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Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “citrus groves”
A few themes are unfolding as Florida’s citrus industry begins to assess Hurricane Milton’s damage. First, it could have been worse. The overall citrus losses do not appear to be as bad as those incurred from Hurricane Ian in 2022. Second, the hurricane affected nearly the entire Florida Citrus Belt, but damage varies greatly depending on the specific area. Reports …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Statistics Board released its first forecast of the 2024–25 citrus season on Oct. 11. The report does not reflect the damage to the Florida citrus industry inflicted by Hurricane Milton. The Dec. 10 forecast update is expected to take that damage into account. “The forecast for the season is extremely discouraging,” said Matt Joyner, …
Regular scouting for Asian citrus psyllids and citrus greening disease is critical for Georgia’s citrus industry to remain healthy. That advice applies to both commercial growers and homeowners, Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, said during the recent Citrus Grower’s Summer Update meeting in Valdosta. Oliver encouraged all growers to scout for the disease …
Peter Chaires, New Varieties Development and Management Corp. executive director, spoke about citrus breeding at the Cold Hardy Citrus Workshop on Sept. 24 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Perry. Chaires said HLB tolerance “is an essential element of everything that’s being done in the breeding program with a stronger emphasis than …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette I recently met Megan and Jeffrey Forbes at a presentation I gave on the Citrus Label Trail during Preservation on Main Street’s annual meeting in Tallahassee. They are interested in adding Alachua and Marion counties to the Citrus Label Trail. Megan is a board member of the Old Florida Heritage Highway, and Jeffrey is the development …
This is the third installment of Q&A features with Brenda Eubanks Burnette, the 2024 Citrus Achievement Award winner. What was the motivation to revive the Miss Florida Citrus Pageant and what did it take to get the program up and running again? Burnette: LaVoyce Leggett Porter, the 1966 Florida Citrus Queen, asked me if I would be interested in resurrecting …
One of Georgia citrus growers’ worst fears is slowly becoming a reality. Citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing (HLB), was observed in a Georgia commercial citrus grove for the first time in 2023. This is alarming news for the industry, says Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist. “We knew HLB was here in residential …
When HLB arrived in Florida, it changed the world for citrus growers, and a lot of other things had to change with it. One of the biggest changes has been how growers manage their fertilizer programs. The nutrient recommendations that had been developed by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) before HLB became outdated because …
By Rob Gilbert, ragilber@ufl.edu Last month I went to Lake Alfred for a look at the future of the citrus industry. You’ll like what I saw. BREEDING EFFORTS What I saw first was a lab focused on finding an HLB-tolerant tree that has doubled in size since my last visit to the Citrus Research and Education Center. Nian Wang can …
By Michael E. Rogers The 2024 Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, hosted by AgNet Media, took place Aug. 21–22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus educational sessions were held during the afternoon of the first day of the event and in the morning on the second day. …
Algal spot, not frequently seen in Florida citrus groves before 2015, has become more severe in recent years, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences speakers reported Aug. 30. And the disease is likely to intensify as a problem with average temperatures increasing, said Megan Dewdney, associate professor of plant pathology at the Citrus Research and Education Center …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) recently modified the policies and requirements for the citrus black spot (CBS) quarantine area in Florida. Modifications address the movement of regulated articles and provide a protocol to remove areas from the CBS quarantine. This federal order updates the APHIS-Approved Packinghouse Procedures for Phyllosticta citricarpa, Causal Agent …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension agent Mongi Zekri recently discussed numerous ways growers can enhance their nutrient programs for better tree and fruit performance. TIPS FOR MAKING ADJUSTMENTS Zekri offered the following tips for adjusting a fertilizer program. SOIL TESTING Soil testing is most effective when done annually, Zekri suggested. “Choose a lab you trust …
The educational program on the first day of the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo focused on trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) being applied to citrus to treat HLB. Trees have received their second OTC treatment, and growers are hopeful trees will respond with better fruit retention and improved quality. Ute Albrecht, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …
High wind speeds were prevalent when Hurricane Debby passed through the North Florida region last week. Perry, Florida, received the brunt of those winds. According to Lisa Strange, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension agent in Taylor County, wind speeds were recorded at 80 miles per hour. It led to some citrus trees toppling over. Others …
By Michael E. Rogers Do you plan to attend the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo on Aug. 21–22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa? If so, you’ll want to stop by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Extension booth to pick up the latest publication on HLB management assembled by UF/IFAS citrus experts. …
The impact of Hurricane Debby on the cold-hardy citrus region appears minimal, according to one industry expert. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association and member of the Georgia Citrus Commission, said any damage from the wind-heavy storm was limited to the younger citrus trees. Savelle has groves in Georgia’s Thomas County. YOUNG TREES “When we get a …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) has invested more than $250 million to find a solution for HLB. One example of USDA NIFA-funded research is citrus under protective screen (CUPS). University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientist Arnold Schumann and colleagues began testing CUPS at the Citrus Research and Education Center …
There have been many challenges faced by the Florida citrus industry in its long and storied history. Innovative growers have found ways to overcome those challenges, making citrus one of the core industries in the state. Few would argue that HLB is not the biggest challenge to date, but growers continue to innovate to try to save the industry. A …
KeyPlex recently hosted its third Saving Citrus Symposium in Sebring, Florida. The event focuses on fruit drop, which has been a major problem for growers in recent years. The third gathering provided an update on research KeyPlex has sponsored to seek causes of fruit drop and ways to manage against it. The research began in January 2021 when company personnel …
