 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “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 …
Trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) has been proposed as a means to manage HLB in citrus. University of Florida research shows OTC injections increase yield and fruit quality but cause tree injury. TJ BioTech expects to receive EPA registration in late fall of this year for an OTC product that could be injected into trees. Florida citrus industry growers and …
By Bryony C. Bonning and Lukasz L. Stelinski Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) transfer the pathogen that causes citrus greening from plant to plant as they feed. After confirmation of citrus greening in Florida in 2005, growers intensified their use of insecticides against ACP to try to stop disease spread. However, this method alone has yielded variable success and increased costs. …
In the quest for better fruit retention in HLB-infected citrus, there has been a good deal of attention placed on the use of plant growth regulators to fight fruit drop. Gibberellic acid (GA) has been the focus of new research in recent years to establish refined timing of applications to optimize results in Florida citrus. Much of that research has …
By Tripti Vashisth and Mary Sutton Citrus trees affected by huanglongbing (HLB) consistently have small fruit and low fruit numbers at harvest. The low fruit numbers are largely attributed to the increased rates of preharvest fruit drop that accompany HLB. Small fruit is more likely to drop during this preharvest period, suggesting a link between fruit size and retention. To …
During this summer’s Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference, Matthew Mattia, a post-doctoral associate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), discussed his work to identify the origins of the Donaldson citrus variety. The variety is a single tree on the USDA A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm near Groveland, Florida. Mattia was the first to discover the tree on the farm in …
A Fundecitrus study found that the first four stages of orange tree shoot development are the ones that should be most protected against HLB-spreading psyllids. The Brazilian association reported that among the six stages of shoot development, the first four (V1 to V4) are the most attractive to the psyllid and favorable for its feeding and reproduction. Therefore, those are …
Plant physiologist Ute Albrecht recently gave a presentation on increased fruit yield and other apparent benefits of injecting the antibiotic oxytetracycline into citrus tree trunks. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher also discussed other advantages that trunk injection provides. These advantages include: Precise delivery of materials Elimination of spray drift Reduced risk for worker exposure …
The Florida Department of Citrus’ Program for Expedited Propagation (PEP) of HLB-tolerant and resistant trees was conceived during the 2022 Florida legislative session following the discovery of the Donaldson tree among the collection at Whitmore Farms. The goal is to provide the resources needed to ramp up availability of Donaldson trees and others like it, so that growers interested in …
The recent Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference featured educational presentations on navigating production in an environment where HLB is endemic in groves. Two of those presentations focused on new technology being developed for use in citrus. Two companies, Elemental Enzymes and TJ BioTech, have been collaborating with the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) to research their respective products’ potential …
Microregion maps developed by Fundecitrus should help Brazilian citrus growers make the necessary decisions to combat HLB disease, also known as greening. Fundecitrus explained that the incidence of HLB differs in the various regions of Brazil’s extensive citrus belt. To allow citrus growers to better understand the places where the disease is located, a study by Fundecitrus divided the belt …
By Tripti Vashisth Gibberellic acid (GA) can benefit citrus trees in many ways. GA can improve vegetative and fruit growth while reducing fruit drop and flowering intensity. Evidence is mounting that repeated application of GA is needed to induce the desired positive effect on fruit growth and tree productivity. In a multiyear field trial on Valencia orange, monthly application of …
The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on July 20 approved the Florida Department of Citrus’ (FDOC) plan for implementation of the Program for Expedited Propagation of HLB Tolerant and Resistant Trees (PEP). The program’s goal is to provide resources needed to ramp up the availability of the apparently HLB-tolerant Donaldson tree and others like it. The FDOC received $1 million in …
The pros of injecting the antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) into citrus tree trunks to combat HLB appear to be numerous, including increased fruit yield, according to scientist Ute Albrecht. On the other hand, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher only discussed one con, but it was a big one. “Trunk injections cause injury, and long-term …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Nian Wang reported in a July 20 webinar that HLB is a pathogen-triggered immune disease. After explaining the sequence in which the disease attacks trees, he suggested ways growers can use that knowledge to combat HLB. Wang is a microbiologist and cell scientist at the Citrus Research and Education Center. …
By Jude Grosser, Manjul Dutt and Fred Gmitter Exploiting citrus genetic diversity is the key to defeating HLB. Plant species have survived for millennia with evolving, hostile pathogens. This is possible through natural selection within genetically diverse populations. Tolerant or resistant individuals survive and intermate, get through the bottleneck, and the species evolves. Current citriculture is based on extremely limited …
The goal of an expedited tree propagation program is to have several million HLB-tolerant or HLB-resistant trees planted in the next several years. Greg Hodges, assistant director of the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Division of Plant Industry (DPI), said he believes that goal is attainable. Hodges and others presented the propagation plans to the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on July …
Federal and state officials in late June expanded the areas quarantined for huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening), caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, in California. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) took the action in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). APHIS added portions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside …
By Lourdes C. Pérez Cordero Management of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) in the HLB era is incredibly important. This well-known insect can vector and facilitate the spread of the bacterium associated with HLB disease. Therefore, effective reduction of ACP populations can be beneficial for the citrus industry. But how exactly do we manage this pest? Unfortunately, there is not …
By Christopher Vincent Kaolin particle film is a non-toxic tool to reduce psyllids and increase tree growth. Particle films are nothing more than a suspension of solid particles that make a “film” on the leaves after they dry. They work mostly by reflecting light. Kaolin is the most common type of particle film because the clay is mined directly and …
