Lindy Savelle took an unconventional route to becoming a leader for Georgia citrus. Turns out, her path was paved with success. The former federal law enforcement investigator decided to pursue a second career as a Georgia citrus grower and became a voice for the state’s blossoming industry. Almost 10 years after planting her first trees, Savelle has emerged as a …
Hurricane Damages Georgia Citrus Research Plot
Jake Price with University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension recently described Hurricane Helene damage to the UGA citrus research plot. His observations, slightly edited, are as follows: When I had a chance to look at our citrus research plot, I expected the worst. But to my surprise, all of the trees were still standing. There was limb breakage due to …
Marketing Plan Essential for Growers
Crop production is only half the battle for citrus growers in the cold-hardy citrus region of North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama. The other half is knowing where that crop is headed once it is harvested. Bill Barber, Ag Services LLC and Certified Crop Adviser, stressed to growers during a recent citrus meeting that they should have a marketing …
Spanish Citrus Production to See Ups and Downs This Season
Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food projected total Spanish citrus production of 5,842 million tons for the 2024–25 season that began Sept. 1. That’s 60,500 tons, or 1%, less than preliminary figures for the previous season and 8.6% less than the average of the last five seasons. A continued drought and excessive heat in key periods of citrus development …
Research Aims to Diversify Georgia’s Citrus Crop
Satsuma mandarins helped establish the citrus crop in Georgia. Alternate varieties will help the state’s industry continue to grow. Mary Sutton’s appointment as the new University of Georgia (UGA) citrus Extension specialist should help growers implement varieties that have been tested and are suitable for Georgia growers. Part of her role will be to research alternatives to satsumas to see …
Big Year Expected for Diverse Georgia Citrus Crop
Georgia’s citrus industry is growing and so are the diverse varieties producers are planting every year. Jake Price, University of Georgia citrus agent, said at the Citrus Grower’s Summer Update meeting last week in Valdosta that there were 4,400 citrus acres planted in South Georgia. At approximately 145 trees per acre, this equates to about 638,000 trees. What started out …
Alabama Citrus Grower Sees Success With Local Marketing
An Alabama citrus grower credits the surging population in Baldwin County for his success at marketing his satsuma crop. In retirement, Craig Goolsby has established a small but effective citrus operation. He has approximately 360 mature trees and planted another 150 last year. Goolsby is hoping to continue a strategy that’s focused largely on local marketing. Goolsby says he’s blessed …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Strong Support for Cold-Hardy Citrus Growers
By Peter Chaires The citrus research program at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) includes several projects aimed at assisting growers in the cold-hardy citrus region. Let’s take a look at what researchers are working on. EVALUATING SCIONS AND ROOTSTOCKS Presently, the citrus industry in North Florida faces …
Citrus Nutrient Research Update
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Muhammad Shahid and Alisheikh Atta Current citrus nutrient guidelines are based on studies of healthy citrus trees conducted in the pre-huanglongbing (HLB) era. These guidelines may no longer be valid for the present situation where 100% of mature citrus trees in Florida are HLB-affected. Scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) …
Turkish Tangerine, Lemon and Grapefruit Update
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) recently increased its 2023–24 production forecasts for Turkish tangerines, lemons and grapefruit. TANGERINES Overall tangerine production is forecast to increase 55% to 2.88 million metric tons (MMT) due to favorable spring rains and temperature conditions during blossoming in March 2023. Tangerines are the most produced citrus fruit in Türkiye, with …
Ways to Cut Postharvest Waste
Citrus farming worldwidedelivers an annual 140 million tons of oranges, tangerines and other citrus fruits, but much of the postharvest crop is lost before it reaches the market. “Up to 30% of citrus fruit is lost to decay and disease following harvesting,” says food scientist Yang Shan, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and head of the Dongting …
Georgia Research Projects Underway
Jake Price, University of Georgia (UGA) county Extension coordinator, recently provided a summary of citrus projects he has been working on: Source: Georgia Citrus Association Sponsored ContentA Simpler, Safer and More Effective Way to Fight HLBOctober 25, 20245 Facts About Fire Ants and How to Control ThemApril 30, 2024BRAZILIAN RESEARCH RESULTS IN A UNIQUE PRODUCT FOR HLB MANAGEMENTApril 1, 2024
Big Yields Expected in Georgia
A December 2022 freeze in Georgia significantly reduced the state’s 2023 citrus production, but many growers anticipate a large crop in 2024. “With less fruit production in 2023, trees added a lot more vegetative growth and increased their canopy volume,” University of Georgia Extension citrus agent Jake Price noted. “The satsuma bloom at the research plot was very large and …
In Georgia Owari Trial, Yields Peaked in 2021
University of Georgia Extension agent Jake Price recently summarized yields for three recent seasons from Owari satsuma trees in a rootstock trial. Last year, 2023, was the last harvest year for data collection in the trial. Price reported that yield in the trial plot peaked in 2021 with a yield of about 20,300 pounds on 60 trees, which would be …
Growing Citrus With Soil Health in Mind
Herb Young enjoyed a 40-year career in the agricultural chemical industry, starting as a technical service representative and eventually becoming a product manager. During those years, he worked on various specialty crops across the country. About 25 years of his career was spent in field research roles. So, experimentation with crops and growing practices comes naturally to Young. He has …
Turkish Tangerine Production to Soar
Tangerine production in 2023–24 in Türkiye (previously known as Turkey) is forecast to increase 55% to 2.88 million metric tons (MMT), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). The huge increase is due to favorable spring rains and temperature conditions during blossoming in March 2023. The yield in Türkiye’s Aegean region is expected to increase …
New Results From Owari Rootstock Trial
By Jake Price Rubidoux is considered the standard rootstock for Georgia, but it was not obtainable from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-certified nurseries in Florida in 2014 and 2015 because it is not a rootstock used in Florida. It is a proven rootstock in Georgia known for cold hardiness but did not perform well in a multiyear trial. The chart shows …
Korea’s Mandarin Production
Korea’s production of tangerines and mandarins — virtually the country’s only commercial citrus — is forecast at 570,000 metric tons by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). That’s a 2.1% decline from the previous year’s 582,000 MT. The decline is driven by lower yield for open-field tangerines, decreased fruit set per tree and a slight reduction …
Potassium and Silicon Improve Cold Hardiness
By Muhammad Shahid Winter freeze is the main threat to the emerging citrus industry in North Florida, South Georgia and Southeast Alabama. Growers use microsprinkler irrigation as a freeze-protection strategy to protect the graft union of young trees, but it is not very effective in protecting aboveground plant parts in established trees. PLANT PROTECTIONUse of stress-mitigating substances could be an …
Frost Season Arrives in California
California Citrus Mutual (CCM) recently reported that the 2023 frost season is underway for the state’s San Joaquin Valley citrus growers. “That means growers will be closely monitoring weather forecasts to prepare for any cold spells that may sweep through the valley in the coming months,” the citrus growers’ trade association stated. Although long periods of below-freezing temperatures are of …