Rootstock selection and fertilization are important for those considering growing finger limes in Florida. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences horticulturist Tripti Vashisth addressed both of those topics in a recent virtual Finger Lime Symposium. Vashisth concluded that Volkamer lemon, UFR-5 and US-802 rootstocks appear promising for finger limes. She noted that a vigorous rootstock influences tree …
An Update on Oak Mulch to Increase Soil Health
By Lukas M. Hallman, John M. Santiago and Lorenzo Rossi At first glance, one may not see how oak trees relate to citrus production. But in the early 2010s, growers and scientists reported seeing little to no HLB symptoms on citrus growing underneath the dripline of oak trees compared to citrus trees nearby but not directly under oak trees. These …
What Southeast Citrus Growers Should Be Watching For
A prolonged dry spell across the Southeast should have citrus growers ensuring their young trees are properly irrigated. But Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, cautions growers about applying too much water. “The real young trees don’t have much of a root system, of course. It has been pretty dry. But you don’t want …
Brix Is a Key Issue for Florida Citrus Mutual
Florida Citrus Mutual President Glenn Beck and Executive Vice President/CEO Matt Joyner recently met with members of Florida’s congressional delegation and others in Washington to highlight issues important to Florida citrus. The need for federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action on lowering the Brix level was one focus of the meetings. Beck and Joyner met with U.S. Sen. Marco …
International Partnership Strengthens HLB Research
Brazil’s Fundecitrus reported that the exchange of international researchers and technicians working on the PRE-HLB (Preventing HLB Epidemics for Ensuring Citrus Survival in Europe) project strengthens research on the disease. In recent months, Fundecitrus received a researcher from the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) and sent a researcher to the University of Valencia (Spain). Counting on the expertise of more than …
Program to Provide HLB-Tolerant Trees
The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on May 18 received an update on a propagation program intended to quickly produce and commercialize trees showing tolerance or resistance to HLB disease, also known as citrus greening. The program will focus on the Donaldson tree and other escaped trees. The Donaldson is a tree at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Whitmore Farm that …
Use Physical Barriers for Root Health
By Larry Duncan Citrus trees in Florida soils infested with diaprepes root weevil (Diaprepes abbreviatus) or sting nematode (Belonolaimus longicaudatus) frequently contend with devastating damage to their root systems. This is made even worse by root loss due to huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Where soil conditions are conducive to the insect or nematode, it is very difficult to prevent major economic …
Citrus Canker Discovered in Georgia
The discovery of citrus canker disease in Georgia last week has prompted industry leaders to caution growers about where they buy their trees. Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association, said hundreds of trees had to be removed from a grove infected with citrus canker. The trees were not from a Georgia certified nursery. She said the best way …
High Summer Temperatures Take a Toll on Trees
By Anirban Guha and Christopher Vincent A quick body temperature test is common these days before entering many workplaces, hospitals and clinics due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose is to screen people for fevers, usually with a non-contact infrared thermometer. Measurement of plant body temperatures also has become common for many field crops, not to screen for infectious …
ACP Found at Packinghouse and Juice Plant in California
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently urged all citrus industry members to be extra vigilant in their Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) mitigation steps and adherence to regulatory practices. The request is in response to ACP detections in the Central Valley over the last few weeks. ACP is the vector of HLB disease. Multiple ACP were detected on …
Representatives Ask for HLB Pesticide Approval
U.S. Representatives Kat Cammack and Al Lawson led members of the Florida congressional delegation to ask the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for expeditious approval of Vismax, a biochemical pesticide for HLB. A letter from the representatives asks the EPA to rapidly approve the use of Vismax in preventing HLB so the industry may access this product before the start …
Keep CTV Under Control
By Amit Levy Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) infects the citrus phloem. CTV infects almost all citrus varieties, but it causes different disease symptoms depending on the virus isolate, the citrus variety and scion-rootstock combination. Florida has three dominant strains of CTV: T36, a decline-causing strain T30, which normally does not cause severe disease VT, a stem-pitting causing strain CTV is …
Citrus Nutrient Deficiencies? There’s an App for That
While sending citrus tissue samples to the lab for analysis remains important, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has developed a smartphone application (app) that can supplement lab analysis to identify leaf symptoms of key nutrient deficiencies and certain pests and diseases. Arnold Schumann, a professor of soil and water science with UF/IFAS, demonstrated how …
Diagnosing Herbicide Phytotoxicity in Citrus
By Ramdas Kanissery, Nimal Timilsina and Ruby Tiwari Chemical weed control is an essential component of the toolbox to keep weeds in check in citrus groves. Citrus growers primarily rely on herbicide to manage weeds due to their efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Despite their benefits, herbicides may have a wide range of unintended effects on citrus. For instance, an herbicide-related injury …
Rotate Psyllid Products, Fundecitrus Urges
Brazil’s Fundecitrus has launched the Insecticide Rotation Guide for Psyllid Control. Its aim is to help producers control the insect vector of citrus greening, highlighting the importance of proper rotation of products to avoid the selection of resistant psyllids. The resistance of insects and mites to pesticides can compromise the effectiveness of products and, consequently, the control of the pest …
Pests, Pathogens and IPCs
By Lauren Diepenbrock, Megan Dewdney, Fernando Alferez, Jawwad Qureshi and Ozgur Batuman Individual protective covers (IPCs) are becoming commonplace in citrus production to support the development of young trees after planting. IPCs are made of fine mesh and are intended to keep Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) off young plants. Because ACP can transmit the pathogen that causes citrus greening/huanglongbing, preventing …
CUPS Grower: ‘It Is a Calculated Risk’
Although it was National OJ Day, the Southwest Florida Small Farmers Network held its spring meeting May 4 at a Polk County facility growing citrus for the fresh market. The Story Companies and Dundee Citrus Growers Association (CGA) conducted a tour of Story’s 11-acre citrus under protective screen (CUPS) pod. The Story pod is one of numerous such pods at …
An Alternative Approach to Citrus Greening
“Life as a citrus grower is a perilous journey,” says Chip Henry. Among the toughest perils the third-generation Florida grower has endured are the freezes of the 1980s, the threat of losing his land to highway construction, and the scourge of citrus greening. Henry’s story begins with the founding of O.E. McGuire Groves in Apopka by his maternal grandparents in …
Speeding the Search for an HLB Solution
By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP My hope is that your new citrus breeding team scientist will be a new Bill Castle on warp speed for an HLB solution. That is, John Chater will accelerate the search for citrus varieties that hold up against HLB. He’s got tens of thousands of places to search. Fred Gmitter and Jude Grosser have …
Grower and Researcher CUPS Collaboration
The spread of HLB in Florida citrus groves has forced growers and researchers to try all sorts of practices to fight off the disease’s devastating effects. One of the most successful methods has been planting citrus under protective screen (CUPS). The screen excludes the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and keeps HLB out of plantings. CUPS also is a great example …