Keep Leprosis From Re-entering Florida

Josh McGillDiseases, Florida

Citrus leprosis has not been reported in Florida since 1968, but researcher Ozgur Batuman called it “an approaching threat to Florida citrus” in a recent virtual seminar. Batuman, a citrus pathologist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, urged growers to be on the lookout for the disease. According …

scouting

HLB Strategies From Zoom’okalee

Josh McGillHLB Management

In a Jan. 12 virtual Zoom seminar from Immokalee (dubbed “Zoom’okalee” in the presentation), researcher Ozgur Batuman reviewed old and new approaches to controlling HLB. The seminar was titled “Citrus Disease Trends We Should Heed: HLB, Phytophthora and Leprosis.” Batuman works for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) …

HLB Research Grants Go to UF/IFAS

Ernie NeffResearch

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) was recently awarded more than $2.2 million in federal grants for HLB research. The funding came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program. UF/IFAS researchers are also serving in leadership roles in two other NIFA-funded …

What CRAFT Wants for Cycle III

Ernie NeffCRAFT

Five Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Technical Working Group leaders on Aug. 31 discussed the types of projects they’d like to see CRAFT Cycle III growers pursue. The types of projects the leaders expressed interest in will, to some extent, fill gaps in knowledge expected to be gained from previous cycles. CRAFT pays Florida growers to plant trees on …

Assessing Spatial Patterns of Individual Protective Covers

Tacy CalliesIPCs

By Fernando Alferez, Ozgur Batuman, Susmita Gaire, Ute Albrecht and Jawwad Qureshi In previous and ongoing research performed at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC), we have demonstrated that individual protective covers (IPCs) are effective in keeping psyllids off newly planted citrus trees. Trees have been HLB-free for more than two years after planting, and the IPCs provide …

chemicals

Testing Prototypes to Get HLB Therapeutics into Trees

Ashley RobinsonHLB Management, Research

Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are working on automated systems that deliver HLB therapeutics into the citrus tree’s phloem, where the materials are most effective. The project, “Development of an automated delivery system for therapeutic materials to treat HLB-infected citrus,” is in its third year. Ozgur Batuman, project director and UF/IFAS citrus …

Stem Pitting Disease Caused by Citrus Tristeza Virus

Tacy CalliesDiseases

By Amit Levy, Peggy Sieburth and Ozgur Batuman When we hear or read about citrus tristeza virus (CTV), we usually think about the decline of sweet orange or grapefruit trees on sour orange rootstocks. However, there are other diseases caused by different isolates of the virus. One of these diseases is stem pitting, mostly caused by the VT isolate of …

Sneak Peek: February 2021 Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesDiseases, Sneak Peek

While everyone strives to protect themselves from coronavirus disease, growers have an additional concern: protecting their trees from citrus disease. While HLB is of course the most damaging disease of citrus, there are other diseases that should not be overlooked. Disease management is the theme of the February 2021 issue of Citrus Industry magazine. University of Florida Institute of Food …

greasy spot

Citrus Diseases to Pay Attention to

Tacy CalliesDiseases

Phytophthora and leprosis diseases can each substantially reduce productivity of a citrus tree, but when they attack trees already weakened by HLB, the result can be fatal. Ozgur Batuman, assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), explained how co-infection impacts HLB-infected trees during a recent UF/IFAS webinar. PHYTOPHTHORA DISEASESPhytophthora species are soil-borne fungal pathogens …

UF/IFAS Collaborates on HLB Research

Ernie NeffResearch

Several University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) faculty are collaborating with other universities and organizations on research, especially for HLB. Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), summarizes the work they are doing on a variety of grant-funded projects. Rogers starts with a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded project led by …

Research Update on Individual Protective Covers

Tacy CalliesPests

By Fernando Alferez, Susmita Gaire, Ute Albrecht, Ozgur Batuman, Jawwad Qureshi and Mongi Zekri It has been nearly three years since the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) started its studies on individual protective covers (IPCs). The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of IPCs as a strategy to prevent HLB infection of …

citrus black spot

Black Spot and Production Guide Updates

Ernie NeffDiseases

Megan Dewdney recently provided information about positive results from fungicide trials for citrus black spot, as well changes to the new Citrus Production Guide. Dewdney is a plant pathologist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), working at the Citrus Research and Education Center. Dewdney conducted the fungicide trials for black spot in a 20-year-old …

chemicals

Needle-Assisted Trunk Infusion for Trees

Tacy CalliesHLB Management

With the devastating impacts of HLB on the citrus industry, growers are seeking alternative solutions to reduce Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (the bacteria that causes HLB) levels in trees and prevent disease-induced decline. Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are developing an automated method for delivering therapeutic liquid materials into the vascular tissue of citrus …

Tips for Planting Container Trees

Ernie Neffplanting

By Phillip Rucks The following is a summary of planting tips for container trees garnered from work done by various University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers as well as my own experience: Keep trees in shade until planted. They should be wet down at least once daily. Be sure trees are not set out in the …

Nursery Diseases at Planting: What to Watch for

Tacy CalliesDiseases, nursery

By Ozgur Batuman and Megan Dewdney Citrus nurseries work very hard and put forth considerable effort to reduce pest and disease problems. However, there continues to be problems with certain diseases, because the nursery environment for growing citrus trees is ideal for many pests and diseases. Basic principles of good nursery sanitation practices together with screening and removing suspected or …

Sneak Peek: April 2020 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

As everyone strives to stay healthy amid the coronavirus crisis, the April issue of Citrus Industry magazine focuses on another kind of health — young tree health. In the first of four articles focused on practices for planting new trees, University of Florida (UF) researchers Ozgur Batuman and Megan Dewdney give growers advice on what to watch for when receiving …

scientists

Viruses Might Help Control Asian Citrus Psyllids

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, Industry News Release, Psyllids, Research

(UF/IFAS) — University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are working toward establishing a new biological method that may help growers control the insect that transmits the deadly greening disease into citrus trees. Greening is present in about 95 percent of the citrus trees in Florida, so by using a virus that may kill the insect, …

Citrus Leprosis Poses a Threat to Florida

Tacy CalliesDiseases

By Amit Levy, Ozgur Batuman, Peggy Sieburth and Lauren Diepenbrock Citrus leprosis is an exotic viral disease not currently present in Florida. This disease is of interest since it was reported in citrus in Florida and Brazil in the early 1900s, where it caused great crop and tree losses, but it was eliminated from Florida in the early 1960s. Currently, …

chemicals

UF Researcher Seeks Biological Control of ACP

Tacy CalliesPests, Regulation

In the latest All In For Citrus podcast, Ozgur Batuman talks about his research into biological control of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). Batuman is an assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. ACP control is necessary for management of citrus greening disease, or huanglongbing (HLB). Batuman’s …

citrus

All In For Citrus Podcast, November 2019

Taylor HillmanAll In For Citrus Podcast

The All In For Citrus podcast for November is packed with updates on various aspects of citrus production. Citrus Research and Education Center Director Michael Rogers tells how the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) helped a Washington Post reporter write a well-balanced article about the Florida citrus industry and HLB. Rogers points out that the …