South Alabama’s citrus production is nearly non-existent. The 2025 snow event made sure of that. One of the few remaining producers is Craig Goolsby, with Silverhill Satsumas in Baldwin County. Goolsby recently added trees to his citrus operation, but that is far from the norm for Alabama citrus growers. According to Goolsby, state plant protection inspectors were recently making the …
Topping — pruning the tops of trees — along orchard edges has been studied as a potential strategy for managing citrus greening disease. This technique aims to stimulate new shoot growth on trees along the orchard perimeter to attract the psyllid — the insect vector responsible for transmitting the disease. Chemical control efforts can then be concentrated in those specific …
By Lauren Fessler Mathews, Ana Redondo and Ozgur Batuman Citrus canker continues to impact Florida citrus, increasing premature fruit drop and decreasing yield and fruit quality. While copper sprays have long been relied upon to control this disease, concerns about environmental impact and possible resistance development have led to efforts to find sustainable alternatives. Previous studies have shown that plant …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Editor’s note: This month’s Pieces of the Past is the author’s acceptance speech after being inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame on March 27. Congratulations, Brenda! Forty-five years ago, I had no idea that entering the Florida Citrus Queen contest would change the entire course of my life. I simply needed scholarship money for …
The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) presented marketing plans for the 2026–27 season at the May 20 meeting of the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC). The FCC serves as the FDOC’s governing board. ORANGE JUICE Florida orange juice will continue to be positioned as the original wellness drink. The marketing effort will be aimed at juice consumers and health professionals. The …
Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service on May 21 predicted a below-normal 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. Its outlook is for a 35% chance of a near-normal season, a 10% chance of an above-normal season and a 55% chance of a below-normal season. The hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The agency …
After significant drought in many parts of Florida, some much-needed rainfall began in May as the rainy season approaches. That seasonal transition, from a grove management perspective, is the focus of the May episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education …
An international group of authors recently reported on a study to investigate the impact of organic farming on the soil microbiome in citrus orchards. The authors are: The soil microbiota of eight conventionally and seven organically managed commercial citrus orchards across eastern Sicily were evaluated. FINDINGS The structure (diversity and relative abundance) and functionality of soil bacterial and fungal communities …
The grapefruit-like pomelo, the world’s biggest citrus fruit, has a hefty peel that protects the delicate flesh inside. That peel could help inspire more shock-absorbent naval ships. Boston University (BU) College of Engineering researchers are studying the pomelo’s ability to fall from up to 50 feet without smashing into pieces. (Watch the video!) With a U.S. Navy grant, they’re combining …
A recent poll commissioned by Amato Advisors and conducted by Farm Journal finds that many American farmers are in deep economic strain and trust neither political party to help them. The Farmer & Rancher Policy Sentiment Survey, fielded in April 2026, surveyed 974 farmers and ranchers across 44 states. Key findings include: “This is one of the most striking pieces …
A team of nine researchers led by University of California Davis (UC Davis) entomologist Mia Lippey recently published a paper on climate warming and the effect on agricultural pests. Their work, Field Data Challenge Predictions of Universal Crop Pest Proliferation Under Warming, appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It contradicts experiments indicating that arthropod crop pest densities will …
It may not be June, but growers in the cold-hardy citrus region are experiencing June drop, a natural thinning process in which trees lose a lot of their fruit. Growers should not be alarmed about excess pieces of fruit that may be on the ground, says Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist. “We are …
By Lukasz Stelinski For many Florida citrus growers, pest management has become closely tied to Asian citrus psyllid control. That is understandable. The psyllid vectors the bacterium associated with citrus greening, and long-term disease pressure has pushed many operations toward frequent insecticide use. But frequent spraying comes at a cost. The more often the same chemistry is used, the faster …
Cover crops in orchards are recognized as a sustainable practice that enhances multiple ecosystem services, yet systematic evaluations of different cover crops used in citrus orchards remain limited. A recent study in China investigated the effects of cover crops on soil properties, soil carbon dioxide (CO2) flux, leaf physiological traits, fruit quality and yield in a citrus orchard, using clean …
As the drought deepens across Florida, water management districts are issuing tighter watering rules. Water-shortage orders may be issued when temporary reductions in surface and ground water uses are necessary to protect water resources from serious harm. As of May 15, the state’s water management districts were operating under the following conditions: A May 14 U.S. Drought Monitor map of …
By Ramdas Kanissery When the summer heat rolls in and the rain gets spotty, growers tend to shift their focus to irrigation, nutrition and HLB management. Weed control often gets pushed to the back burner. But here’s the thing: Heat and dry spells do not stop weeds. They change them, and those changes can make your weed management program a …
Have you heard of the term PULA yet? If not and you apply pesticides on your farm, now is the time to get up to speed on pesticide use limitation areas (PULAs). This topic was covered during the Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute, held at South Florida College in Avon Park in April. Matt Smith, University of Florida Institute of Food …
The New Varieties Development & Management Corp. (NVDMC) supports new variety development research to provide Florida citrus growers with unique, high-value varieties for the fresh and processed markets. The organization was established in 2005 just as HLB was confirmed in the state, making its mission even more important. A name that has been synonymous with NVDMC is Frank Hunt of …
Sandipa Gautam, University of California area citrus integrated pest management (IPM) advisor, issued an Extension advisory for California red scale (CRS). The scale is a key pest of citrus in the San Joaquin Valley. Key points of the advisory are as follows: CRAWLERS ARE ACTIVE The CRS life cycle starts as crawlers produced by overwintering females from the past season. …
Florida Citrus Mutual hosted its spring informational meeting for growers at Golden Ridge Groves in Alturas on May 13. Golden Ridge Groves is growing fresh fruit in citrus under protective screen and recently added you-pick and agritourism options for the public. Steven Hall, executive director of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation, gave an update and recounted the …
