Effect of Planting Density and Enhanced Nutrition on Grapefruit

Tacy CalliesNutrition

By Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi, Dinesh Phuyal, Davie Kadyampakeni and Kelly Morgan The Indian River District is the world’s premier grapefruit production region due to a warm, ocean-facing humid climate and Flatwoods soils. The geographical location leads to the production of fruit with thin rinds and exceptional juice and color that has been a high-value export delicacy in Europe and Asia. …

Root Hair Enhancement With Low Phosphorus Concentrations

Tacy CalliesNutrition

By Laura Waldo and Arnold Schumann It has been the accepted belief for many years that citrus varieties and rootstocks do not develop root hairs. However, research has shown that root hair growth can be stimulated when soil phosphorus (P) concentrations are extremely low. It is possible that in Florida, citrus roots could fail to produce root hairs due to …

Nutrition: No One Size Fits All

Tacy CalliesNutrition, Research

By Tripti Vashisth Constant supply and soil application of macronutrients and micronutrients can improve the health and productivity of HLB-affected citrus. A 20 to 50 percent higher than University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recommended rate of micronutrients is beneficial for HLB-affected trees. However, the nutrition program should be customized for each grove, as no one …

citrus

Citrus Nutrition Box Program Yielding Results

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Industry News Release, Nutrition

(UF/IFAS) — A recent program encouraging Florida citrus growers to learn more about the nutrient management of their groves is yielding promising results. Nearly 200 growers and industry representatives attended four workshops in late 2019 to learn about the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Nutrition Box program. UF/IFAS faculty distributed 117 free boxes of …

nutrition

Nutrition Questions in Need of Answers

Ernie NeffNutrition

A sheet of “Nutrient Management Concept Questions” was passed out at the January Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board meeting in Fort Pierce. It included questions that growers and researchers have agreed need to be answered in future nutrition-related research funded by CRDF. Rick Dantzler, CRDF chief operating officer, explains how the questions were developed. “We had a Nutrition …

nutrition

Nutrition Sampling Program Update

Ernie NeffNutrition

Approximately 110 Florida citrus growers picked up nutrition sampling kits they’ll use to help ensure their groves are receiving proper nutrition this season. The kits are part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Nutrition Management Program launched this fall. The kits provide growers everything they need to collect four leaf samples and one …

Nutrition: What Growers Want to Know

Ernie NeffNutrition

A group of growers, production managers and researchers hopes to ensure future nutrition research funded by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) answers grower questions about nutrition. The dozen-plus members of CRDF’s Nutrition Working Group held their first meeting Oct. 30 at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. The panel is about evenly split between grower …

nutrition

Nutrition and Fruit Display Meetings Met With Success

Ernie NeffNutrition

Grower turnout at recent citrus nutrition meetings and a fruit display exceeded University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) expectations, says Michael Rogers. Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), also provides an update on the search for a new member of the UF/IFAS plant breeding team. Rogers says attendance at meetings where …

More on the UF Citrus Nutrition Program

Ernie NeffAll In For Citrus Podcast, Nutrition

At Citrus Expo, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) introduced a new Citrus Nutrition Program to help growers ensure their trees are getting the proper nutrition. Tripti Vashisth, UF/IFAS horticulturist at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), provides more information about the effort. “We have learned the past few years that citrus nutrition can …

Grower Appreciates Nutrition Test Kit

Ernie NeffNutrition

Lake Wales citrus grower Marshall Hartley left a recent meeting at the Citrus Research and Education Center with a box containing nutrition sampling materials for his small grove. His was one of 31 boxes passed out as part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Citrus Nutrition Management Program. More growers will pick up boxes …

nutrition

Nutrition Kits to Help Citrus Growers

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release, Nutrition

Florida’s citrus growers can soon get additional help in managing citrus greening through the newly developed University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Nutrition Program. The basis for the program is to improve the overall health and productivity of citrus groves affected by citrus greening disease by refining production practices; in particular, adjusting fertilization programs. Growers …

podcast

Nutrient Sampling to Be Funded by UF/IFAS

Ernie NeffNutrition

A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) official announced at Citrus Expo that UF/IFAS will fund “starter kits” for nutrient sampling. Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) Director Michael Rogers says the kits will allow for leaf and soil sampling in a 20-acre block for a year. Growers can get the starter kits at meetings slated …

Update on Grapefruit Nutrition

Ernie NeffGrapefruit, Nutrition

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Rhuanito “Johnny” Ferrarezi reports on research leading to fertilizer recommendations for grapefruit, especially in the Indian River area. Grapefruit has been especially hard hit by HLB, the devastating citrus disease discovered in Florida in 2005. “We are entering the second season (of the research project) and we hope to have …

TCP Might Help Trees Tolerate HLB

Ernie NeffHLB Management, Nutrition

Laboratory tests of tricalcium phosphate (TCP) indicate it has potential use as a fertilizer that might help citrus growers cope with HLB, says Laura Waldo, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) laboratory manager. “The hope is that it can help a tree by inducing root hair development and thereby allowing the tree to uptake nutrients …

soil

Soil and Water pH Play a Key Part in Nutrition

Tacy CalliesNutrition, Water

By Tripti Vashisth, Davie Kadyampakeni and Lushan Ghimire In the past few years, horticultural citrus grove management practices have changed significantly in Florida. It is a common observation across the state that huanglongbing (HLB)-affected trees respond well to complete and balanced nutrition programs. Therefore, citrus growers are currently focusing on intensive management of irrigation and nutrition. HLB-affected trees suffer a …

Critical Leaf Nutrient Thresholds to Diagnose Deficiencies in HLB Trees

Tacy CalliesHLB Management, Nutrition

By Arnold Schumann, Laura Waldo, Tripti Vashisth, Alan Wright and Kelly Morgan Huanglongbing (HLB) disease severely impacts the nutrient status of citrus trees, particularly by stunting the feeder roots and causing measurable deficiencies of nutrients in the roots and canopies. Visible symptoms of nutrient deficiencies on citrus foliage are characteristic but not diagnostic of HLB disease. Recent HLB research efforts …

Citrus Expo

Trees Improving with Good Nutrition

Ernie NeffNutrition

Many things are improving in Florida citrus groves, and Tripti Vashisth gives most of the credit to constant and balanced fertilization. Vashisth is an assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. “You can see that tree health seems to be improving; growth is improving,” Vashisth said. …

pests

How to Identify and Avoid Nutrient Deficiencies

Ernie NeffNutrition

  Nutrient deficiencies are common in HLB-affected trees, which make up the vast majority of Florida citrus trees. At a recent Citrus Nutrition Day in Bartow, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Arnold Schumann discussed ways to identify and avoid nutrient deficiencies. A common identification method for nutrient deficiencies is direct observation, “walking through your grove, …

Growers Share Nutrition Successes

Ernie NeffNutrition

At the Dec. 11 Citrus Nutrition Day hosted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Polk County Extension, two growers shared their experiences with nutrition programs. The citrus growers, James Shinn of Shinn Groves/Tree O’Groves Inc. and Matt Story of the Story Companies, shared their knowledge via video interviews with citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt. Oswalt …

production

Citrus Nutrition Day to Include Field Tours

Daniel CooperCitrus, Citrus Health Management Areas, Industry News Release, Nutrition, Research

This year’s Citrus Nutrition Day — at which growers will learn the latest data about growing the fruit, from the soil up through the plants — is expanding to include tours of field trials. After a morning of updates from University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers, participants may tour field sites at the Peace River …