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, …
PIECES OF THE PAST: Play Portrayed Florida Citrus History
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
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 …
Shipping Georgia Citrus to Florida
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
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
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
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
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
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 …
Florida Black Spot Quarantine Expanded
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 …
Battling Black Spot
By Megan Dewdney Editor’s note: This article originally stated that citrus black spot was in Hardee County. It should have said Hendry County, and has now been corrected. Citrus growers in Florida continue to battle new pests and diseases. They have been learning to manage citrus black spot for the last 12 years. The disease is still localized mainly in …
Growers to Gather at Citrus Institute
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 …
The Persistent Problem of Algal Spot
By Megan Dewdney Mid-summer to fall has become algal spot season in my office. The disease is re-emerging in Florida for unknown reasons. While much of the year algal spot is low key and hard to spot, between June and September it is very obvious. So, what is algal spot, should you be concerned, and what can you do about …
Sweet Orange Scab and Citrus Canker Movement Conditions Revised
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
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
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
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 …
Workshop Provides Black Spot Advice
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
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
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 …