canker, HLB, bactericides

Indian River Citrus Grower on Canker, HLB and Bactericides

Ernie Neff Bactericides, Citrus Greening, Grapefruit

Canker and HLB have made things very difficult for Indian River citrus growers, but outgoing Indian River Citrus League President Scott Lambeth is optimistic about bactericides. “For the last three years with the contraction of the industry, it’s very difficult to keep an open mind and stay positive when you see family farms that are third and fourth generation still …

florida citrus

Texas Citrus: Fruit Flies and Other Pesky Problems

Josh McGill Grapefruit

By: Ernie Neff  Mexican fruit flies were a major nuisance to Dale Murden this spring. “As a fresh fruit grower in south Texas, I have to say Mexican fruit fly is our biggest worry,” the citrus grower and president of Texas Citrus Mutual said. The fruit flies infested Texas’ three-county (Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy) citrus industry in November 2015, prompting …

Experiences with HLB

HLB Experiences and Thoughts Shared

Ernie Neff Citrus Greening, Grapefruit, Pests

Tom Stopyra, technical crop advisor for The Packers of Indian River, shares experiences with HLB and offers opinions on numerous other topics he addressed at a recent seminar in Immokalee. Regarding the record high populations of HLB-spreading psyllids throughout Florida’s citrus belt this year, Stopyra says: “We’ve never seen populations like we have this year, even though we’ve been spraying …

Canker Is Manageable, Grower Crop Advisor Says

Ernie Neff Grapefruit, Pests

Tom Stopyra, technical crop advisor for the Packers of Indian River, told more than 75 growers at an Immokalee seminar last week how his company gets excellent canker management utilizing a four-pronged program: “You have to control the leafminer. You have to have frequent copper sprays at a lower rate. You have to have windbreaks and sanitation, which is the …