Cover Crops Benefit California Citrus Grower

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, Cover Crops

A California citrus grower says he has substantially increased water retention and decreased irrigation usage by planting cover crops. Chris Sayer, of Petty Ranch, says he has added about 3 percent organic content to his soil, which has reduced irrigation water usage from 2 acre feet to 1.25 to 1.5 acre feet. Sayer is a fifth-generation Ventura County farmer. He …

HLB Brings Nutrition Guideline Changes

Ernie NeffHLB Management, Nutrition

An updated nutrition guide from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) provides new information for properly fertilizing HLB-impacted trees. Nutrition of Florida Citrus Trees, 3rd Edition was updated by researchers Kelly Morgan and Davie Kadyampakeni. Morgan, director of the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, says growers have been requesting an update of the guide …

Georgia

More Georgia Citrus Nurseries Certified

Ernie NeffGeorgia, nurseries

The majority of trees in Georgia’s young citrus industry have come from other states. “That statistic could soon be changing, meaning that the majority of trees could come from nurseries within the state,” said Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association.   Savelle reported that three greenhouses in Georgia have been inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) …

Irrigation Scheduling Methods Affect Water Use

Tacy CalliesIrrigation

By Sandra M. Guzman and Rhuanito S. Ferrarezi Irrigation scheduling has been one of the most important management practices to improve crop production. For citrus, there are multiple options to schedule irrigation, including evapotranspiration-, plant- and soil-based methods. These methods can provide different water requirement estimates based on environmental variables, plant uptake or water content in the soil. Although each …

nutrition

Updated Citrus Nutrition Guide Helps Growers Manage Greening

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, Industry News Release

Florida citrus growers hit hard by citrus greening can benefit from University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) expertise in an updated book — the third edition of the Nutrition of Florida Citrus Trees. Greening, known scientifically as huanglongbing (HLB), has caused significant damage to Florida’s citrus industry. UF/IFAS scientists and Extension faculty have updated the guide …

How Arizona Has Avoided HLB

Ernie NeffHLB Management

Although the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is found in Arizona at very low levels, the devastating huanglongbing (HLB) disease, also known as citrus greening, is not. John Caravetta, associate director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA), discussed successful efforts to control the psyllid and prevent HLB from infecting orchards. Caravetta reported that “AZDA is conducting trapping for ACP in …

Tips for Citrus Grove Sellers

Ernie Neffsales

By Brian Beasley Current sellers of citrus groves are usually seasoned growers. They understand and practice the best horticultural activities based on a grove’s income potential. If the grove is profitable, they usually provide premium caretaking. If the grove is not profitable, growers may augment cash flow needs to ensure relatively healthy trees capable of setting a good crop. Sometimes …

Protecting New Citrus Plantings and Resets From Weeds

Tacy Calliesweeds

By Ramdas Kanissery and Mongi Zekri Newly planted citrus trees and resets require more care and attention than established trees, especially when it comes to weed control. Florida’s weather conditions like high summer temperatures and often heavy rainfall make weed control in young groves difficult. Weeds compete with young citrus trees for nutrients, moisture and other resources, and may hinder …

irrigation

Irrigation Management Advice for HLB Trees

Tacy CalliesHLB Management, Irrigation

Water is a limiting factor in Florida citrus production during the majority of the year. Florida citrus trees may require irrigation throughout the year due to the low water-holding capacity of sandy soils and the warm subtropical climate with distinct drought periods during the spring.  Davie Kadyampakeni, assistant professor of soil and water sciences at the University of Florida Institute …

Weed Control May Help Psyllid Management

Tacy CalliesCitrus, Psyllids, weeds

By Ramdas Kanissery, Justin George and Lukasz Stelinski Weed management is a crucial component in Florida’s citrus production. Recent University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research shows that weed management may have additional pest management benefits for citrus growers. Maintaining a weed-free grove and perimeter areas may help improve management of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), …

Irrigation Management for Young Citrus Trees

Tacy CalliesIrrigation

By Davie Kadyampakeni, Arnold Schumann, Mongi Zekri and Chris Oswalt Irrigation management is important for achieving optimal citrus tree growth and promoting high water- and nutrient-use efficiencies in young trees. In the era of HLB, poor water-management practices, such as infrequent irrigation, lead to water stress in trees resulting in limited growth and impaired root development. On the other hand, …

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. …

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 …

Sneak Peek: March 2020 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

The March issue of Citrus Industry magazine focuses on fertilization and other production practices to keep citrus trees healthy. Tripti Vashisth’s article summarizes a three-year University of Florida (UF) study that looked at 10 different controlled-release fertilizer treatments in two different locations. The research results revealed that when it comes to citrus nutrition, one size does not fit all. Surprisingly, …

Citrus Industry Magazine CEU 2020 Article #1

Scouting: The tip of the IPM spear By Matt Smith Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. Why would you scout? Despite what we were all promised by Tomorrowland and …

Orange Opportunities

Tacy CalliesVarieties

New sweet orange cultivars for processing can be harvested throughout the Florida citrus season. By Jude Grosser, Fred Gmitter and Bill Castle Florida orange juice has always been the gold standard among the growing portfolio of fruit juices and blends available to consumers. However, the now endemic citrus greening disease or huanglongbing (HLB) threatens this status by causing reduced fruit …

soil

Fast, Inexpensive Soil pH Testing

Ernie Neffsoil

Multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt took several baggies of soil to an OJ break he hosted Jan. 14 at the Citrus Research and Education Center. He inserted a handheld pH meter into the soil in one of the baggies and within seconds told watching growers the content’s pH level. “Soil pH is real important, especially with HLB-infected trees today,” …

Eco-Mowing Is Part of Cover Crop Research

Ernie NeffCover Crops, Research

Cover crop research in Southwest Florida will include looking into the effectiveness of eco-mowing, or moving mowed clippings under the tree canopy rather than leaving clippings in row middles. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) soil microbiologist Sarah Strauss discusses numerous aspects of cover crop and compost research being conducted by her and other UF/IFAS scientists. …

CUPS: Managing Small Fruit Size

Ernie NeffCUPS

Fresh fruit has generally grown well in a citrus under protective screen (CUPS) facility at the Citrus Research and Education Center, but there has been an issue with small fruit size. Laura Waldo, a senior biological scientist who works with lead CUPS researcher Arnold Schumann, discusses the problem and likely solutions.  Waldo says causes of the smaller fruit size have …