citrus

CUPS Pest Management Pointers

Ernie Neff CUPS, Pests

Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) systems in Florida provide trees significant protection from the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the HLB it spreads. Several other pests are also significantly reduced in CUPS, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers reported. For instance, citrus leafminer (CLM) populations were reduced by more than 80%. Large predators such as …

CUPS Yielding Positive Results for Grapefruit

Tacy Callies CUPS

An innovative way to manage huanglongbing (HLB) disease is producing impressive results in University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research. According to Arnold Schumann, UF/IFAS professor at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), citrus under protective screen (CUPS) production systems have increased yields with zero effect from HLB. He shared research results during a recent …

Chilli Thrips a Potential Problem in CUPS

Tacy Callies All In For Citrus Podcast, CUPS, Pests

A modified way of producing citrus in Florida to protect against the Asian citrus psyllid may provide shelter for another pest — chilli thrips. Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) production systems protect against the psyllid and the huanglongbing (HLB) disease the pest transmits. However, according to University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock, the …

Dundee CUPS Project Awarded

Ernie Neff Awards, CUPS, Irrigation

A citrus under protective screen (CUPS) project in Dundee, Florida, has received the 2021 Vanguard Award from the Irrigation Association (IA). The award honors an innovative project in the irrigation industry executed by a team of individuals, companies, organizations or other group entities. Projects chosen for the award exemplify the IA’s mission of promoting efficient irrigation.   The partners in …

CUPS Tree Growth Surprises Growers

Ernie Neff CUPS

Brothers Jerry and Keith Mixon have been surprised by how well trees grow in their citrus under protective screen (CUPS) facilities in Alturas, Florida. “All of the varieties we are growing have responded amazingly,” they said recently about their CUPS experience. Though each brother has his own CUPS structures, they jointly discussed their results. The brothers have a combined 130 …

citrus

Techniques for Improving CUPS-Grown Fruit

Ashley Robinson CUPS, Research

For a citrus under protective screen (CUPS) production system to be profitable, the cost of the system must be offset by high yields of premium-quality fresh fruit with strong market prices. Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have expanded their CUPS research trials to investigate management strategies that improve fruit quality and yield. …

Managing Pests in a CUPS System

Ashley Robinson CUPS

Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) does a great job of safeguarding trees from the HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids. However, CUPS does not protect trees from all other pests. The benefits of eliminating HLB are immediate and include rapid, normal tree growth, higher yields of premium-quality fruit and less fruit drop. Since CUPS is a relatively new system, researchers are still …

Growers Tour Indian River CUPS Houses

Tacy Callies CUPS

Citrus growers from several of Florida’s production regions joined researchers recently for a look inside 14-foot high screenhouses that protect trees from HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids. The CUPS (Citrus Under Protective Screens) Field Day took place at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center (UF/IFAS IRREC) in Fort Pierce. Johnny Ferrarezi, …

Five Years of Fresh Fruit Production in CUPS

Tacy Callies CUPS

By Arnold Schumann, Laura Waldo, Napoleon Mariner and Timothy Ebert According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Florida grapefruit production for the 2019–20 season was only 12 percent of the production recorded in 2003–04, prior to the arrival of huanglongbing (HLB) disease in the state. A major goal of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …

Protecting Trees: Beyond CUPS and IPCs

Ernie Neff HLB Management

Many Florida citrus growers have been using individual protective covers (IPCs) for several years primarily to protect trees from HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids (ACP). Smaller but increasing numbers of growers are utilizing the more expensive citrus under protective screen (CUPS) system to protect trees from ACP and HLB. Recently, Fernando Alferez informed growers in a virtual presentation about some other …

citrus

Pests in CUPS and IPCs

Ernie Neff CUPS, Pests

Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) and young trees covered with individual protective covers (IPCs) have generally been well protected from HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids, but not from all other pests. Entomologist Jawwad Qureshi says the psyllids only get to trees when a CUPS structure or IPC is damaged, as happened to CUPS during Hurricane Irma in 2017. “Otherwise they do …

CUPS: Managing Small Fruit Size

Ernie Neff CUPS

Fresh fruit has generally grown well in a citrus under protective screen (CUPS) facility at the Citrus Research and Education Center, but there has been an issue with small fruit size. Laura Waldo, a senior biological scientist who works with lead CUPS researcher Arnold Schumann, discusses the problem and likely solutions.  Waldo says causes of the smaller fruit size have …

CUPS Featured at Field Day

Ernie Neff CUPS

Growers already producing fresh citrus under protective screen (CUPS) were among approximately 30 attendees at a CUPS field day Dec. 12 at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, Florida. Lead CUPS scientist Arnold Schumann with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and other researchers described activities in the screened-in facility. Attendees saw much …

A Closer Look at CUPS-Grown Grapefruit

Tacy Callies CUPS, Grapefruit

By Arnold Schumann, Ariel Singerman and Yu Wang Grapefruit production in Florida has been drastically reduced by huanglongbing (HLB) disease, from 40.9 million boxes in 2003–04 to 4.5 million boxes in 2018–19, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Grapefruit varieties are particularly vulnerable to HLB due to cumulative losses from stunted tree growth, low fruit yield, high-percentage fruit drop, …

CUPS

CUPS: Favorite Varieties to Grow

Ernie Neff CUPS

After five years of growing citrus under protective screen (CUPS), Arnold Schumann has named Ray Ruby grapefruit and Honey Murcott tangerine as his favorite varieties to grow in the system. Schumann is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. He addressed the topic of …

Economics of CUPS and IPCs

Ernie Neff CUPS, Economics, HLB Management

At Citrus Expo, economist Ariel Singerman discussed the economics of producing citrus under protective screen (CUPS) and covering young trees with individual protective covers (IPCs). The primary purpose of both strategies is to exclude HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids. Singerman is with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Singerman calculated that a CUPS grower who insures …

planting

CUPS Research in Indian River Area

Ernie Neff CUPS

Research into citrus under protective screen (CUPS) in the Indian River area was discussed by students of Rhuanito (Johnny) Ferrarezi at the Florida State Horticultural Society meeting in June. The project at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) grows grapefruit, the citrus of most economic importance in the Indian River region. Ferrarezi, a University of Florida Institute of …

CUPS

Many Aspects of CUPS Addressed

Ernie Neff CUPS, Research

Arnold Schumann, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor of soil science, reports on his five years of research into citrus under protective screen (CUPS) for fresh fruit. He is one of the first researchers in Florida to do extensive, hands-on research into the system. His discussion is part of the current All In For Citrus …

CUPS

Good Varieties for CUPS

Ernie Neff CUPS

At a recent field day for citrus under protective screen (CUPS) in Polk County, researcher Arnold Schumann discussed varieties that appear to work well in the system. Schumann is with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center. The primary purpose of growing citrus under protective screen is to keep out the Asian …

CUPS

CUPS Heat and Cold Considerations

Ernie Neff CUPS

Growers producing fresh fruit inside the relatively new citrus under protective screen (CUPS) structures in Florida have some unique heat and cold considerations. Chris Oswalt, citrus Extension agent for Polk and Hillsborough counties, spoke on this subject at a recent CUPS field day in Alturas, Florida. “Based on some of the early data that we have from the weather stations …