Gibberellic Acid Continues to Show Benefits

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, Fruit Drop, HLB Management

Researcher Tripti Vashisth has been telling citrus growers about the benefits of using gibberellic acid (GA) on citrus trees. At the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences horticulturist said GA continues to show efficacy, based on 2022 harvest numbers. Vashisth’s Expo presentation included details from a 2016–2022 study of 10-year-old Valencia …

Pointers for Better Pre-emergent Herbicide Performance

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, weeds

Ramdas Kanissery, speaking at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, offered what he called an important strategy to prevent weed outbreaks in groves: “Never let ’em germinate.” Growers can keep weeds from germinating with pre-emergent herbicide programs, said the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor of weed science. He works at the Southwest Florida …

How Different Techniques Hold Up to Diseases

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, Diseases, IPCs

How well reflective mulch, kaolin clay and individual protective covers (IPCs) hold up to HLB, canker and greasy spot diseases was researcher Megan Dewdney’s topic at the 2022 Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. Dewdney is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor of plant pathology at the Citrus Research and Education Center.  The research project …

Scion Selections Highlighted at Expo

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, Varieties

At the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, Jude Grosser and Fred Gmitter provided an update on the numerous scion selections produced at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). Both are University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences plant breeders. Here are a few of the scion selections they highlighted in a presentation titled Working to Provide Sustainable …

High-Efficiency Fertilizers for Growers

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, Nutrition

At the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, Davie Kadyampakeni recommended what he termed “high-efficiency fertilizers” to improve canopy, fruit yield and juice quality, especially in HLB-affected trees. Kadyampakeni is an assistant professor specializing in citrus water and nutrient management the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. FOUR TYPESKadyampakeni described four categories of high-efficiency fertilizers: Slow-release fertilizer (SRF) …

Politics of Water Addressed at Expo

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, Nutrition, Water

Citrus growers have been watching developments with water regulation closely in recent years. The 2022 Florida legislative session addressed some issues that had developed with the state’s best management practices (BMPs) program. Ernie Barnett, president of the Florida Land Council, gave Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo attendees a recap of the BMPs changes and provided a big-picture perspective of the …

Fire Ant Control Aids Psyllid Management

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, HLB Management, Pests

Controlling fire ants in groves aids in the control of HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids (ACP), entomologist Lukasz Stelinski reported at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. Fire ant control was just one way that Stelinski suggested for growers to manage ACP while reducing costs. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences entomologist said ACP populations drop when …

The Road to Ramping Up More Truck Drivers

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo

Alix Miller, president and CEO of the Florida Trucking Association, told attendees of the recent Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo that there is a shortage of about 80,000 truck drivers in the United States. Supply-chain disruptions and clogged ports spurred by COVID-19 made logistical challenges more apparent to the public, but Miller said this problem was brewing well before the …

Sneak Peek: September 2022 Citrus Industry

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, CUPS, Sneak Peek

The September issue of Citrus Industry magazine centers on two topics: citrus under protective screen (CUPS) research and a wrap-up from the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. Three articles cover the latest CUPS findings from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. An article by Arnold Schumann and his colleagues includes a summary of seven seasons of …

What to Do About Three Florida Citrus Pests

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, Pests

Entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock discussed control of three pests — lebbeck mealybug, Bulimulus sporadicus snails and diaprepes root weevils — at the recent Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher described the mealybug and snails as “new pest challenges” and diaprepes as the resurgence of an old pest. LEBBECK MEALYBUGLebbeck mealybug was …

Progress With HLB Products

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, CRDF, HLB Management

Rick Dantzler, chief operating officer of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), spoke during the general session of the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. He provided an update on products he hopes will help the citrus industry reset and begin to increase production again. The products are two oxytetracycline (OTC) materials that can be injected into citrus trees. “We …

Get the Newest UF/IFAS Info at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, Education, Tip of the Week

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. …

Hear What’s on Tap for the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Jim Rogers All In For Citrus Podcast, Citrus Expo

The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo is set for Aug. 17–18 in North Fort Myers, Florida. The event, held at the Lee Civic Center, will be a flurry of activity as citrus and specialty crop growers come together to learn, network and see the latest tools of the trade in farming. The latest episode of the All In For Citrus …

Sneak Peek: August 2022 Citrus Industry

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, Sneak Peek

As growers prepare for the 2022–23 season, August is the perfect time to review what’s new in the citrus industry. The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo on Aug. 17–18 in North Fort Myers is the ideal venue to get the latest research updates while learning about new products and services. There’s no better place for industry leaders, growers, researchers and …

All In For Citrus Podcast, July 2022

Jim Rogers All In For Citrus Podcast, Citrus Expo

This month’s All In For Citrus podcast focuses on the upcoming Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo scheduled for Aug. 17–18 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, said the university’s citrus research team worked hard to develop …

Seminar Schedule Announced for Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Tacy Callies Citrus Expo, Education

Growers and industry leaders should mark their calendars for this year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo scheduled for Aug. 17–18 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. Complimentary registration is available for all growers, packers, shippers, processors, association members and university researchers. Josh McGill, show director, discusses why industry members should attend this year’s event. “We’re really …

Missed Expo? You Can Catch Up!

Ernie Neff All In For Citrus Podcast, Citrus Expo

If you missed Citrus Expo Aug. 18-19 and the great production information available at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) booth, you can now access it online. Posters and videos that were available at the booth are now on the UF/IFAS Citrus Research website. Click on “Presentations,” then “Citrus Expo Presentations,” then “2021 Citrus Expo.” …

Dantzler Still Optimistic Regarding HLB

Ernie Neff Citrus Expo, HLB Management

Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler told a Citrus Expo crowd why he remains optimistic regarding HLB, even in the face of negative industry trends. Dantzler, who started at CRDF on the first day of Citrus Expo three years ago, declared, “I am more optimistic than ever. It is taking longer than I thought, but …