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The San Joaquin Valley ACP (Asian citrus psyllid)/HLB Area-Wide Task Force in California is recommending growers participate in a coordinated treatment application in commercial citrus orchards. This recommendation is for orchards located east and south of Bakersfield and includes young, non-bearing trees. The recommendation comes as a result of higher than normal HLB-spreading ACP finds in traps earlier this summer. …
By Michael Rogers As we approach a new citrus-growing season, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers and Extension agents working throughout the state renew their focus on finding solutions that growers can use in the short term to sustain their operations. While we value our longer-term research projects, efforts that provide tangible applications that …
On Aug. 4, Colorado State University (CSU) decreased its hurricane forecast for Atlantic seasonal activity and landfall strike probability for 2022. But citrus growers and other agriculturists shouldn’t relax their guard because the CSU Department of Atmospheric Science continues to call for an above-average Atlantic hurricane season. NEW PROJECTIONSCSU now forecasts the Atlantic will have 18 named storms in 2022, …
By Amir Rezazadeh Saline soil and water damage many citrus groves in Florida. In general, when the dissolved salt concentration in soil or water increases, it is referred to as “saline” soil or water. But how much increase in salt concentration makes soil or water saline? Citrus plants’ major reactions to excessive salt in the soil or water are reduced …
The recent Citrus Growers’ Summer Update in Valdosta, Georgia, provided growers another outlet to learn about two diseases — citrus greening and citrus canker — that could have serious ramifications on the industry’s future in Georgia. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, highlighted the seriousness of the discovery of both of the diseases in …
By Tripti Vashisth and Mary Sutton Citrus trees affected by huanglongbing (HLB) consistently have small fruit and low fruit numbers at harvest. The low fruit numbers are largely attributed to the increased rates of preharvest fruit drop that accompany HLB. Small fruit is more likely to drop during this preharvest period, suggesting a link between fruit size and retention. To …
The first detection of citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV) has been made in Tulare, California. The disease was detected during the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) routine multi-pest survey. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed positive identifications of the disease. CDFA is surveying for the disease in Tulare County …
During this summer’s Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference, Matthew Mattia, a post-doctoral associate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), discussed his work to identify the origins of the Donaldson citrus variety. The variety is a single tree on the USDA A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm near Groveland, Florida. Mattia was the first to discover the tree on the farm in …
Alico President and CEO John Kiernan recently pointed out that the company had less orange crop decline than Florida as a whole in the 2021–22 citrus season. He noted that while the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that the Florida crop declined 22.7% from the prior season, Alico’s decline was only 12.9%. “The company believes this lower rate of decline …
Brazil, China and Mexico are the top producers. Brazil easily continues to lead the world in orange and orange juice (OJ) production, while China dominates in production of tangerines/mandarins and grapefruit. Mexico remains the leading producer of lemons and limes. These facts come from a July report on world citrus issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. …
The production of oranges in South Africa is estimated to grow by 6% to 1.6 million metric tons (MMT) in 2021–22, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) recently reported. The area planted with oranges is expected to continue its stable growth rate, expanding by 2% to 47,750 hectares in 2021–22. Limpopo province is the leading growing region …
Florida growers and others looking to make farm improvements can apply for aid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). CIGThe NRCS will invest up to $900,000 for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for agricultural resource priorities in Florida. Fiscal Year 2022 conservation resource priorities for the NRCS in Florida are: climate resilience, grazing, soil health and urban …
A Fundecitrus study found that the first four stages of orange tree shoot development are the ones that should be most protected against HLB-spreading psyllids. The Brazilian association reported that among the six stages of shoot development, the first four (V1 to V4) are the most attractive to the psyllid and favorable for its feeding and reproduction. Therefore, those are …
European Union (EU) orange production is projected at 6.1 million metric tons (MMT), down from 6.5 MMT in 2020–21, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported recently. The decrease is driven by moderate production declines in Spain and Italy, which combined account for nearly 80% of total EU orange output. PLANTED AREA The forecast for total EU …
Plant physiologist Ute Albrecht recently gave a presentation on increased fruit yield and other apparent benefits of injecting the antibiotic oxytetracycline into citrus tree trunks. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher also discussed other advantages that trunk injection provides. These advantages include: Precise delivery of materials Elimination of spray drift Reduced risk for worker exposure …
Satsuma mandarins remain the predominant citrus variety produced in Georgia, but growers diversified more with their plantings this year. Jake Price, University of Georgia Extension coordinator, described the impact that growers could see with various citrus varieties now in place. He presented this information during the recent Citrus Growers’ Summer Update in Valdosta, Georgia. Price says the citrus industry in …
By Jamie Burrow and Ruth Borger Over the last several months, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus team has been preparing for the annual Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The excitement is in the air as many faculty are preparing seminar presentations on valuable information that growers may use today to support their operations. …
The Florida Department of Citrus’ Program for Expedited Propagation (PEP) of HLB-tolerant and resistant trees was conceived during the 2022 Florida legislative session following the discovery of the Donaldson tree among the collection at Whitmore Farms. The goal is to provide the resources needed to ramp up availability of Donaldson trees and others like it, so that growers interested in …
Whether a citrus grove is thriving or not is often based on what is observed above the ground. However, the best measurement of fertility comes from what’s happening below ground—in the soil microbiology. There is a complex community of living organisms, everything from worms and insects to tree roots. One of the most important elements is soil microbes. Soil microbes …
Two University of Florida (UF) startup companies have formed a union to help reverse the trend of declining Florida citrus production. Agriculture Intelligence and Satlantis believe they can offer a powerful tool to help the state’s growers more closely monitor their trees and manage problems faster. The startups, housed in one of UF’s business incubators, will combine expertise in precision …
