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Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “all in for citrus”
By Mike Sparks It’s been a challenging year since Hurricane Irma struck. We understand the frustration with the lag in getting hurricane relief to growers and realize the urgency of the situation. With that said, we have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that the Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (WHIP) applications and payments for …
Growers attending a recent workshop in Sebring learned how to evaluate the root systems of HLB-infected trees. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Evan Johnson was the instructor. Johnson said evaluation of root systems is important because “HLB is causing a lot of damage to the root system … It’s important to know how the pests …
Crop production consultant Hamed Doostdar spoke on a grower panel as part of a recent University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences workshop on lemons at the Citrus Research and Education Center. He summarizes some key points regarding lemon production practices. Doostdar says lemons grow very fast, often reaching 7 to 8 feet tall by 2 years of …
By Gary Cooper Urban expansion is impacting agriculture throughout the Southeast. Florida appears to be the first state in this region to dramatically shift to a much more urban-thinking electorate. In light of this year’s primary elections, there are some points Florida agriculturists should be thinking about. I know many of you have been pondering some of this already, based …
By Len Wilcox Early detection has become a vital line of defense in the California citrus grower’s war with huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Without careful monitoring, any tree in the grove can become a ticking time bomb that could lead to destruction of the entire orchard. The disease starts unnoticed. Many months can pass before a tree displays any visible evidence …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Tripti Vashisth told growers at a citrus workshop in Sebring on Sept. 25 how to maintain proper soil pH for HLB-infected trees. She said HLB-affected trees seem to perform best when soil pH is 6.0. Vashisth said pH levels need to be adjusted continuously. “Our soils are known to be more …
Many growers in recent years have used bactericides in an effort to reduce HLB infection in their groves. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski reports on use of bactericides to reduce both the bacteria that causes HLB and the psyllids that spread it. In greenhouse studies, she reports, bactericides appeared to offer “some reduction” …
Take a shot at nominating a deserving industry member for the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. By Brenda Eubanks Burnette A few years ago, I was approached by someone at an industry function whose opening line was “I gotta talk to you!” So, we walked out into the hallway to chat. He immediately started jabbing his finger at me and …
Lemon varieties now available for planting in Florida and varieties that may be available in the future were discussed at a recent lemon workshop in Lake Alfred. Fred Gmitter, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher, summarizes his presentation. “The currently available varieties are Bearss and Eureka,” Gmitter says. “Bearss is a heavy-bearing tree; it produces …
Less than a month before his death, the late Phil Stansly offered Citrus Expo attendees advice for coping with psyllid resistance to neonicotinoid insecticides. Stansly was a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences entomologist based at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. He was among those credited with organizing Florida’s first psyllid- and HLB-fighting citrus health …
By Laura Reuss, Fred Gmitter and Yu Wang Sweet orange and mandarin fruits are the most popular citrus crops worldwide. Although often mistakenly considered one and the same, oranges and mandarins are different species with specific distinctions. For instance, mandarins are smaller and easier to peel than oranges. Additionally, mandarins are primarily eaten as fresh fruit, whereas most sweet oranges …
Philip A Stansly, age 74, of LaBelle, passed away Sept. 12, 2018 in Fort Myers, Florida. Stansly served the agricultural industry as a member of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center team for 32 years. Stansly was a frequent contributor to Citrus Industry magazine and was featured as the “psyllid slayer” …
Interest in lemon production is increasing among Florida’s citrus producers. This was evident by the strong turnout of growers who attended a lemon workshop at the Citrus Research and Education Center on Sept. 11. Approximately 80 growers and industry members attended the event, hosted by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Polk County Extension. George Hamner Jr., …
By Tripti Vashisth and Lisa Tang Fruit drop is a natural, physiological phenomenon that occurs in all citrus varieties. However, pre-harvest fruit drop often causes grower distress and concern as it can result in significant yield reduction as well as loss of tree resources into non-harvested fruit. THREE PERIODS OF FRUIT DROP In general, citrus trees bloom profusely in spring, …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Jim Graham shares preliminary results from a new trial aimed at protecting trees from HLB infection at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. During the first five months of the trial, individual protective covers (IPCs) successfully kept psyllids off young trees and delayed HLB infection. Trees under the covers …
By Ramdas Kanissery, Fernando Alferez and Ozgur Batuman Herbicides are one of the key inputs necessary for effective management of a wide diversity of weed infestations in citrus crop production. Most weeds in citrus could be controlled by adopting a weed management program that utilizes a combination of herbicides based on their selectivity and compatibility with the crop. This would …
Lakeland agricultural attorney Michael Martin discusses shortcomings he says persisted in the adjustment of crop insurance for citrus following Hurricane Irma in September 2017. “What we found out was that the loss adjustment manual in crop insurance talks about above-ground injury, which if you have freeze damage is very helpful,” Martin says. “But the loss adjustment manual doesn’t address the …
Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company recently announced the purchase of a new facility. The Fort Pierce, Florida-native company is expanding, but is not traveling too far from home. Actually, it is not traveling away from home at all. The juice company announced the beginnings of a new 55,000 square-foot building on 11 acres. The building will be located in Fort …
Two weeks into his job as chief operations officer (COO) of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), Rick Dantzler summarizes what he has heard from growers and his thoughts on helping the industry. Dantzler says he has talked to growers, CRDF board members and industry representatives “to try to get a sense of what they want CRDF to do. …
New regulations will cost California citrus growers an average of $701 per acre per year, or $203 million annually statewide, according to a new study commissioned by the Citrus Research Board (CRB). “Compliance with environmental regulations not associated with groundwater sustainability is estimated to increase costs by $17.7 million, or $67 per acre of citrus,” predicts Bruce A. Babcock, a …
