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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Tip of the Week”
By Lauren M. Diepenbrock Many citrus growers in Florida have been impacted by Bulimulus bonariensis (previously referred to as Bulimulus sporadicus) since the first reports of this pest in groves in 2020. This snail is an ongoing challenge and, with funding from the Citrus Research and Development Foundation, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has …
By Megan Dewdney The recent freeze events of the last few weeks have scrambled the plans of citrus growers. It will take several weeks to months to understand the extent of the damage caused by the unusually cold weather. MELANOSE There is at least one disease that is highly likely to be worse than in other years. Melanose is likely …
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 …
By Lauren Fessler Mathews, Ana Redondo and Ozgur Batuman Trunk injections of oxytetracycline (OTC) have been proven to give huanglongbing (HLB)-affected citrus in Florida a boost in productivity and quality. However, previous studies have shown that even just six hours of exposure to heat and humidity in the grove can lead to OTC injections that no longer adequately suppress CLas …
By Fernando Alferez, Divya Aryal and Saoussen Ben Abdallah University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research in the last three years has found that the combined use of individual protective covers (IPCs) and brassinosteroids (BRs) enhances protection of citrus trees against HLB and other diseases that limit citrus production in Florida. The research has been conducted …
By Lauren Diepenbrock Pest management is a year-round challenge in Florida citrus. But with knowledge of insect, mite and snail seasonal biology in relation to tree phenology, plans can be developed to protect fruit and maintain productive citrus trees. Populations of some highly problematic pests (Asian citrus psyllid and citrus leafminer) generally increase with flush/new growth development, so targeting peak …
By Taylor O’Bannon, William Mitchell, Morgan Madison, Stephanie Brown, Keith Schneider and Michelle Danyluk The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Produce Safety Extension Team compiled a wish list of food-safety items for citrus growers to prepare for the new year. Some of these items are must-haves straight from the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety …
By Ramdas Kanissery Young citrus trees are highly sensitive to herbicides. Even small amounts of drift onto green bark or foliage can significantly impact tree growth (Figure 1). Taking a few practical precautions during herbicide applications can help protect young trees and keep them growing strong during their early establishment years. AVOID HERBICIDE CONTACT WITH GREEN BARK The greatest risk …
By Jawwad A. Qureshi In winter, citrus trees enter a state of quiescence due to lower light and cooler temperatures, which slows their metabolic activity. Therefore, most citrus trees do not produce new shoots during this period. These young shoots are essential for the growth of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri. The ACP is a small sap-feeding insect …
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Chris Oswalt and Muhammad A. Shahid With the onset of cooler temperatures, citrus trees cease active growth and become quiescent. This continued quiescence at lower temperatures results in a subsequent increase in cold hardiness, known as acclimation. Citrus trees proceed through many changes during acclimation, including: The above factors combine to increase the ability of citrus tissues …
By Muhammad A. Shahid, Shahid Iqbal and Davie Kadyampakeni As temperatures begin to drop across citrus-growing regions, now is the time for growers to prepare their groves for potential freeze events. Citrus trees, especially young plantings, are susceptible to cold temperatures. Damage from a single freeze event can result in canopy dieback, fruit loss and even tree death. Proper planning …
By Edwin Gutierrez-Rodriguez and Bosques Jonael Replanting a citrus grove can be an exciting prospect, but it’s not as simple as swapping trees. New cultivars, for example, may require a different setup. Here are some aspects to consider before jumping in: First steps: Newly released cultivars and rootstocks as wells as the Citrus Research and Field Trial programs are refreshing the …
By Taylor Livingston and Tripti Vashisth Preharvest fruit drop is a major concern for Florida citrus growers, especially in groves affected by huanglongbing (HLB). Environmental stressors such as drought, flooding and cold snaps further accelerate fruit drop and tree decline. Recent field trials in Central Florida evaluated the use of plant growth regulators (PGRs) — specifically gibberellic acid (GA3) and …
By Fernando Alferez and Divya Aryal Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a class of plant growth regulators with several effects on plant growth and development. They engage in crosstalk with other hormones like auxin, gibberellins, ethylene and abscisic acid, influencing all plant growth and development aspects including fruit maturation, but the timing of this effect appears to be short and tightly regulated. …
By Ramdas Kanissery Even a small amount of leftover herbicide in the spray tank can harm citrus trees. Contamination often occurs when the same sprayer is used on trees of different ages without being cleaned properly between applications. It can also happen when the sprayer is used for other pesticide products without a thorough rinse. Herbicide residues from certain herbicide …
By Edwin Gutierrez-Rodriguez and Bosques Jonael Efficient water use in citrus production, like other fruit tree crops, goes far beyond simply turning on the irrigation system. It’s a strategic practice that affects tree health, fruit quality and long-term sustainability, making it a smart agricultural practice. Some key tips to optimize your water management are: Remember, water is also a signal, …
By Davie M. Kadyampakeni and Alisheikh A. Atta The conventional four Rs for nutrient management are right source, right place, right rate and right time. This approach allows growers to synchronize nutrient supply with crop demand, enhance tree health and fruit yield, and abate economic costs and environmental losses. In contemporary farming systems in Florida citrus production, considering a fifth R …
By Lauren Diepenbrock Unlike northern regions, fall in Florida is not generally a time when insect, mite and other invertebrate pest populations decline rapidly. In Florida citrus, we generally see the opposite of this trend. In the hot, dry end of summer and early fall, mite populations often soar, requiring management to prevent excessive damage to fruit. (See The Florida …
By Ariel Singerman Between the 2021–22 and 2023–24 citrus seasons, Florida orange growers were more likely to receive indemnity payments under the Actual Production History (APH) crop insurance policy compared to the Dollar Amount policy. Moreover, when indemnities were paid, the APH policy provided a higher average payout. This raises the question: Will APH continue to be advantageous for Florida orange …
