citrus greening

California Ag Chief Prepared to Battle HLB

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, HLB Management

In an interview at the Citrus Research Board’s (CRB) annual conference last month, Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), said the present status of huanglongbing (HLB) disease is similar to another disease that challenged the California citrus industry years ago. Pierce’s disease was a potentially devastating threat long before HLB. “One of the things …

Progress on Engineering HLB-Tolerant/Resistant Citrus

Tacy CalliesVarieties

By Manjul Dutt and Jude W. Grosser Huanglongbing (HLB) threatens the survival of the Florida citrus industry. Both conventional cultivars and genetically engineered cultivars that can grow in the presence of HLB have been developed at the University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Among the two citrus improvement techniques, engineering citrus remains the fastest …

Citrus Production in Argentina

Tacy Callieslemons

By Stephen H. Futch and Ariel Singerman In May of 2017, we visited the northwestern citrus production region of Argentina in the provinces of Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán. The purpose of the trip was to learn more about Argentina’s citrus industry and programs being developed to deal with both the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and huanglongbing (HLB). Argentina has a …

Ventura County Growers Tackle Troubles in Paradise

Tacy CalliesCalifornia Corner

By Len Wilcox Ventura County, California, is perhaps the prettiest place in the world to grow lemons. Nestled between the golden slopes of the coast range and the relaxing seaside and azure-blue ocean, it is just north of Los Angeles on the famous Pacific Coast Highway. In town, Ventura seems far too urban to be an agricultural center; it is …

citrus greening

Organic Management for HLB

Abbey TaylorCitrus Greening, HLB Management, Organic

By Jaci Schreckengost One of the topics researchers and growers discussed at the 2017 Organic Food & Farming Summit was what can be done organically to combat huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. Florida Organic Growers hosted the summit in Gainesville. It featured many workshops in which researchers and growers could discuss challenges and management practices. Tripti Vashisth, …

Harvesting Charges for Florida Citrus

Tacy CalliesEconomics

By Ariel Singerman, Marina Burani-Arouca, Stephen H. Futch and Robert Ranieri This article summarizes the charges for harvesting citrus in Florida during the 2016–17 season. The estimates provided are key for computing on-tree prices and to estimate economic returns to citrus growers. The estimates are based on a survey of harvesters conducted in May 2017. A total of 15 harvesters …

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 …

system

System Screens Out Citrus Greening-Carrying Insect

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, Industry News Release, Research

Imagine camping in the deep woods. You’d want a tent with mesh that prevents bugs – even those as small as gnats – from entering into your wildlife hangout. That’s the idea behind citrus under protective screens, or CUPS, which helps keep away a pinhead-sized insect that causes citrus greening, University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientists …

CUPS Test to Begin at California Research Center

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner

University of California (UC) scientists at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center (LREC) will soon begin to test the effect of growing citrus under protective screen (CUPS). CUPS is a proposed new method of controlling huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease, by keeping psyllids, small insects known to spread the disease, away from the trees. The test will evaluate the …

HLB Affects Grapefruit Sales

Abbey TaylorCitrus Greening, Grapefruit

By Jaci Schreckengost For grapefruit growers, huanglongbing (HLB) has been a huge issue, leading to many fears in the industry, including the fear of a shortage. Rob Atchley, general manager of citrus groves for Duda Farm Fresh Foods, says HLB makes crops vulnerable to new stresses the trees have not previously encountered. He says these stresses can turn into fruit …

usda

UF Researchers Work to Manage HLB in Grapefruit

Abbey TaylorCitrus Greening, Grapefruit

By Jaci Schreckengost Due to the rapid rate huanglongbing (HLB) has affected citrus, researchers are working on new management techniques for the disease. Rhuanito “Johnny” Ferrarezi, assistant professor in citrus horticulture at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), says research is being done to answer questions about how HLB …

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 …

usda

Rep. Albritton Discusses Citrus Industry Funding

Abbey TaylorLegislative

By Jaci Schreckengost Ben Albritton, Florida House Representative from District 56, says it is encouraging to see the positivity in the citrus community, especially in challenging times. Due to the rise of huanglongbing (HLB), known as citrus greening disease, Florida citrus growers are facing the challenges of reduced production and health of their crops. There have been some changes in …

citrus greening

HLB Found in California Citrus Birthplace

Abbey TaylorCalifornia Corner, Citrus Greening

A citrus tree in the city of Riverside tested positive for huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The detection is the first case of HLB found in a major citrus-producing county and the most northern in California. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) confirmed the detection of HLB disease in a sample taken from a grapefruit tree located in a Riverside …

HLB management

Management Plan for Roots of HLB-Infected Trees

Abbey TaylorCitrus Greening, HLB Management

By Jaci Schrekengost As huanglongbing (HLB) continues to decimate citrus crops, researchers continue to search for new, efficient ways growers can manage the disease. HLB, also known as citrus greening disease, is vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid. The disease affects the entire tree, including the roots and fruit. Tripti Vashisth, assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist at the University …

citrus greening

UC Puts HLB Research Online in Easy-To-Read Updates

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner

California citrus farmers have their ears perked for all news related to Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), huanglongbing (HLB) disease and HLB research, but some of the very latest advances have been available only in highly technical research journals, often by subscription only. University of California (UC) Cooperative Extension scientists are now translating the research into readable summaries and posting them …

Florida citrus growers

UF Researcher Working on HLB Solutions

Abbey TaylorCitrus Greening, HLB Management

By Jaci Schreckengost All research at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) at the University of Florida (UF) currently deals with huanglongbing (HLB) to help protect the citrus industry. “Even if we’re interested in looking into other things, this needs to be solved in order to be able to have an industry to work with in the future,” says …

citrus greening

Justices Reject Challenge to Scott Citrus Veto

Daniel CooperCitrus, Citrus Greening, Industry News Release

by Jim Saunders, News Service of Florida Despite clear frustrations of some justices, the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday declined to invalidate Gov. Rick Scott’s veto of $37.4 million that lawmakers approved to compensate homeowners whose healthy citrus trees were cut down by the state more than a decade ago. The ruling pointed to circuit court cases in Broward and …

citrus

UF/IFAS Microbiologist Works Toward Greening Treatment

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, Industry News Release

by Brad Buck, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences In the same year the University of Florida’s (UF) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) celebrates its 100th anniversary, Nian Wang believes he may be close to finding the “off switch” for greening, the disease devastating Florida’s multi-billion-dollar-a-year citrus industry. Wang, an associate professor of microbiology and cell sciences …

citrus greening

Citrus Diseases Discussed at Farm Bill Listening Session

Daniel CooperCitrus, Citrus Greening, Farm Bill

Various comments on many areas of agriculture were given during the first farm bill listening session hosted by the House Agriculture Committee recently in Gainesville, Florida. Among those who shared comments was John Barben, a fifth-generation citrus grower from Highlands County. He talked to committee members about citrus diseases.   Hear his comments. Sponsored Content5 Facts About Fire Ants and …