Inside Brazil’s Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesBrazil

By Stephen H. Futch and Rhuanito S. Ferrarezi Many changes have taken place in the Brazilian citrus industry over the past 20 years as growers battle pests, diseases and market challenges. Throughout this process, the industry has encountered difficulties but has continued to maintain production through innovative practices that are founded in science, economics and sustainability. This article provides an …

Pest Update: Lebbeck Mealybug

Ernie NeffPests

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock provided an update on the lebbeck mealybug pest at a recent Highlands County citrus growers’ meeting. The mealybug, first found in Highlands groves in June, feeds on and damages citrus, leading to fruit drop and crop loss. Diepenbrock reports that surveys conducted by the Florida Department of …

nutrition

Gibberellic Acid for HLB-Affected Trees

Ernie NeffHLB Management

Horticulturist Tripti Vashisth discussed the use of gibberellic acid (GA) in HLB-affected trees at a recent, well-attended OJ Break in Bartow hosted by multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt. Vashisth is an assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center. Vashisth told growers that HLB-affected trees are under continuous stress …

Manipulating Flowering for Better Grove Management

Tacy CalliesProduction, Research

By Tripti Vashisth, Garima Singh and Megan Dewdney Citrus trees grown in the field undergo various types and levels of stress continuously. The stressors can be several things, including heat, cold, drought, soil pH, chemicals, pests and diseases. The constant presence of huanglongbing (HLB) and psyllid infestation adds stress to the trees, which compromises the plant response and makes the …

Citrus Expo Seminar Program Preview

Ernie NeffCitrus Expo

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) horticulturist Tripti Vashisth discusses the citrus seminars to be presented Aug. 14-15 at Citrus Expo. She also reports on a presentation she’ll make at Expo regarding fruit drop. Vashisth is organizing the Citrus Expo educational sessions for growers. She says the goal is to present “something useful for the growers …

Lebbeck Mealybug Update

Ernie NeffPests

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock provides an update on the lebbeck mealybug, a new pest of Florida citrus detected in Highlands County in June. Diepenbrock reports that the mealybug was found June 14 by a Highlands County grower. It came from groves in Avon Park and Sebring. “It is definitely beyond one …

Sneak Peek: August 2019 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

The August issue of Citrus Industry magazine has everything you need to make the most of your time at Citrus Expo. The complete guide to the event includes a seminar schedule, exhibitor directory, details about the new hands-on citrus session and more. The Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo is once again being held jointly with Citrus Expo. The general session …

June

All In For Citrus Podcast, July 2019

Taylor HillmanAll In For Citrus Podcast

Researchers at the University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center are gearing up for the 2019 Citrus Expo! Get a sneak peek of what to expect during the citrus program in July’s All In for Citrus Podcast. Also, growers will hear an update on a recent pest alert in this month’s program. Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research …

Pest Alert: Lebbeck Mealybug Found in Florida Citrus

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release, Pests

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Division of Plant Industry issued an updated pest alert for lebbeck mealybug. Laurie Hurner, Highlands County Extension director, says this pest and its damage have been found in Highlands County citrus. “It has been misidentified as cottony cushion scale,” says Hurner. “It has been found in young trees under net and …

Sneak Peek: July 2019 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

Four articles on grove management will give citrus growers food for thought in the July issue of Citrus Industry magazine. The first article tells how one grower handles HLB. Del Murphy discusses production practices that have helped him cope with the disease. Bactericides, irrigation and nutrition management are among the topics he addresses. The second article is for growers who …

Update on Brassinosteroids for HLB Management

Tacy CalliesHLB Management, Research

By Fernando Alferez, Christopher Vincent and Tripti Vashisth Brassinosteroids (BR), a relatively newly discovered class of plant hormone, regulate several developmental and physiological processes in fruit crops such as grapes, pears and cherries and in some non-edible plants. BR also induce disease resistance against different pathogens in a great number of crop plants. A form of BR (epibrassinolide) was shown …

brazilian

Brazil’s Orange Forecast Announced for 2019–2020

Tacy CalliesCrop Forecast

The 2019–2020 orange crop forecast for Brazil, published on May 10 by Fundecitrus in cooperation with Markestrat, FEA-RP/USP and FCAV/Unesp, is 388.89 million boxes. Box weight is 90 pounds. The forecast region includes São Paulo and the west-southwest Minas Gerais Citrus Belt. The total orange production by variety is forecast as follows:• 76.97 million boxes of Hamlin, Westin and Rubi …

Citrus Grower Sees Success with Cover Crops

Tacy CalliesCover Crops

By Juanita Popenoe and Lauren Diepenbrock Ed James has citrus in his veins. He has been working and thriving in the citrus business since he was a teenager — from hoeing orange trees to owning a caretaking business that serviced thousands of acres. That is, until about eight years ago. In 2010, James looked around his personal 45-acre citrus grove …

Growers Talk About Valencias, PFD and Nutrition

Ernie NeffPFD

Highlands County Extension director and citrus agent Laurie Hurner discussed Valencia oranges, postbloom fruit drop (PFD) and nutrition in summarizing a recent grower forum she hosted.   “I think that the overarching feeling (of growers) is positive,” Hurner said. “It seems that Valencias are coming on strong; everybody’s seeing a good crop that’s hanging on the tree. So I think we’ll …

Fungal Foliar Disease Concerns for 2019

Tacy CalliesDiseases

By Megan Dewdney The Florida citrus-growing seasons of 2017 and 2018 were quiet in terms of fungal foliar disease outbreaks. Small pockets of severe disease occurred sporadically, but there were no widespread reports of diseases like postbloom fruit drop, much to the relief of the industry. Greasy spot has flared up in a few locations on cultivars like Valencia, and …

Sneak Peek: February 2019 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

Disease defense is on the agenda for the February 2019 issue of Citrus Industry. University of Florida plant pathologist Megan Dewdney gives growers a fungal foliar disease forecast for this year. She warns that the risk of postbloom fruit drop is greater in 2019 than it was in 2017 and 2018. Other diseases she says growers should to be on …

PFD

PFD Threat Nears

Ernie NeffPFD

“Postbloom fruit drop (PFD) season is coming upon us fairly quickly,” plant pathologist Megan Dewdney said in summarizing a presentation she made Jan. 16 in Immokalee, Florida. “Growers should be planning on keeping an eye on the rain forecast … how much bloom they are having now, how much bloom they’ll have in two (to) three weeks, and keeping an …

Growers Share Nutrition Successes

Ernie NeffNutrition

At the Dec. 11 Citrus Nutrition Day hosted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Polk County Extension, two growers shared their experiences with nutrition programs. The citrus growers, James Shinn of Shinn Groves/Tree O’Groves Inc. and Matt Story of the Story Companies, shared their knowledge via video interviews with citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt. Oswalt …

Sneak Peek: December 2018 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

Looking for the phone number of your local citrus association? Need to connect with a fertilizer vendor? Or perhaps you want to send an email to your Extension agent? Find all of the industry contact information you need in the 2019 Citrus Guide. Citrus Industry magazine’s annual guide is a directory of citrus organizations, agencies, researchers, Extension agents and vendors. …