pests

EU Intercepts Pests From South African and Brazilian Citrus

Daniel CooperExport/Import, International, Pests

The European Union (EU) in July intercepted 11 shipments infested with the quarantine pests citrus black spot (CBS) and false moth in citrus imports from South Africa. Eight CBS cases were intercepted in lemons, one in oranges and one in grapefruit. There was one false moth detection in oranges. The Valencian Farmers Association (AVA-ASAJA) called on Ursula von der Leyen, …

play

PIECES OF THE PAST: Play Portrayed Florida Citrus History

Daniel CooperPieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Mohamed Ismail recently gave me a booklet titled “Golden Harvest – The Romance of Florida Citrus” written by Nina Oliver Dean for the Florida State Horticultural Society “on the occasion of its semi-centennial celebration.” It was actually a play described as “a pageant depicting the important events in the history of Florida citrus from its introduction …

Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery: Innovation and Industry Involvement

Josh McGillnursery

By Tacy Callies Before they were married, Nate and Anna Jameson vowed they would one day farm for themselves. They met while attending the University of Florida. Nate graduated with a Bachelor of Science in ag operations management, while Anna earned her degree in animal science. After graduation, Anna worked for Lykes Meat Group and Nate for Ben Hill Griffin …

requirements

Shipping Georgia Citrus to Florida

Josh McGillGeorgia, Regulation, Shipping

The Georgia Citrus Association recently provided information for Georgia growers interested in shipping their citrus to Florida.  CHECK REGISTRATIONFlorida citrus packers should be registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) if they send fruit out of Florida. The packer should have already reached out to the Florida Citrus Health …

Fundecitrus Participates in Argentine Citriculture Congress

Josh McGillInternational, Research

Specialists from Brazil’s Fundecitrus recently participated in the Argentine Citriculture Congress in Concordia, Argentina. They were among more than 400 at the event. Participants included producers, researchers and students. Fundecitrus researcher Renato Bassanezi gave the opening lecture on epidemiology and management of greening in Brazil. He also participated in a round table discussion on the current status of advances in …

Black Spot Management by Variety and Age

Josh McGillBrazil, Diseases

In Brazil’s São Paulo citrus belt, infections of fruit by black spot usually occur from petal fall, in September/October, until the end of the rainy season, usually in April. Black spot can reduce production by up to 85%. Some studies have shown that the amount of fungicide applications to control black spot can be established according to the orange variety. …

New Invasive Pest to Watch for in Florida Citrus

Josh McGillPests

By Maegan Beatty An invasive butterfly that seriously damages citrus trees has been spotted in Florida. The lime swallowtail (Papilio demoleus) is an invasive species from Asia that has harmed citrus trees in the Caribbean for almost 20 years. The butterfly has a wingspan of nearly 4 inches with black and white marks across the wings and a red-orange dot …

Fundecitrus Researchers Attend Citrus Congress

Josh McGillEvents, International

Researchers from Brazil’s Fundecitrus participated in the 14th International Citrus Congress held in Mersin, Turkey, Nov. 6–11. The event brought together participants from public and private research institutions, as well as the production and commercial sectors of citrus. Representatives from 28 countries participated in the congress, including the United States, South Africa, Australia, Israel and several countries in Europe. Fundecitrus …

Silicon Being Evaluated for North Florida Citrus

Josh McGillCold Hardy, Diseases, Nutrition

The element silicon, known to be beneficial to many plants, is being evaluated for advantageous effects on North Florida citrus and blackberries. Horticulturist Muhammad Shahid discussed the benefits of Earth’s second-most-abundant element (after oxygen) during a recent Cold-Tolerant Citrus Production Workshop in Perry, Florida. Shahid is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences assistant professor at the …

pests

Florida Black Spot Quarantine Expanded

Josh McGillDiseases, Florida, Regulation

Federal and state agriculture officials have expanded the citrus black spot (CBS) quarantine area in Florida. They have added four sections in Collier County and five sections in Glades County. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of …

Growers to Gather at Citrus Institute

Josh McGillHLB Management, Research, Tip of the Week

By Chris Oswalt, Mongi Zekri, Ajia Paolillo and Lourdes Pérez Cordero Huanglongbing (HLB) continues to impact citrus-producing areas of Florida. The 2022 Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute is an opportunity for Florida citrus growers to come together to learn about effective management of HLB and other challenges affecting the industry. This year’s event will be held Tuesday, April 5 from 8:30 …

Sweet Orange Scab and Citrus Canker Movement Conditions Revised

Tacy CalliesDiseases, Regulation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has revised the conditions for interstate movement of citrus fruit from areas quarantined for both sweet orange scab (Elsinöe australis, SOS) and citrus canker (Xanthomonas axonopodis, CC). The revisions allow for the movement of fruit to packinghouses located in contiguous states that are not quarantined for either disease. …

Florida Citrus Growers Say Freeze Damage Still Unfolding

Tacy Calliesfreeze

With more than two weeks past since the late January freeze in Florida, citrus growers are still assessing the fallout. Some key production regions saw the coldest temperatures in years. With HLB endemic, there’s a lot of unknowns how trees will react to the stress the cold temperatures induced. However, some growers didn’t have to wait to see damage to …

Sneak Peek: February 2022 Citrus Industry

Josh McGillSneak Peek

In the February issue of Citrus Industry magazine, Florida growers will find out what diseases to watch for this season. Megan Dewdney’s annual foliar fungal disease round-up reports on what some of the major problems are likely to be in 2022. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant pathologist and Extension specialist provides tips on …

Spider Mites in Florida Citrus

Ernie NeffPests

By Lourdes Perez Cordero If you are a citrus grower in Central Florida, more than likely you have encountered spider mites. These are a common pest of commercial citrus in the state and their characteristic thin webs make them easy to spot in trees. Spider mites become more abundant between March and June, when the weather conditions are dry, and …

aphis

Workshop Provides Black Spot Advice

Ernie NeffDiseases

Information to help growers find and control citrus black spot (CBS), as well as CBS regulatory procedures, were provided in an Oct. 26 training workshop in Arcadia. The workshop was hosted by multi-county citrus Extension agent Ajia Paolillo. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant pathologist Megan Dewdney discussed the pest’s lifecycle, potential spread due to …

Updates From the Citrus Health Response Program

Ernie NeffRegulation

Callie Walker, chief of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Bureau of Pest Eradication and Control, recently provided an update on the Citrus Health Response Program. Topics she addressed include trip tickets, personnel and the citrus inspection database. Walker recommended reiterating to harvesters about the importance of trip tickets being filled out completely and accurately. Those with …

Protecting Citrus From Pests and Diseases

Ernie NeffPests

The federal Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program summarized its efforts to protect the U.S. citrus industry from pests and diseases in a recent report about its fiscal year (FY) 2020 activities. PPQ is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. A summary of its citrus efforts follows. PPQ works with citrus growers to …