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By Manjul Dutt and Jude Grosser Finger lime, a distant relative of sweet orange and grapefruit, is a relatively new crop species for Florida. It is an Australian native species that has been gaining in popularity and importance in the last few years because of its unique fruit characteristics and disease tolerance, which sets it apart from conventional sweet orange …
The August issue of Citrus Industry is traditionally the Citrus Expo issue. While the Citrus Expo tradition continues this year, it will be in a new format. Due to coronavirus, the event will be virtual. Growers will still have the opportunity to see seminars and network with vendors. In the August issue, you’ll find the citrus, vegetable, specialty crop and …
With more than one generation working side by side on the farm, there are situations that can be tricky to navigate at times. However, it’s important to take the time to look at things through another person’s vantage point and consider how to cater to the strengths of each generation to better the farming operation. The most recent and concluding …
As demand increases for a cure to huanglongbing (HLB), experts are studying the most effective ways to control the damaging citrus disease. A research project funded by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is focusing on the effects of oak leaf extracts on CLas-infected citrus trees. CLas (Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus) is the bacteria the causes …
If information is power, Florida citrus growers have a new asset in their fight against citrus greening disease. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) statewide citrus program launched a major revision of a website, providing instant access to a portfolio of information valuable to growers. The http://citrusresearch.ifas.ufl.edu/ website is now easier to navigate and includes …
By Yu Wang, Fred Gmitter and Jude Grosser A major concern for the citrus industry is a significant decline in production due to huanglongbing (HLB). In addition to the production shortfalls are losses due to fruit rejection by packinghouses and juice processing plants as a result of inadequate size and low sugar content. Bitterness and metallic off flavors in the …
A new webinar presentation from the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) Economic and Market Research Department shows that U.S. orange juice (OJ) retail sales continue to remain up. A data source for the webinar is the FDOC Nielsen Topline Report #10 of the 2019-20 Season for the four-week period ending July 4, 2020. According to Marisa Zansler, director of FDOC’s …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently released an annual report titled “Plant Protection and Quarantine: Helping U.S. Agriculture Thrive — Across the Country and Around the World.” The document includes updates on efforts to manage citrus diseases. “PPQ (Plant Protection and Quarantine) stands shoulder-to-shoulder with citrus growers to combat citrus canker, huanglongbing (HLB …
The new Sugar Belle hybrid rootstock LB8-9xS13#16 has quite a history, according to University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences citrus breeder Jude Grosser. “This is one of several projects I did with Orie Lee toward the end of his Florida Citrus Hall of Fame career/life,” recalls Grosser. “We did a lot of brainstorming together, and he was …
By Jude Grosser, Fred Gmitter and Kim Bowman Two citrus breeding programs have identified several rootstocks that can currently be planted with confidence when combined with appropriate scions, including mid- and late-season oranges, and grown with emerging enhanced nutrition programs. These citrus breeding programs are at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education …
While coronavirus will prevent the citrus industry from gathering this year at Citrus Expo, it will not stop growers from getting the education they need. The 2020 Citrus Expo educational program will be held live online Aug. 19–20 and will include door prizes. If you’re lucky, you could walk away with one of four $200 Bass Pro gift cards! The …
Agriculture industries have had to adapt to a lot of change in recent months. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has created a series of professional development webinars to help these industries navigate the global pandemic. The most recent session of the six-part webinar series featured a panel focused on mental health in rural communities. …
By Ute Albrecht, Sudip Kunwar and Jude Grosser Prior to 1865, the only rootstocks used in Florida were sour orange and sweet orange. Use of grafted trees instead of seedling trees became necessary because of the devastating effects of phytophthora on sweet orange. Sour orange was widely used as a rootstock because of its resistance to phytophthora and other positive …
Morgan graduated from the University of Florida three times. She earned a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences and then master’s and doctoral degrees in food and resource economics, all from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Mostly recently, she began her position as associate professor of food and resource …
While citrus growers continue to look for the best practices to fight the deadly huanglongbing (HLB) disease, researchers are taking an integrated approach at protecting young trees by using tools growers already have access to. “In Florida and pretty much every citrus-producing area, we’ve been doing a lot of replanting or resets,” says Lauren Diepenbrock, an assistant professor of entomology …
By Rhuanito S. Ferrarezi, William S. Castle, Kim D. Bowman, Jude W. Grosser, Stephen H. Futch, Steve Rogers and Andres Gonzalez First published in 1989 as Rootstocks for Florida Citrus, the work of William Castle and his colleagues remains relevant 30 years later. The purpose of the fourth edition of the Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide is to provide timely …
Last week, the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) held a live webinar to present highlights from the 2019–20 fiscal year. Areas covered included budgets, scientific research, marketing and economic market research. This past year has been one of change, transformation and success for FDOC, as it has worked in collaboration with industry to meet the needs of both growers and …
Although grower and exhibitor interest remains high, AgNet Media has canceled the 2020 Citrus Expo and Vegetable & Specialty Crop Expo in the interest of public safety. For nearly three decades, Citrus Expo has been a tradition that growers look forward to each year. Unfortunately, that tradition will be on hiatus this year, due to the recent rapid escalation of …
With millions of American workers staying home to aid public health efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the security of America’s food supply is more important than ever before. It’s crucial that growers are taking the appropriate measures to ensure food safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of …
The Florida Department of Health has been distributing cloth masks and COVID-19 informational materials in three languages (English, Spanish and Haitian Creole) for agriculture workers in Southwest Florida. The masks and information are available to farmers and labor contractors. To access these resources, contact your local Health Department: Hendry Glades Health Department – Brenda Barnes, email: Brenda.Barnes@flhealth.gov Lee County Health …
