 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Nutrition”
An overwhelming majority of American farmers responding to a nationwide survey said they cannot afford to purchase enough fertilizer to get them through the year. The American Farm Bureau Federation conducted the survey April 3–11. Seventy percent of respondents said fertilizer is so expensive that they will not be able to buy all they need. More than 5,700 farmers, both …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research found that supplemental nutrition mitigates HLB symptoms and improves fruit quality and shelf-life of Sugar Belle and Tango mandarins. Faisal Shahzad, Tripti Vashisth, Mark Ritenour and Jeffrey Brecht, all with UF/IFAS, authored an article in the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science about the research. The article …
In the March episode of the All In For Citrus podcast, Tripti Vashisth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center assistant director, discusses demands that the recent freeze and ongoing drought have been putting on trees. Both factors heighten the importance of irrigation and fertilization. Vashisth notes the freeze knocked a lot …
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Alisheikh Atta and Muhammad Shahid Micronutrients are those nutrients not required in large quantities but are important for improved tree performance. In the era of huanglongbing (HLB), micronutrients such as manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), boron (B), iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) have become very critical for optimal tree management. For example, B is known to help the …
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Jonas Pereira de Souza Junior, Edilaine Istéfani Franklin Traspadini, Shankar Shrestha and Alisheikh Atta Integrated nutrient management is critical for improved and sustainable citrus production. Typical practices include split fertilization applications, the use of leguminous cover crops and the incorporation of soil amendments. This article discusses the importance of using novel blends, including macronutrients and micronutrients, as …
Edwin A. Gutierrez-Rodriguez and Jonael Bosques, both with University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension, recently explained why patience is an important post-freeze tree management strategy. Following are highlights from the article they wrote. After Florida’s recent freeze event, a common question citrus growers were asking was: “What should I do to recover the trees?” The …
Irrigation and fertilizer applications are important management tools for Florida citrus growers following the recent freeze event in late January/early February. Davie Kadyampakeni, associate professor in soil, water and ecosystem sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), discussed both facets of tree maintenance during a postfreeze webinar hosted by the UF/IFAS Citrus Team. Key …
By Muhammad A. Shahid and Davie Kadyampakeni Silicon (Si) is getting a lot of attention from citrus growers as a tool to help trees handle stress, especially during cold and freeze conditions. It toughens up plant tissues, strengthens cell walls and helps trees better handle stress when it is applied at the right time. BEFORE FREEZE The most important thing …
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Alisheikh Atta and Edilaine Traspadini Citrus trees require optimal nutrition to be able to maintain high fruit yields, canopy size and good root health. Adequate nutrition supports not only yield and growth, but also tree resilience to disease and environmental stress, which is particularly important in HLB-affected groves. A balanced mix of macronutrients and micronutrients is needed …
Recent research indicates that citrus bark and mature leaves have significantly different nitrogen remobilization patterns. Study authors are Huaye Xiong, Bin Hu, Jie Wang, Xing-Zheng Fu, Yueqiang Zhang, Xiaojun Shi and Heinz Rennenberg, all with Southwest University in China. Here is the article summary: Seasonal nitrogen (N) storage and remobilization are critical for tree growth. Deciduous trees primarily store N …
Chinese researchers have delved into the complex interactions between transcription processes and metabolism in sweet orange plants deficient in boron. Boron deficiency can lead to reduced yields and compromised fruit quality. Authors of the research are Xiuyao Yang, Ke Wen, Xiujia Yang, Mengjie Zhang, Ling Zhu, Yinqiang Zi, Tuo Yin, Xulin Li, Xiaozhen Liu and Hanyao Zhang, all with the …
Noting that magnesium (Mg) deficiency is a problem in Florida citrus, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) offers the following information about its symptoms, cause and solutions. SYMPTOMS AND CAUSE Trees with inadequate Mg supply have no symptoms in the new spring flush, but leaf symptoms will develop as the leaves age and the fruit …
In a recent study, Chinese researchers found that citrus seedlings clearly prefer nitrate over ammonium as a nitrogen source. The researchers — Hao Xu, Wenlang Hu, Kaiyuan Du, Yan Dong, Qingru Fan, Zengrong Huang, Lin-Tong Yang, Li-Song Chen and Jiuxin Guo — are with the Fujan Agriculture and Forestry University. In their study, the researchers compared two citrus cultivars (C. reticulata …
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Alisheikh Atta, Jonas Pereira de Souza Junior, Christopher Vincent and Tripti Vashisth Typically, citrus water requirements are low in the winter and spring due to cooler temperatures but peak in summer and early fall due to rising temperatures. Thus, improved irrigation management is critical in these times of the year for improved production. Because most citrus trees …
A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher recently highlighted a number of benefits from using silicon as a nutrient for citrus. Muhammad Shahid, assistant professor at the North Florida Research and Education Center, presented silicon research findings at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo in August. According to Shahid, silicon is categorized as a plant …
By Tripti Vashisth, Johann Hiller and Taylor Livingston Poor fruit quality has long been a significant hurdle for sweet orange growers in the HLB era. With high fruit drop rates and challenges in harvest management, many growers find themselves picking fruit earlier than ideal, resulting in subpar Brix levels. To effectively improve the Brix of the fruit, it is essential …
Georgia citrus growers need fertilizer recommendations that are specific to the state’s production. This would allow growers to make better decisions concerning crop management. That is one of the reasons Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, was hired in August 2024. She is conducting research that will benefit Georgia growers who need to mostly …
One of the themes that emerged during the citrus seminars at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo was that integration of multiple strategies is needed to keep HLB-infected trees productive. Davie Kadyampakeni’s talk detailed the five Rs of sustainable citrus production in the era of HLB. Kadyampakeni is an associate professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and …
A recently published Chinese study found that long-term substitution of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers can improve the quality of citrus fruits. The authors found that 50% organic nitrogen substitution is the appropriate proportion for promotion in Newhall navel orange production. The study is titled “Organic fertilizer substitution synergistically improves the fruit-soil-bacteria system in Newhall navel orange under long-term management.” …
Potassium plays a vital role in plant health, affecting photosynthesis, sugar movement and crop quality. In citrus, sugars such as sucrose, fructose and glucose not only determine taste but also influence market success. While it’s known that potassium boosts sugar levels in fruit, the underlying mechanisms — especially in perennial trees like citrus — are not fully understood. The balance …
