Xanthomonas Key Finding Made

Ernie NeffDiseases

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore have identified a key mechanism by which the dangerous plant bacteria Xanthomonas can infect crops. The Xanthomonas bacteria, known as the “crop killer,” is a globally prevalent bacterium capable of infecting 400 different plant species. Citrus canker is caused by the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. The NTU researchers identified the exact …

Protect Against the COVID-19 Delta Variant

Tacy CalliesCOVID-19, Tip of the Week

By Ben Chapman, Taylor O’Bannon, Matt Krug and Michelle Danyluk If you would have asked us last September if there would still be a need to write a tip about COVID-19 a year later, our answer would have been, “We sure hope not.” So, what’s changed? The simplest explanation is the emergence of the Delta variant. When you hear us …

CUPS Yielding Positive Results for Grapefruit

Tacy CalliesCUPS

An innovative way to manage huanglongbing (HLB) disease is producing impressive results in University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research. According to Arnold Schumann, UF/IFAS professor at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), citrus under protective screen (CUPS) production systems have increased yields with zero effect from HLB. He shared research results during a recent …

Canker Quarantine Revised in Texas

Ernie NeffDiseases

In late August, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) removed a portion of Harris County within the Braeswood area of Houston, Texas, from citrus canker regulations. APHIS reported that the successful partnership between itself and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has resulted in a citrus canker-free status in the area since 2016. On …

Landscape Fabric Blocks Diaprepes Larvae

Ernie NeffPests

Fabric mulch landscape covers, typically used to block weeds in nurseries, can aid in diaprepes root weevil control, Larry Duncan reported at the recent Citrus Expo. “Some of these products, not all of them, are extremely effective at blocking the diaprepes weevil larvae from getting into the soil” after falling from a citrus tree, Duncan said. Duncan is a University …

Incentive for Early-Orange Plantings

Ernie NeffCRAFT

Growers who participate in the upcoming Cycle III of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program will be offered an additional $1,000-per-acre incentive to plant early-season oranges. Tamara Wood, CRAFT executive director and program manager, announced the incentive during an Aug. 31 CRAFT Cycle III workshop. CRAFT pays Florida growers to plant trees on which they will conduct commercial …

How to Work With UF/IFAS for a Rootstock Trial

Tacy CalliesRootstocks, Tip of the Week

By Bill Castle The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) plant improvement team has long been engaged in field research to evaluate new scions and rootstocks. That effort continues and has involved trials on public and private property. While public sites are valuable, they are limited in number. Thus, most …

Will Georgia Fruit Have a Home?

Tacy CalliesGeorgia

Citrus acreage in Georgia continues to increase. While it didn’t double like it did in 2020, it still increased by 50%, says Jake Price, University of Georgia Lowndes County Extension coordinator. During a citrus growers’ summer update meeting on Aug. 25 in Lowndes County, Price said that Georgia’s citrus acreage has ballooned to 2,700 acres in 46 counties. The state …

PIECES OF THE PAST: Advice From 1887

Tacy CalliesPieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette In researching the biographies for an upcoming book on the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame members, I came across a digitized book by Google online that was written in 1887. It’s titled “Florida Facts Both Bright and Blue: A Guide Book to Intending Settlers, Tourists, and Investors From a Northerner’s Standpoint; Plain Unvarnished Truth, Without ‘Taffy’; …

texas

Canker Eradication Efforts Underway in Texas

Ernie NeffDiseases

The Asiatic A strain of citrus canker was recently found in the Upper Gulf Coast area of Texas, posing a significant threat to the state’s commercial citrus production. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Citrus Center are collaborating on surveys to detect the disease. They are also removing and properly …

IPCs Help With Diaprepes and Nematodes

Ernie NeffPests

Florida citrus growers have known for several years that individual protective covers (IPCs) do a good job of excluding HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids from young trees. “But those protective covers also protect from things like Diaprepes abbreviatus,” researcher Larry Duncan told the recent Citrus Expo audience. Duncan is a nematologist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural …

Safety Tips for Flying Drones

Ernie NeffSafety

Some people view drones as toys, but they can be dangerous. In fact, about 1,000 people per year are injured from using drones incorrectly. To address the potential peril, two University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are offering ways to keep people from getting hurt while using drones. Yiannis Ampatzidis of UF/IFAS uses unmanned aerial …

Australian Tree Map Tool Honored

Ernie NeffAwards, International

The Australian Tree Crop Map Dashboard won first place at the 2021 Esri User Conference. The conference is the world’s largest event dedicated to geographic information system technology. The tool is freely available and interactively summarizes the extent of avocado, citrus, macadamia and mango orchards, banana plantations and olive groves. It helps those industries make informed and timely decisions for biosecurity …

citrus crop forecast

Navel Oranges: Current Status and Future in Florida

Tacy CalliesVarieties

By Pete Spyke and Bill Castle Navel oranges are fairly tolerant of HLB, are popular and easy to sell, and offer a stable source of income that is only marginally related to worldwide supply and demand. Nevertheless, the Florida navel orange industry has experienced some tough times recently. Growers are questioning whether it is possible to grow navel oranges profitably …

EPA Bans Chlorpyrifos on Food

Ernie NeffPesticides

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will stop the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on all food. It said it is taking the action to better protect human health, particularly that of children and farmworkers. In a final rule released in August, EPA is revoking all “tolerances” for chlorpyrifos. The tolerances establish an amount of a pesticide that …

Florida Black Spot Quarantine Expands

Ernie NeffDiseases, Regulation

The citrus black spot (CBS) quarantine in Florida was recently expanded in five Southwest Florida counties by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). APHIS added 37 sections in Charlotte County, 17 sections in Collier County, 45 sections in Glades County, 68 sections in Hendry County and 28 sections in Lee County to the quarantine …

Dantzler Still Optimistic Regarding HLB

Ernie NeffCitrus Expo, HLB Management

Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler told a Citrus Expo crowd why he remains optimistic regarding HLB, even in the face of negative industry trends. Dantzler, who started at CRDF on the first day of Citrus Expo three years ago, declared, “I am more optimistic than ever. It is taking longer than I thought, but …

Controlling Diplodia Stem-End Rot Before Harvest

Tacy CalliesDiseases

By Mark A. Ritenour, Jiuxu Zhang, Liliana M. Cano and Megan M. Dewdney The decay of fresh citrus fruit in Florida is usually caused by fungal pathogens that grow and develop in the hot and wet conditions typical to the state. While green and sometimes blue Penicillium molds and sour rot can cause Florida fruit to decay, the subtropical conditions …

Yield Predictions Improved by AI

Ernie NeffTechnology

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to help citrus growers better forecast their seasonal yield. A preliminary study showed that the AI technology predicts yields with 98% accuracy. That’s way better than the 75% to 85% accuracy growers get when they count trees manually, said Yiannis Ampatzidis, UF/IFAS associate professor …

Dry Winter Forecast Adds to Water Worries

Tacy CalliesCalifornia Corner, Water, Weather

The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center is expecting a dry winter in Southern California. Specifically, it says the El Niño-Southern Oscillation is predicted to be neutral into the fall (51% chance for the August–October season), with La Niña potentially emerging during the September–November season and lasting through the 2021–22 winter (66% chance during November–January). The forecast comes on the …