long-horned beetle

New UF/IFAS Entomologist: From a Kid’s ‘Lab’ to Helping Citrus Growers

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, HLB Management, Industry News Release, Psyllids, Research

As a girl in her garage in Palm Bay, Florida, Lauren Diepenbrock, already a budding scientist, peered through the lens of her microscope and marveled at the magnification. “As a kid, I played in the woods and brought back all sorts of ‘finds,’ including a snake skeleton, none of which my mom allowed in the house,” said Diepenbrock, an assistant …

Ned Hancock: Growing Citrus Since Age 14

Tacy Callies Citrus Greening

By Ernie Neff Ned Hancock wasn’t the typical first-time citrus grove owner when he bought a 5-acre Highlands County plot in 1972. He was 14 years old. His grandfather sold him the property, and Hancock’s father had him open a checking account and manage the grove’s finances. “I’m convinced that he (grandfather) did it trying to get me to get …

citrus

Citrus Tree Covers Keep Deadly Psyllids Away

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, HLB Management, Research

University of Florida (UF) scientists are finding that by covering new citrus trees with mesh, they can keep disease-carrying insects from harming the plants. That could be a big step toward stemming the deadly citrus greening disease, UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) researchers say. Asian citrus psyllids can infect the citrus trees with greening, also known as …

Revamping Communication with Citrus Growers

Abbey Taylor Citrus, Citrus Greening

Florida citrus growers now have a one-stop shop for everything citrus research coming out of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). A new website, monthly enewsletter and monthly podcast were announced by UF/IFAS last month during Citrus Expo. Jack Payne, senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources with UF, says this “All In for …

PFD

Hands-On Training Scheduled at UF/IFAS Citrus Workshop

Daniel Cooper Citrus, Citrus Greening, Industry News Release, Research

Florida citrus growers will learn about the latest research from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and test new technology at a workshop in Sebring, Sept. 25-26. UF/IFAS Extension Highlands County is working with statewide UF/IFAS Citrus Extension faculty to bring the latest in scientific studies and a hands-on learning experience to growers. Faculty will cover …

citrus

CUPS Protects Citrus from HLB and Storms

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, CUPS, Research

A system designed to protect citrus trees from the deadly greening disease withstood the ravaging winds of Hurricane Irma last year, University of Florida scientists say. With reinforcements installed after the storm, they’ll likely withstand even more dangerous storms. Using citrus under protective screening (CUPS), growers can keep the Asian citrus psyllids away from their trees, said Arnold Schumann, a …

psyllids

Combating Citrus Greening with Fungus

Tacy Callies Citrus Greening

By Breanna Kendrick The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is testing an insect-killing fungus to combat the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). Pasco Avery, biological scientist at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce, is researching the use of fungus-oil sprays and assessing the effects on ACP, the insect that transmits the …

psyllids

Control of Citrus Flush Timing Could Improve Psyllid Control

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, HLB Management, Industry News Release, Research

They say timing is everything in life, and that’s certainly true of the Asian citrus psyllid, which has devastated Florida agriculture for the past decade by transmitting citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing or HLB. To reproduce, this small, flying insect must lay eggs on citrus “flush” – the tender new leaves and shoots that citrus trees produce several …

growers

New Florida Citrus Production Guide Debuts at Citrus Expo

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Industry News Release, Production

Beginning this week, Florida citrus growers will have an updated resource to help them keep groves productive despite the ever-present threat of huanglongbing, the bacterial malady also known as HLB or citrus greening disease. Experts with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have just completed a 180-page technical handbook, “Florida Citrus Production Guide 2018-2019.” It …

Citrus Expo

Nutrient Recommendations for Citrus Greening

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Industry News Release, Irrigation, Nutrition, Research

As Florida citrus growers look to recover from the damages of Hurricane Irma and continue to cope with citrus greening, University of Florida (UF) scientists suggest using a complete and balanced nutrient program in their groves. “Mineral nutrition plays a vital physiological role in the growth and development of a plant and as well as in plant-defense response,” said Tripti …

citrus greening

Early Findings Show Plant Hormone May Help in HLB Fight

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Industry News Release, Research

University of Florida scientists think a group of hormones may eventually help growers battle citrus greening, but they still want to study them before recommending growers use the chemical. Fernando Alferez, an assistant professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), leads a team of UF/IFAS researchers studying the effects of Homobrassinolides …

UF/IFAS Researchers Search for Solutions to Citrus Diseases with Citrus Initiative Funds

Daniel Cooper Citrus, Citrus Greening, Industry News Release, Research

From nutritional supplements to managing irrigation to grower outreach and education, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are finding additional ways to support Florida citrus growers in their fight against citrus greening disease. Twelve projects were funded by the state legislature-funded Citrus Initiative program in 2017-2018 that looked at possible short- and long-term solutions that …

hlb

Ted Yoho: Citrus Greening Research Funding Is Imperative

Abbey Taylor Citrus, Citrus Greening, Farm Bill

The House and the Senate have passed their versions of the farm bill. Now it is time for appointed legislators to hammer out the details for the final version of the bill. Ted Yoho, U.S. Congressman and member of the House Committee on Agriculture, believes that including funding for citrus greening is vital for the Florida citrus industry. Yoho recently …

California Industry Updates Presented at Spring Citrus Meeting

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Diseases

By Brian German The Spring Citrus Meeting held last week in Tulare County touched on several major issues growers are concerned with, and included presentations on best practices for managing citrus trees. The day began with important information related to Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the disease it causes, huanglongbing (HLB), which has been growing at an alarming rate in …

citrus greening

Single Breakthrough Discovery for HLB in Florida Unlikely

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Industry News Release

A single breakthrough discovery for managing citrus greening in Florida in the future is unlikely, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.  The committee that wrote the report called for a systems approach to prioritize research on the disease and strategically distribute resources for research to effectively manage the disease, which is the most …

psyllids

Research Reveals a New Direction for Halting HLB

Daniel Cooper Citrus, Citrus Greening, Industry News Release, Research

New clues to how the bacteria associated with citrus greening infects the only insect that carries it could lead to a way to block the microbes’ spread from tree to tree, according to a study in Infection and Immunity by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) scientists. Citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing (HLB), is a serious disease dramatically …

citrus greening

Georgia Citrus Association Taking Precautions Against HLB

Abbey Taylor Citrus Greening

Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease, was a hot topic at the recent Georgia Citrus Association Conference held in Tifton. As the Georgia citrus industry continues to grow, it is taking precautions to prevent the spread of HLB. Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association, said although HLB has not been detected yet in Georgia, the industry is preparing …

hlb

California Researchers Work Toward Early HLB Detection

Abbey Taylor Citrus Greening, Diseases, HLB Management

Although the Florida and California citrus industries may differ, they are both vulnerable to citrus greening disease. The brightest minds from both states are working to detect, manage and control this devastating disease. Most recently, University of California researchers have been working to find methods for early detection of huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease. AgNet West’s Taylor Hillman has …

HLB

HLB Issues Below the Soil Surface Intrigue Growers

Ernie Neff Citrus Greening, HLB Management, Research

Several citrus growers and production managers offered input on future HLB research at a meeting on Feb. 15 at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. The growers shared their thoughts with members of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation’s Research Management Committee (CRDF-RMC). David Howard, CRDF-RMC chairman, provides an overview of the approximately three-hour session called specifically …

glass

OJ May Soon Come from HLB-Tolerant Fruit

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Industry News Release, Research

Some people like to wake up and drink a glass of fresh Florida orange juice. With the greening disease ravaging Florida’s citrus industry, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers want to make orange juice from disease-tolerant fruit. Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening as it’s commonly called, has destroyed 80 percent of citrus in Florida, a …