Far from his roots in a small town in northwest China, Changying “Charlie” Li is now the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) artificial intelligence (AI) administrative coordinator. He’s also a professor of agricultural and biological engineering. Li joined UF/IFAS last year to focus on agricultural AI with research, teaching and administration appointments. He wants to …
Can Brassinosteroids Help Citrus Cope With Disease and Extreme Weather?
By Fernando Alferez and Muhammad A. Shahid Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a natural group of hormones that regulate physiological and biochemical attributes that include seed germination, flower development, root formation and resistance to various abiotic and biotic stresses. BRs have shown promise in reducing pests and diseases in a wide range of plants, including citrus. A commercial formulation of BRs has …
Redesigned Florida Grower Citrus Show a Sweet Success
The reinvigorated Florida Grower Citrus Show was a crowd-pleaser in its first year hosted by AgNet Media. The annual event was relocated to University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) facilities in Fort Pierce. It was streamlined from a two-day format to a one-day event. The show brought together exhibitors who …
Canopy Assist: A New Way to Measure Tree Health
Tripti Vashisth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor, joined the March episode of the All In For Citrus podcast to discuss a new smartphone application growers will be able to use soon to measure tree health. Plant growth regulators like gibberellic acid, 2,4-D and brassinosteroids have demonstrated the ability to improve tree health and …
Seeking Wedgworth Leadership Class Nominations
The Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources (WLIANR) is soliciting nominations for Class XII of its two-year leadership development program. The program is sponsored by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Nominations close June 1 and applications are due no later than June 15. Self-nominations are accepted. Class XII will begin in Gainesville …
CUPS Irrigation and Fertilization for Grapefruit
By Rhuanito S. Ferrarezi and Mark A. Ritenour Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) is a modern production system that excludes the Asian citrus psyllid and, consequently, the devastating disease citrus greening (huanglongbing or HLB) from plants cultivated in screenhouses. A recent study investigated the effect of different irrigation management strategies on fruit yield and quality of grapefruit grown in CUPS. …
Sweet New Discoveries Open Up Opportunities for Citrus Industry
By Xixuan Tang, Yu Wang, Fred Gmitter and Jude Grosser Citrus fruits and juices are commonly consumed worldwide due to their health benefits and flavor. However, recent trends in reducing carbohydrate intake have raised concerns from consumers about citrus products because of their relatively high levels of sugar content. This concern discourages repeat purchasing and consumption of citrus fruits and …
Growers Learn About Citrus Roots
Florida researcher Ute Albrecht shared information about citrus tree roots at the recent Georgia Citrus Association annual conference. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor specializing in plant physiology discussed rootstocks and soils, suggested transplanting tips and touched briefly on freeze tolerance. Albrecht works at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in …
Florida Citrus Still an Economic Force
While the Florida citrus industry has seen its fair share of challenges from HLB and recent hurricanes, the industry still swings a big stick according to research conducted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The study, The 2020-21 Economic Contributions of the Florida Citrus Industry, was released in February. Christa Court, UF/IFAS economist and …
Don’t Miss the Florida Grower Citrus Show
By Ron Cave In 1946, leaders with the University of Florida and the Indian River Citrus League ascertained the need for an event where growers, the trade organization and researchers might network and attend educational sessions presented by scientists. So began the first-ever Indian River Citrus Seminar, which would later become the Florida Grower Citrus Show. In the 1960s, Florida’s …
Reduce Pests With Natural Enemies
By Jawwad Qureshi A wide range of pests colonize citrus crops. Most of these species target tree canopies, and a few feed on the roots. Damage is either direct through feeding on the plant tissues or it can be twofold if the pest is also responsible for transmitting the pathogens of a disease or making conditions favorable for the disease …
Pheromones Essential in Leafminer Management
Citrus growers should emphasize leafminer management this year to preserve new flushes. This is especially important for those producers affected by the Christmas freeze event. The management strategy should include pheromone disruptions, which can help reduce pest populations. Xavier Martini, assistant professor of entomology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and …
New Offerings at Florida Grower Citrus Show
The 2023 Florida Grower Citrus Show, presented by AgNet Media, will be held April 13 in Fort Pierce. The show has a new venue this year — the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) and the adjacent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory. …
Should Florida Growers Be Worried About Lime Swallowtail?
By Lauren Diepenbrock Recently, several articles have highlighted a potential new threat to the citrus industry in Florida, the lime swallowtail. While it is true that this pest has been found in residential citrus plantings in Key West, it is unlikely that lime swallowtail will have much of an impact, if any, on Florida’s commercial citrus industry. Lime swallowtail is …
Sneak Peek: April 2023 Citrus Industry
It’s almost April, and that means it’s almost time for the Florida Grower Citrus Show! The soon-to-be-released April issue of Citrus Industry magazine features an event guide to the new and improved Florida Grower Citrus Show. Included is a complete seminar schedule and list of participating exhibitors and sponsors for the April 13 event. Now under AgNet Media management, the …
Update on New Varieties Projects
The Florida Citrus Commission on March 15 heard an update on four sponsored projects under the New Varieties Development and Management Corp. (NVDMC). Peter Chaires, NVDMC executive director, provided the updates: 1. The primary effort of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service’s Citrus Scion Breeding Program is to select varieties throughout the 2022–23 season that have commercial potential. …
Lessons Learned From HLB as an Immune-Mediated Plant Disease
By Nian Wang How the huanglongbing (HLB) pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) causes damage to infected citrus trees has been widely debated. A recent study demonstrates that HLB is an immune-mediated plant disease (Ma et al., 2022). It was discovered that CLas infection of citrus stimulates systemic and chronic immune response in phloem tissues, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, …
All In For Citrus Podcast, March 2023
Growers have been deploying several new therapies aimed at improving the health of HLB-infected citrus in recent years. Plant growth regulators like gibberellic acid, 2,4-D and brassinosteroids have demonstrated the ability to improve tree health and help in fruit retention. More recently, direct delivery of oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC-HCl) via trunk injection has been approved for use in groves. There is …
New Plantings a Focus of Phytophthora Management
Plant pathologist Megan Dewdney put emphasis on new plantings during a mid-March discussion of phytophthora management for citrus trees infected with HLB. Dewdney is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor at the Citrus Research and Education Center, where she spoke. Dewdney’s presentation was part of an OJ break hosted by UF/IFAS Extension multi-county …
Citrus Institute: One-Stop Learning Opportunity for Growers
By Ruth Borger Keeping up with the latest news and research findings that impact how growers can successfully produce citrus in the HLB era can be an overwhelming task. Tracking down the right information at the right time for the changing conditions that face citrus growers takes time, effort and persistence. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …