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Citrus growers need as many tools in their toolbox as possible. With the Florida citrus industry decimated in recent years, mainly due to citrus greening disease, growers are exploring all options to help them succeed. CYAN 365®, a biostimulant from C Green Ag Biotechnology, is one tool that has proven to help enhance the quality and size of citrus crops, …
By Evan Johnson, Tanyaradzwa Chinyukwi, Lorenzo Rossi and Davie Kadyampakeni Huanglongbing’s (HLB) detrimental effect on roots has changed how we think about root health and horticultural management of citrus in Florida. As part of the work studying nutritional responses described in Effect of Nutrients on Canopy Response and Yield, we are studying the effects of macronutrient and micronutrient fertilization on …
By Tripti Vashisth, Megan Dewdney and Lauren Diepenbrock Citrus flowers profusely, but less than 2% of the flowers become harvestable fruit. In other words, 98% of the flowers seen during bloom will end up on the grove floor at some point during fruit development, whether as a flower, fruitlet, young fruit or mature fruit. Profuse flowering allows trees to produce …
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Tanyaradzwa Chinyukwi, Alan Wright and Rhuanito Ferrarezi The development of an efficient nutrition program for citrus trees provides the essential elements for optimum tree growth and yield. Tree performance is reduced when an essential element is deficient, while an excessive amount leads to plant toxicity and hinders overall tree performance. In citrus production, adequate fertilization rates help …
Growers looking for advice on the subjects of rootstocks and varieties will find several pertinent articles in the July issue of Citrus Industry magazine. According to University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus breeder Jude Grosser, Orie and Louise Lee (OLL) oranges are giving Valencias a run for their money. He discusses the beneficial characteristics of …
By Arnold Schumann and Timothy Ebert As the adage goes, “necessity is the mother of invention.” Since the presence of huanglongbing (citrus greening) in Florida, new methods of managing the Asian citrus psyllid that transmits the bacteria have resulted in the growing of citrus in screen houses (CUPS, citrus under protective screen) and the use of individual protective covers (IPCs), …
By Larry Duncan, Johan Desaeger and Homan Regmi Two field experiments were initiated in January 2019 to evaluate the efficacy of nematicides and cover crops for managing the sting nematode (Belonolaimus longicaudatus) in a replanted grove affected by huanglongbing (HLB). The trees were nearly two years old when perennial peanut (resistant to sting nematode) plots were established in row middles …
This month’s All In for Citrus Podcast details the results and benefits growers are getting from the citrus nutrition box program. Before hearing from the coordinators of the program, Citrus Research and Education Center Director Michael Rogers shares updates on key events coming up this summer for the industry. The first is the Citrus, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo in …
By Ajia Paolillo Throughout the year, it is a good practice to check your irrigation system for leaks, wear, corrosion and other physical damage that can limit the efficiency of the system. Proper irrigation provides the tree with the water it needs, especially during periods of drought and during the important stages of flowering, fruit set and enlargement, and leaf …
California red scale (CRS) is one of the key pests for growers in the San Joaquin Valley, home to 75% of the state’s citrus production. CRS is a sap-sucking insect that attacks all parts of citrus trees. It causes dieback of branches, yield loss and downgrading of fruit. According to Sandipa Gautam, University of California assistant research entomologist at the …
By Ariel Singerman and Stephen H. Futch In the 2020–21 citrus season, fruit drop has severely impacted orange yield in Florida. According to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) citrus crop forecast, the estimate of fruit drop for early/mid-season and Valencia oranges was 43% and 34%, respectively. Moreover, according to some growers, the level of fruit drop has been …
By Francisco Seva Rivadulla Citrus growers in Mexico are beginning to explore types of production that are more respectful of the environment and associated with a healthier lifestyle, including organic production. “The organic citrus sector is still small, as its market share does not reach 5%, but gradually foreign demand is causing organic citrus to have an increasing presence in …
By Bill Castle Creation, evaluation, release and commercial acceptance are dynamic, interactive activities that together constitute new rootstock development. Underpinning each of them is a commonly overlooked and rarely mentioned activity, professional judgment. Yet, it is something everyone has and recognizes as getting better with time and experience. It is a skill developed and refined over time from knowledge of …
By Fernando Alferez and Mongi Zekri The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted another above-normal Atlantic hurricane season. While hurricanes have always been a risk or danger to Florida, their threat is growing. Although experts do not anticipate the historic level of storm activity seen in 2020, it only takes one storm to severely impact and devastate citrus groves. It …
A new generation of leadership at IMG Citrus takes the helm. After serving as chief executive officer of IMG Enterprises for 42 years, Michel Sallin is passing the torch to his three children. Siblings Melanie Ressler, Timothee Sallin and Chloe Gentry have been appointed as co-CEOs of IMG Citrus and Cherrylake. The businesses are both subsidiaries of IMG Enterprises, a …
Michael Woodley returned to his hometown of Frostproof, Florida, in 2011 at the request of his dying mother to take care of the land and keep it in the family. After a firefighting career of more than 30 years with the Florida Forest Service that took him all over the state, he is now growing lemons on 20 acres on …
Are you interested in learning more about the citrus industry’s ongoing fight to save citrus from huanglongbing (HLB) disease? Visit the Science for Citrus Health website for access to relevant and up-to-date information about control, treatment and prevention methods. The website also includes a collection of reader-friendly Research Snapshots about the new, cutting-edge tools and methods being developed by researchers …
By Mark A. Ritenour The United States and other countries set maximum residue limits (MRLs) on fresh produce for various chemicals, including pesticides that might be used before or after harvest. These materials must be labeled for use on the crop of interest and used only according to label instructions. While it is unlikely for U.S. MRLs to be exceeded …
“If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” That same mindset can also be applied to agriculture. If the roots of a plant are not happy, the top of the plant won’t be happy either. Anything else will prove to be futile, believes Mark Egan. Egan, an agronomist at Douglas Plant Health, says biofertilizers are a management tactic that growers can …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette I was recently at the Indian River Citrus Museum in Vero Beach for the dedication of its Florida Citrus Crate Label Trail. The visit made me think back to the early 90s when I was selling citrus label calendars for the museum’s gift shop to Millie Bunnell, who was the director there at the time. She …
