Citrus is grown in many different regions across the globe. Some of those places look very different than the Florida landscape. But that doesn’t mean growers in different regions can’t benefit from learning about how others grow their fruit. That was the message from Christoper Vincent, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor of environmental …
Economists Study Cover Crops in Citrus
Economists with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently published two studies about the adoption of cover crops in citrus. One looked at the economic feasibility of cover crop adoption for citrus growers. The other looked at the preferences and willingness of growers to incorporate cover crops into their production practices. The studies were conducted …
Angle Named University of Florida Interim Provost
J. Scott Angle, head of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), will serve as UF’s interim provost when Joseph Glover steps down in July. Angle will continue to lead UF/IFAS with executive decision making and strategic direction. Robert Gilbert, current UF/IFAS dean of research, will handle day-to-day administration for the organization in the interim. In …
Managing Micronutrients in HLB-Affected Trees
By Davie Kadyampakeni Nutrients are needed for optimal tree growth, fruit yields and juice quality. Any nutrient deficiencies could result in low yields and decreased revenue, so it is essential to make sure citrus trees receive adequate nutrient supplies at all times. Micronutrients, though required in minute quantities, are especially important for citrus trees impacted by citrus greening. Examples of …
Identifying HLB Therapeutics With CTV-Based Vectors
By Choaa A. El Mohtar Projected citrus production in Florida for the 2022–23 season is less than 20 million boxes. This is more than a 90% decrease compared to the 2003–04 season, which was around 292 million boxes. The main reason for the decrease is huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus …
All In For Citrus Podcast, June 2023
Speaking at the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference in June, Scott Angle, leader of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), reaffirmed the urgency the institution has placed on finding viable solutions to HLB. This includes presenting the citrus industry with a road-map document to lay out UF/IFAS HLB research priorities and objectives. One of the approaches …
Sneak Peek: July 2023 Citrus Industry
The July issue of Citrus Industry magazine focuses on the latest work to breed better citrus trees. Chief among the goals is developing varieties resistant or tolerant to HLB. A trio of articles will give readers an inside look at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA …
CRDF Research Priorities Include Trunk-Injection Therapy
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) held its June board of directors meeting in conjunction with Florida Citrus Mutual’s Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference in Bonita Springs. The June gathering is when the CRDF board passes its budget for the next year. The board funded a project by Zhanao Deng, professor of environmental horticulture with the University of Florida …
Angle Calls for Faster Research Progress on HLB
Scott Angle, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, began the educational session during the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference with a message of urgency. He recognized the critical threat posed by HLB and said science could catch up to the problem. “Plant sciences are advancing globally at almost …
Using Cover Crops to Improve Soil Health
By Sarah Strauss, Emma Dawson and Elena Karlsen-Ayala The term “soil health” has become increasingly popular in the last several years. While there are many definitions of soil health, one of the more commonly cited ones is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It defines soil health as “…the continued capacity of a soil …
Build Resilience in HLB-Affected Hamlin Trees
By Taylor Livingston and Tripti Vashisth Fighting HLB alongside weather disasters like freezes and hurricanes is leaving growers with little options for sustaining yields. The Hamlin sweet orange variety is known for higher susceptibility to HLB symptoms which cause rapid tree decline, including increased pre-harvest fruit drop and canopy loss. Production strategies that target fruit drop and canopy health improvement …
Integrating Use of Organic Soil Amendments and Weed Management
By Ute Albrecht, Ankit Pokhrel, Sarah Strauss and Ramdas Kanissery The soils in most Florida citrus production areas are sandy. They have less than 1% organic matter and a low cation exchange capacity (CEC). This makes them prone to nutrient leaching, especially after heavy rainfall events in the summer. HUMIC SUBSTANCESOne way to improve soils is by amending them with …
Millennium Block and MAC Project Updates
Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022 caused early fruit drop in the Indian River area, where two studies of 39,000 trees that might tolerate HLB are being conducted. Researchers now expect significant data from the studies will come after the 2023, 2024 and 2025 season harvests, but they have already gained some insights from the projects. The first experimental grove, …
Antibiotics, HLB and Psyllids
Entomologist Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski recently shared findings from trials on the use of foliar-applied and trunk-injected antibiotics for controlling HLB and the Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) that spread the disease. Pelz-Stelinski is associate center director at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. In a May 17 presentation …
Update on Snail Management in Citrus
By Lauren Diepenbrock Snail management is becoming a more common discussion in Florida citrus with the arrival of a newer species (Bulimulus bonariensis, previously referred to as Bulimulus sporadicus, Figure 1) in the Southeast. This snail is a new challenge for citrus growers. With funding from the Citrus Research and Development Foundation, the University of Florida Institute of Food and …
Questions Remain on Cover Crops and Compost
Cover crops and compost can impact soil microbes in citrus groves, and that’s generally considered a good sign, soil microbiologist Sarah Strauss said in a virtual May 24 seminar. Microbes are critical components of soil health through their contributions to soil organic matter, nutrient cycling and plant defenses. But the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) …
Sneak Peek: June 2023 Citrus Industry
During a historically low period of Florida citrus production, Inverness grower Chuck Bellamy has found a way to keep fruit on his trees. In the June cover story of Citrus Industry magazine, he tells what regenerative practices have reduced fruit drop in his grove. Not only is he keeping more oranges; he has lowered his production costs in the process. …
Silicon Could Benefit Florida Citrus
There has been much focus on the benefits of applications of plant growth regulators like gibberellic acid and 2,4-D, and more recently oxytetracycline hydrochloride to improve the health of citrus trees infected with HLB. Silicon also has been highlighted for its potential benefits to citrus. Mohammad Adnan Shahid, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor, …
Help Trees Weather Heat With Particle Film
By Sharpton Toussaint and Christopher Vincent Kaolin particle film is a promising grove management technique for pest control and growth enhancement. The optimal rates to use to improve water use and growth in citrus trees remain an important area of investigation. Citrus leaves are prone to water deficits because they transpire more water than the stems can supply. University of …
All In For Citrus Podcast, May 2023
There is some buzz among citrus growers that new HLB therapies are beginning to show positive results in trees. But visual observations of trees are subjective and can vary from grove to grove and grower to grower. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has developed a new tool for growers that will provide a more …