citrus

CUPS Protects Citrus from HLB and Storms

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, CUPS, Research

A system designed to protect citrus trees from the deadly greening disease withstood the ravaging winds of Hurricane Irma last year, University of Florida scientists say. With reinforcements installed after the storm, they’ll likely withstand even more dangerous storms. Using citrus under protective screening (CUPS), growers can keep the Asian citrus psyllids away from their trees, said Arnold Schumann, a …

A Grower’s Perspective on Marketing Lemons in Florida

Tacy Callieslemons

Interest in lemon production is increasing among Florida’s citrus producers. This was evident by the strong turnout of growers who attended a lemon workshop at the Citrus Research and Education Center on Sept. 11. Approximately 80 growers and industry members attended the event, hosted by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Polk County Extension. George Hamner Jr., …

Sneak Peek: September 2018 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

Some fruit drop in citrus is a naturally occurring process, but other types of drop can and should be avoided. In the September issue of Citrus Industry magazine, University of Florida researchers discuss HLB-associated pre-harvest fruit drop and glyphosate-related fruit drop. Not only does HLB increase fruit drop, it also negatively impacts fruit flavor. Another research article in the September …

Crate Labels: Marketing Tools Become American Art

Tacy CalliesCalifornia Corner, History

By Len Wilcox The labels that citrus packinghouses formerly placed on their shipping crates have a long and colorful history. These vibrant labels — usually square, depicting a beautiful farm, pretty lady or perhaps some impossibly perfect oranges — have become art objects and unique representations of their time and place in history. LOCATIONS OF COLLECTIONS In Florida, that history …

Black Discusses HLB Research Meeting

Ernie NeffHLB Management

Larry Black, president of Florida’s Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), attended a recent meeting in Fort Pierce to discuss HLB research prioritization and funding. He joined officials with other agencies that fund HLB, including California’s Citrus Research Board (CRB) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Black says the agencies met “to look at ways we can be more …

New Planting Options for Citrus Growers

Tacy CalliesVarieties

By Fred Gmitter, Ed Stover, Randy Driggers, Greg McCollum and Jude Grosser The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service citrus breeding program has a long history of releasing successful scion and rootstock cultivars. There had been a 15-year lapse in creating new hybrids, and the recently released cultivars largely reflect breeding efforts that preceded the onslaught of HLB …

hlb

Schulz on HLB Research Funding Session

Ernie NeffHLB Management

Gary Schulz, president of the Citrus Research Board in California, discusses a recent meeting of agencies that fund HLB research. Representatives of Florida’s Citrus Research and Development Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture also attended the two-day session in Fort Pierce, Florida. According to Schulz, the National Academy of Sciences within the past year recommended “that funding agencies for …

Lemons in Florida: Something New Under the Sun?

Tacy Callieslemons

By Fred Gmitter, Bill Castle and Jude Grosser King Solomon once pointed out that “there is nothing new under the sun,” meaning that what has happened before will happen again. Although the idea of growing lemons in Florida is viewed by some these days as a new thing, Florida actually has a fairly long history of lemon production. FLORIDA LEMON …

Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Consortium Get Grant for HLB Research

Tacy CalliesResearch

A Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist at Weslaco will lead a consortium of researchers in major citrus-producing regions to conduct high-throughput screening in discovering antimicrobials that could prevent citrus greening. Citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing (HLB) disease, has devastated citrus fruit crops in Florida and has made its way to Texas and California. The research grant of approximately $1.2 …

Sneak Peek: August 2018 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesCitrus Expo, Sneak Peek

At the center of the August issue of Citrus Industry magazine is the Citrus Expo show guide. Readers will find everything they need to know about Florida’s leading agricultural event. This year, Citrus Expo is expanding its reach to include vegetable and specialty crop growers. The Citrus Expo seminar and trade show is August 15–16 at the Lee Civic Center …

System Stops Psyllid Travel

Tacy CalliesCalifornia Corner

By Len Wilcox Researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) believe that an effective measure has been found that will reduce the risk of spreading huanglongbing (HLB) disease between orchards. The control measure is a fogging system with a carrier and a pesticide that effectively destroys disease-bearing insects before they can leave the orchard and do further harm. NO …

aphis

Final Citrus Forecast of the 2017-18 Season

Tacy CalliesCrop Forecast

The 2017-2018 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Florida citrus forecast for July is unchanged from June. The all-orange forecast remains at 45 million boxes. The total is comprised of 19 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, midseason, and Navel varieties) and 26 million boxes of Valencia oranges. All-Florida grapefruit production is unchanged at 3.88 million boxes. Of the total grapefruit …

Inside Spain’s Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesProduction

By Steve Futch and Ariel Singerman Editor’s note: The authors share what they learned while touring Spain’s citrus industry in March of 2017. Spain is the leading citrus producer in the European Union (EU) with approximately 300,000 acres that yield about 21 million boxes. FOCUS ON FRESH Production is primarily focused on the fresh market, with much fruit exported to …

Sneak Peek: July 2018 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

The most successful citrus growers are often the ones who are able to adapt to new techniques and technologies. The July issue of Citrus Industry magazine offers a look at tools designed to help growers increase efficiency and productivity. Artificial intelligence is increasingly used in electronic devices, social media and internet search engines. But did you know this technology is …

Field Testing of New HLB-Tolerant Scions and Rootstocks

Tacy CalliesResearch, Rootstocks, Scions

By Rhuanito S. Ferrarezi, Jude W. Grosser, Fred G. Gmitter, Ed Stover and Kim Bowman Citrus is Florida’s most important agricultural commodity. The state produces citrus for different markets: round oranges for juice; navels, mandarins, grapefruit and lemons for the fresh-fruit industry; and lemons for extracting peel oil for processing. Huanglongbing (HLB) disease affects all citrus varieties. Since the discovery …

hlb

Certis for Citrus Program Helps Fund Fight Against HLB

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release

The biopesticide company, Certis USA, presented the non-profit Citrus Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (CRDF) with a check for $20,000 to help fund research projects in an effort to find a cure for huanglongbing (HLB; citrus greening). The presentation was made during the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference that took place at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa. …

New HLB Research Facility in Riverside

Tacy CalliesCalifornia Corner

By Len Wilcox There’s a new research facility funded by California citrus growers to help combat huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. The facility, located in Riverside, California, is the result of a 3-year cooperative effort of the University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside) and California citrus growers. Using funds provided by members of California Citrus Mutual (CCM), …

psyllids

Researchers Find How HLB Bypasses Citrus Immune System

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, HLB Management

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) claim they have made an important step in understanding the molecular mechanism of huanglongbing (HLB). They believe they have found the mechanism by which the disease evades detection and destruction by the natural immune system of citrus trees. HLB, or citrus greening disease, has devastated groves in Asia, South America and the …

Sneak Peek: May 2018 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

Emerging biogenetic technologies are explored in two articles in the May issue of Citrus Industry magazine. University of Florida researchers discuss the tools they are using to try to win the battle against HLB. The first article takes a look at how scientists are experimenting with handheld gene guns and the citrus tristeza virus vector in order to improve citrus …