citrus greening

Organic Management for HLB

Abbey Taylor Citrus Greening, HLB Management, Organic

By Jaci Schreckengost One of the topics researchers and growers discussed at the 2017 Organic Food & Farming Summit was what can be done organically to combat huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. Florida Organic Growers hosted the summit in Gainesville. It featured many workshops in which researchers and growers could discuss challenges and management practices. Tripti Vashisth, …

bactericides

Grower Jerkins Revises Stance on Bactericides

Ernie Neff Bactericides, HLB Management

At Citrus Expo in August, Premier Citrus President Tom Jerkins clarified comments about bactericides and their effectiveness that he made at the June Florida Citrus Mutual conference in Bonita Springs. “In Bonita Springs, I kind of stated publicly it was difficult for Premier to see a difference in the treated (with bactericides) versus untreated,” Jerkins says. “I said it was …

usda

UF Researchers Work to Manage HLB in Grapefruit

Abbey Taylor Citrus Greening, Grapefruit

By Jaci Schreckengost Due to the rapid rate huanglongbing (HLB) has affected citrus, researchers are working on new management techniques for the disease. Rhuanito “Johnny” Ferrarezi, assistant professor in citrus horticulture at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), says research is being done to answer questions about how HLB …

Citrus Expo

A Glimpse at CRDF Programs and Planning

Tacy Callies Citrus, News from our Sponsor

By Harold Browning Column sponsored by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation As we start the new fiscal year at the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), there are a number of priority activities in place to focus effort and resources on important tools for managing citrus in the presence of HLB. Here are some highlights. Currently, CRDF is sponsoring …

HLB management

Management Plan for Roots of HLB-Infected Trees

Abbey Taylor Citrus Greening, HLB Management

By Jaci Schrekengost As huanglongbing (HLB) continues to decimate citrus crops, researchers continue to search for new, efficient ways growers can manage the disease. HLB, also known as citrus greening disease, is vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid. The disease affects the entire tree, including the roots and fruit. Tripti Vashisth, assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist at the University …

citrus greening

UC Puts HLB Research Online in Easy-To-Read Updates

Len Wilcox California Corner

California citrus farmers have their ears perked for all news related to Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), huanglongbing (HLB) disease and HLB research, but some of the very latest advances have been available only in highly technical research journals, often by subscription only. University of California (UC) Cooperative Extension scientists are now translating the research into readable summaries and posting them …

Florida citrus growers

UF Researcher Working on HLB Solutions

Abbey Taylor Citrus Greening, HLB Management

By Jaci Schreckengost All research at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) at the University of Florida (UF) currently deals with huanglongbing (HLB) to help protect the citrus industry. “Even if we’re interested in looking into other things, this needs to be solved in order to be able to have an industry to work with in the future,” says …

citrus

UF/IFAS Microbiologist Works Toward Greening Treatment

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Industry News Release

by Brad Buck, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences In the same year the University of Florida’s (UF) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) celebrates its 100th anniversary, Nian Wang believes he may be close to finding the “off switch” for greening, the disease devastating Florida’s multi-billion-dollar-a-year citrus industry. Wang, an associate professor of microbiology and cell sciences …

Capitol building

California Budget Adds Funds to Fight HLB

Len Wilcox California Corner, Legislative

California is adding funds to help the fight against HLB. Governor Brown signed the 2017 Budget Act this week, which authorizes $10 million to fight the spread of the invasive Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) insect and the deadly and incurable plant disease it can carry, huanglongbing (HLB). “California Citrus Mutual applauds Governor Brown and members of the California Legislature for …

Citrus Expo

What Have We Learned?

Tacy Callies Citrus, News from our Sponsor

By Harold Browning Column sponsored by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation Within the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), the daily challenge of keeping up with a wide array of HLB topics, more than 75 currently funded projects, and monthly committee and board meetings translates into a constant flow of information. Project managers meet weekly to discuss progress and …

black spot

Keeping Young Trees Free of HLB

Ernie Neff HLB Management, Thermotherapy

Plant pathologist Megan Dewdney was one of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers who summarized scientific presentations made at the 2017 International Research Conference on HLB. She and others spoke at an HLB Grower Day in Lake Alfred, putting the complex presentations into terms more understandable to those who aren’t scientists. Dewdney discussed young tree …

Lawsuit Filed to Stop Argentine Lemons

Len Wilcox Citrus

California lemon growers are suing the U.S. government for allowing Argentine lemons into the United States. The U.S. Citrus Science Council (USCSC), representing approximately 750 family citrus farmers, has filed the lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in federal district court in Fresno, California. Members of the California citrus industry are challenging the rule because the Administrative Procedure …

HLB

Growers Share HLB Frustrations and Experiences

Ernie Neff Bactericides, HLB Management, Psyllids

Growers shared their frustrations and experiences with HLB at a May 4 grower roundtable meeting in Wauchula. Event co-host Steve Smith, executive director of Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association, summarizes the discussions. “A lot of the growers were talking about fertigation and how much, and what’s working for them on the short-term basis as far as tree health goes,” …

Controlled-Release Fertilizer Boosts Health of HLB Trees (Part 2)

Tacy Callies Citrus, Nutrition

By Pete Spyke, Joby Sherrod and Jude Grosser Part 1 of this article, published in the April 2017 issue of Citrus Industry magazine, provided some background information on controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) along with a discussion of practical applications in citrus production. This article, part 2, includes summaries of observations from several case studies in which CRF has been applied for …

acp

New Case of HLB Found in Southern California

Len Wilcox California Corner, Psyllids

Huanglongbing (HLB) was confirmed in a single citrus tree in the city of La Habra in Orange County, California, on April 11, 2017. This new find will result in a new HLB quarantine area, which will link the existing quarantines into a contiguous zone spanning portions of Los Angeles and Orange counties. Additionally, two samples of Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) …

HLB

Bactericide Grower Trials for HLB ‘Extremely Variable’

Ernie Neff Bactericides, HLB Management

Stephanie Slinski, Citrus Research and Development Foundation bactericide project manager, discussed grower trials on the use of bactericides for HLB at the Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park on April 4. She summarizes the presentation. “We have a series of field trials set up throughout Florida to test the efficacy of oxytetracycline and streptomycin just in the grower program,” …

Controlling ACP and Other Pests as Critical as Ever

Tacy Callies Citrus Greening

By Jawwad A. Qureshi and Philip A. Stansly More than a decade has passed since 2006, when huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening disease was identified in Florida. By then, the disease had already spread widely and went unrecognized due to high psyllid populations and a disease incubation period of months or years between infection and symptom expression. Nevertheless, management of …

HLB, breeding

An Update on Breeding Against HLB

Ernie Neff Citrus Greening, Genetic Engineering, HLB Management

University of Florida researcher Jude Grosser recently discussed a broad range of research aimed at mitigating the effects of HLB during an OJ Break in Sebring. Among topics he covered are the possibility of windbreaks that kill HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids, and progress on trees that are HLB resistant or tolerant. Regarding psyllid-killing windbreaks, he says, “We do have a …

HLB

Pathologist to Tackle HLB and Other Diseases

Ernie Neff Citrus Greening, HLB Management, PFD

Ozgur Batuman, a new citrus plant pathologist at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, discusses the diseases he’ll work on. “I am planning to of course tackle some of the more pressing issues that citrus growers are facing these days, one of them being huanglongbing (HLB), and confronting its vector, Asian citrus psyllid,” he says. He will also research …