Florida Grower Citrus Show Agenda Set

Ernie NeffAll In For Citrus Podcast, Events

Researchers Mark Ritenour and Sandra Guzmán with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) outline the agenda for the Florida Grower Citrus Show on Jan. 26-27 in Fort Pierce. Ritenour and Guzmán, both of the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center, will be presenters at the show. Ritenour will discuss maximum residue tolerances for fruit …

Attracting Students to the Citrus Industry

Ernie NeffEducation

Citrus Australia is preparing a program to improve education opportunities and employment pathways in the citrus industry, as well as in wider horticulture. Citrus Australia CEO Nathan Hancock said the industry is committed to forming a deeper partnership with education providers to ensure students are aware of the diverse career pathways in the citrus industry. “Currently there is a huge …

Nutrition Findings for Florida Citrus

Ernie NeffNutrition

Florida’s Citrus Nutrition Box Program that began in the fall of 2019 has shown that regional differences occur around the state with secondary macronutrients and micronutrients. It also showed that manganese and zinc are a concern for almost all areas. Jamie Burrow presented those findings, and numerous others, as part of Citrus Nutrition Day in October at the University of …

Gibberellic Acid Label Concerns Allayed

Ernie NeffAll In For Citrus Podcast, HLB Management

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers have found that gibberellic acid (GA) applications can improve productivity of HLB-affected Valencia trees. But some growers are concerned that the GA label may not allow that use. Citrus Research and Education Center Director (CREC) Michael Rogers allays that concern. Rogers says some are concerned “because the recommendations that …

Flavor Summit Returns in February

Ernie NeffEvents

After a year’s postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Florida is hosting the 2022 Flavor Summit – Industry Perspectives on Feb. 22-24. Industry professionals are invited to attend and learn about the science behind flavor. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) and the UF Center for Smell …

Groundcovers, Water Use and Yield

Ernie NeffResearch

Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) scientists are evaluating whether fabric mulch groundcovers can reduce water use in groves without compromising yield. A recent video shot during lemon harvest in a Scott Citrus Management Grove describes the research. IRREC is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) facility in Fort Pierce. The researchers are evaluating …

Florida Citrus Packers

Citrus Hall of Fame Names New Inductees

Ernie NeffAwards

George F. Hamner Jr., of Vero Beach, and the late A. Tillis Edwards Jr. and Edward A. Taylor, both of Lakeland, will be inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 2022. The inductions will take place during a Citrus Celebration Luncheon scheduled for Oct. 14 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. A. TILLIS EDWARDS JR. Edwards was a …

Updated Orange Crop Forecast for Brazil

Tacy CalliesBrazil, Crop Forecast

The second 2021-2022 orange crop forecast update for Brazil’s São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt was released on Dec. 10 by Fundecitrus and its cooperators. The orange crop is projected at 264.14 million boxes. The crop size is down 1.39% from September’s forecast update and continues in a downward trend. Since May, the crop has decreased a total …

HLB-Tolerant Tree Among CRDF Topics

Tacy CalliesCRDF

Research proposals and a newly discovered tree that shows tolerance to HLB were among the topics discussed at the Dec. 7 Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors meeting. Rick Dantzler, CRDF chief operating officer, provided a summary of actions taken at the meeting. OFFICERS AND DIRECTORSCRDF officers for the next two years were determined. Rob Atchley will …

florida orange

Ups and Downs in Florida Citrus Forecast

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast

On Dec. 9, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service reported the Florida orange forecast at 46 million boxes. Total orange production is down 2% from the October forecast but down 13% from last season’s final utilization. The decrease is in Florida non-Valencia production, which now stands at 18 million boxes. Current droppage is above average and …

Pummelo Interstocks Could Improve Performance of HLB Trees

Tacy CalliesResearch

By Manjul Dutt, Ethan Nielsen, Lamiaa Mahmoud, Maria Quirico and Jude Grosser All commercially cultivated citrus scion varieties are grafted onto rootstocks before being planted in the field. The rootstocks are selected based on specific desirable qualities (abiotic/biotic stress resistance) and the ability to produce a good crop in a specific location. The ideal rootstock confers disease resistance, hardiness, tolerance …

Getting New Varieties to Growers

Ernie NeffAll In For Citrus Podcast, Varieties

The executive directors of two organizations that play a vital role in getting citrus varieties into the hands of growers summarize how the process works. They are John Beuttenmuller with Florida Foundation Seed Producers (FFSP) and Peter Chaires with New Varieties Development & Management Corporation (NVDMC). When University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant breeders propose …

CREC Open House a Hit

Ernie NeffEvents

The Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) Nov. 16 open house and field day “was quite a crowded event. It went off really well,” CREC Director Michael Rogers reports. Rogers says the event drew about 200 industry members, as well as 150 CREC faculty, staff and students. The CREC is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …

HLB Research Grants Go to UF/IFAS

Ernie NeffResearch

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) was recently awarded more than $2.2 million in federal grants for HLB research. The funding came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program. UF/IFAS researchers are also serving in leadership roles in two other NIFA-funded …

HLB Research Funded for $11 Million

Ernie NeffResearch

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment of nearly $11 million for research to combat HLB. “NIFA’s Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension program brings the nation’s top scientists together with citrus industry representatives to find scientifically sound solutions to combat and prevent HLB at the farm-level,” said NIFA Director Carrie …

weather

Cold Protection: The Tried and the New

Ernie Neffcold protection

Tried and proven cold protection techniques and changes to the Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN) were discussed in a virtual Nov. 17 winter weather program. Chris Oswalt, citrus Extension agent for Hillsborough and Polk counties, summarized the decades-old cold protection techniques still practiced by Florida citrus growers. One of the first steps in cold protection is being prepared by staying …

Citrus World Reports Increased Returns

Ernie NeffIndustry News Release

Citrus World, Inc. (CWI) reported its top pool for early- and mid-season oranges paid a combined $2.41 per pound solid (PPS) last season. The same combined pool for Valencia oranges paid $2.61 PPS. Grapefruit returned an average of $2.30 PPS. The results were announced at CWI’s annual stockholders’ meeting on Nov. 8. Chief Operating Officer Chris Groom discussed sales performance …

Northern Hemisphere Citrus Forecast

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast

The World Citrus Organisation’s Northern Hemisphere Citrus Forecast for 2021-22 projects production of 29.342 million tons, a 1.27% decrease from the previous season. The preliminary forecast was based on data from industry associations in Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey, along with United States projections. The U.S. projections were based on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports …

irrigation

Getting Ready for Cold Weather

Ernie Neffcold protection

By Ray Royce As we are now in November, growers should start to think about the prospect of the potentially adverse conditions that winter can bring. Do not get caught off guard by delaying your winter preparations. There are a few measures that growers can undertake to better prepare for cold weather, and now is a good time to start …

mandarin

Breeders Discuss Favored Citrus Varieties

Ernie NeffVarieties

Fred Gmitter and Jude Grosser discuss some relatively new varieties they like – a mandarin, some oranges and a pummelo-grapefruit hybrid. Gmitter and Grosser are University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant breeders at the Citrus Research and Education Center. SUGAR BELLE® MANDARIN“Looking at Sugar Belle® and its performance against citrus greening, it’s clearly one of …