Impact of Temperature on Psyllid Survival

Tacy CalliesPsyllids

By Nabil Killiny and Steve Futch Citrus growers frequently inquire if Florida temperatures in the summer or winter are sufficiently high or low enough to control or suppress the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). This question is the subject of this short article. The reason growers pose the question about how temperature impacts psyllids is because ACP is a phloem feeder …

Perdue Rooney

Perdue Optimistic Researchers, Growers Will Beat Citrus Greening

Daniel CooperCitrus, Citrus Expo, Citrus Greening

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is in Florida this week, where he attended Citrus Expo at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers. While in the state, he has been able to learn firsthand about efforts to combat citrus greening. Hear more from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Stephanie Ho: Sponsored Content5 Facts About Fire Ants and How to …

Gun Safe Winner at Citrus Expo

Abbey TaylorCitrus Expo

Everglades Equipment Group continued its popular, annual John Deere gun safe giveaway at the 2017 Citrus Expo on August 16. All citrus growers who pre-registered for the event were eligible for the drawing to win the prize. Miss Florida Citrus, Rachel Smith, drew the name of the lucky winner. The gun safe went to Austin Pell of Pell Citrus in …

Citrus Expo Opens a Week from Today!

Abbey TaylorCitrus Expo

August 9, 2017 Citrus growers, vendors and industry professionals are looking forward to gathering on Wednesday, August 16 at 8:00 a.m. at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers. That’s when the doors officially open to the 2017 Citrus Expo trade show, the biggest and best annual gathering of citrus industry members in the United States. There are only …

Time to Get Serious About Trialing New Scion/Rootstock Combinations

Tacy CalliesRootstocks, Scions

By Jude W. Grosser and Frederick G. Gmitter It’s no secret that citrus greening disease, or HLB, continues to take a heavy toll on the beloved Florida citrus industry. It has been estimated that the industry will need to replant over 3 million trees per year for the next 10 years just to get back to normal. So the million-dollar …

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to Draw FFA Raffle Winners

Abbey TaylorCitrus Expo

Citrus Expo is excited to host U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Wednesday, August 16, along with U.S. Representative Tom Rooney. Perdue and Rooney will walk the trade show floor and mingle with the Citrus Expo exhibitors and attendees. Citrus Expo will provide Perdue and Rooney with a firsthand look at the challenges faced by the U.S. citrus industry, …

Sneak Peek: August 2017 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

The August issue of Citrus Industry magazine serves as the show guide for the 2017 Citrus Expo. Now in its 26th year, Citrus Expo is the largest trade show and seminar program of its kind in the United States. The event takes place August 16–17 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. This year, Citrus Expo is …

Citrus Expo to Host U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue

Abbey TaylorCitrus Expo

Citrus Expo is proud to announce that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will be attending the first day of the show on Wednesday, August 16, with U.S. Representative Tom Rooney. Perdue and Rooney are looking forward to walking the tradeshow floor and viewing the top-of-the-line products and services the Citrus Expo exhibitors have to offer. While on the trade …

Understanding Soil-Moisture Sensor Data

Tacy CalliesCitrus, Irrigation

By Arnold Schumann and Laura Waldo Florida citrus trees may require irrigation throughout the year due to the extremely sandy soils with low water-holding capacities and the warm subtropical climate with distinct drought periods in spring. Citrus trees are evergreen and may be actively growing at any time, with no true dormant phase. HLB-affected trees are particularly prone to multiple …

Preparing for and Recovering from a Hurricane

Tacy CalliesCitrus, Weather

By Mongi Zekri, Bob Rouse and Jonathan Crane Hurricane preparation for citrus growers this year is the same drill as every year. Each year, growers look forward to the rainy season to help their young trees grow fast and their mature trees produce good crops. This year, growers will be praying for good distribution of rains following a year of …

Citrus Expo Season Has Started

Tacy CalliesCitrus Expo

Online pre-registration is now open for the 2017 Citrus Expo. The 26th annual event will take place August 16-17 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. The theme of this year’s Citrus Expo seminar program will be Challenge, Change and Opportunity. By attending the seminars, growers will be able to earn continuing education units toward a Florida …

weather

UF-Developed Tools to Help Cope with Weather

Daniel CooperCitrus, Industry News Release, Weather

by Brad Buck University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Florida weather is unpredictable. While you cannot control the weather, you can use UF/IFAS-developed weather databases to improve farming, home irrigation and flood control. Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have written a new Extension document that summarizes several weather data …

psyllids

Two Big Psyllid Questions Answered

Ernie NeffHLB Management, Psyllids

Michael Rogers with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) says growers frequently ask him two questions. One is whether they need to continue to control HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids even though HLB is widespread in Florida. The other is about the best time to spray for psyllids. Rogers, an entomologist and director of the UF/IFAS …

Psyllids

Psyllids: Windbreaks, Grove Orientation and Tree Planting

Ernie NeffHLB Management, Psyllids

Populations of HLB-spreading psyllids in groves can be impacted by windbreaks, grove orientation and whether new plantings are resets or solid settings. So says Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski, an entomologist with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. “Windbreaks are one of the best things that you can do in terms of protecting the grove,” Pelz-Stelinski says. She says …

Bucks Toward BMPs

Kelsey FryWater

Cost-share assistance is available from several sources for growers looking to implement improvements to best management practices. By Tacy Callies The names of the organizations and programs that provide funding to Florida citrus growers for best management practices (BMPs) projects — SWFWMD, FARMS, EQIP, etc. — can sound like a big bowl of alphabet soup. But in reality, they represent …

Phil Stansly: Psyllid Slayer

Tacy CalliesCitrus, Citrus Health Management Areas, HLB Management, Pests

By Ernie Neff Gulf citrus growers had a CHMA (citrus health management area) before CHMAs were popular — even before they were called CHMAs! Phil Stansly, University of Florida (UF) entomology professor, is among those credited with organizing Florida’s first psyllid- and HLB-fighting CHMA. Others recognized for the achievement include Gulf Citrus Growers Association (GCGA), Florida Cooperative Extension Service and …

Effective and Economical Psyllid Spray Programs

Tacy CalliesCitrus, Citrus Greening, HLB Management

By Phil Stansly Effective control of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) has been a challenge for many Florida growers these last two years. Possible explanations include warmer, wetter weather in winter, fewer insecticide sprays being applied and a possible increase in insecticide resistance. There is little doubt that weather-induced flush the last two winters has provided extra food and refuge for …

Citrus Research and Education Center Starts Centennial Celebration

Tacy CalliesCitrus

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Nearly a century ago, a group of Polk County citrus growers raised about $14,000 to buy land for a research station. Now, the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Citrus Research and Education Center (Citrus REC). In 1917, UF/IFAS established the Citrus REC. Originally, only a few …

HLB Management in Brazil

Tacy CalliesCitrus

Observations and lessons learned from a recent citrus grower tour By Stephen H. Futch In June 2016, a group of Florida citrus growers and industry representatives embarked on a trip to tour the Brazilian citrus industry. The primary purpose of the trip was to learn more about how huanglongbing (HLB or citrus greening) is being managed in Brazil and how …

Citrus Growers in the Panhandle Are Enthusiastic Newcomers

Ernie NeffCitrus

An official with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) recently visited some citrus growers in the Panhandle, north of the traditional Florida citrus belt. Callie Walker, chief of the FDACS Bureau of Pest Eradication and Control, shares her impressions of the fledgling industry. “I was in Perry, Florida; we were looking at citrus production,” Walker said. “A …