Florida’s older citrus trees are disappearing due to HLB and other problems, and the most prominent varieties being grown haven’t changed in many decades. Additionally, many long-time growers are nearing retirement. Those were among topics raised at a recent grower forum in Sebring. Laurie Hurner, Highlands County Extension director and citrus agent, hosted the meeting and summarizes discussions of aging …
What Have We Learned?
By Harold Browning Column sponsored by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation Within the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), the daily challenge of keeping up with a wide array of HLB topics, more than 75 currently funded projects, and monthly committee and board meetings translates into a constant flow of information. Project managers meet weekly to discuss progress and …
Controlled-Release Fertilizer Boosts Health of HLB Trees (Part 2)
By Pete Spyke, Joby Sherrod and Jude Grosser Part 1 of this article, published in the April 2017 issue of Citrus Industry magazine, provided some background information on controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) along with a discussion of practical applications in citrus production. This article, part 2, includes summaries of observations from several case studies in which CRF has been applied for …
Insight on Improved Management of HLB-Affected Trees
Recent studies shed light on foliar nutrient and irrigation practices. By Kelly T. Morgan and Said Hamido Most citrus growers are well aware that citrus greening (HLB) is one of the most devastating citrus diseases in many parts of the world. The disease is widespread in Florida, Texas, Brazil, Mexico and other major production areas, causing significant concerns about the …
Why Bicarbonates Matter for HLB Management
By Jim Graham and Kelly Morgan Huanglongbing (HLB), greening and yellow shoot are names for the most devastating citrus disease in the world. Symptoms of HLB include a distinctive chlorotic mottle on fully expanded leaves. Infected shoots are stunted, and branches gradually die back as the symptoms appear in other sectors of the tree canopy. HLB reduces fruit size, weight …
What Growers Say and Hear at Mutual Meetings
Florida Citrus Mutual has been cooking for its grower members, hearing what’s on their minds and telling what the association is doing for them at area meetings this spring. At a recent meeting in Bartow, Mutual CEO Mike Sparks summarized what growers are talking about, and what Mutual is telling the growers. “The entire citrus industry knows we’re still in …
Searching for Citrus Varieties Resistant to HLB
Three old trees at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center (REC) might hold the key to huanglongbing (HLB) resistance, according to an article in the University of California (UC) publication California Agriculture. The Lindcove REC is located on the eastern edge of the San Joaquin Valley near Visalia, California. Several of the citrus varieties tested at Lindcove REC were bred …
Safeguarding Citrus Stock
By Georgios Vidalakis On March 30, 2007, I received a memorable phone call in my office at the University of California (UC), Riverside. “Georgios,” said the caller, “The 2008 Farm Bill will establish the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) for specialty crops. This program will be like no other because it will be driven from the ground up. The system …
Finger Lime Could Be New Crop for Citrus Growers
By Manjul Dutt, Ethan Nielsen and Jude Grosser The finger lime is a citrus relative, scientifically named Microcitrus australasica. Finger limes are native to Australia and are so named because the fruits are long and fingerlike in shape (see figures 1 and 2). Finger limes belong to a group of similar citrus relatives, all originating from Australia with common names …
An Update on Breeding Against HLB
University of Florida researcher Jude Grosser recently discussed a broad range of research aimed at mitigating the effects of HLB during an OJ Break in Sebring. Among topics he covered are the possibility of windbreaks that kill HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids, and progress on trees that are HLB resistant or tolerant. Regarding psyllid-killing windbreaks, he says, “We do have a …
Letter to the Editor: The Future of the Florida Citrus Industry*
By Bill Castle University of Florida professor emeritus Paul Genho, a former manager of the Deseret Ranch in Osceola County, spoke about soils and food at a Florida land conference in 2015.** He noted that 90 percent of the world’s food production occurred on only four soil types: Mollisols, Alfisols, Ultisols and Oxisols. A goodly proportion of those soil types …
Citrus Research and Education Center Starts Centennial Celebration
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 …
USDA Invests in Citrus Greening Research
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced four grants totaling more than $13.6 million to combat a scourge on the nation’s citrus industry, citrus greening disease, aka huanglongbing. The funding is made possible through NIFA’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. Sponsored …
Growers Discuss Bactericides, Nutrition and More
A handful of citrus growers discussed January bloom and postbloom fruit drop (PFD), bactericides, nutrition and replanting strategies at a grower forum in Sebring on January 12. Laurie Hurner, Highlands County Extension director and citrus Extension agent, summarizes the discussions. “We are looking at areas where we’ve got bloom coming on. That is a little bit nerve-wracking for January,” Hurner …
Citrus Grower Goes Undercover
Ed Pines’ solution to citrus greening is to grow fruit in a citrus undercover production system. By Catalina Pines “It’s said that necessity is the mother of all invention, and today I toured one way the citrus industry is fighting back against greening,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam on Twitter after touring Precision Citrus on September 23. In …
Research Update: Citrus Undercover Production Systems and Whole Tree Thermotherapy
By Arnold Schumann, Laura Waldo and Alan Wright Research for producing huanglongbing (HLB)-free fresh Florida citrus with covered production systems began at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center in 2013 and at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in 2014. These citrus undercover production systems (CUPS) evolved from the …
Sensory and Consumer Studies for Improving Citrus Quality
By Laura Reuss, Fred Gmitter and Yu Wang In Florida, it is necessary to produce large quantities of high-quality citrus fruits in order to keep pace with the projected market growth, as well as to maintain viability of the citrus industry. Successful development of new varieties and pre- and post-harvest practices should be consumer-driven. However, consumer behavior is often affected …
From Planning to Planting: Establishing New Groves in the Presence of HLB
By Ute Albrecht Despite the constant threat of huanglongbing (HLB), most growers remain optimistic and are replanting citrus trees to maintain production levels necessary for sustaining the industry. The tax incentive bill under the Emergency Citrus Disease Response Act introduced in December 2015, if implemented, will help growers get back expenses associated with replanting of diseased trees immediately, instead of …
Letter to the Editor: A Citrus Industry Ombudsperson
By Bill Castle University of Florida professor emeritus During a recent breakfast with an industry friend, I asked: What is your outlook on the future of our industry? His positive reply was direct and immediate. He expanded on that reply by revealing a realistic confidence in the ability of growers to plant and grow young trees as supported by his …
2016 Citrus Expo Presentations Now Available Online
Every year, the Citrus Expo seminar program provides a wealth of new research information for growers. Thanks to the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, much of the information from the 2016 Citrus Expo program can now be found online. PowerPoint presentations from nearly all the speakers can be found on the Citrus Expo website made available through …