Fundecitrus Researchers Attend Citrus Congress

Josh McGillEvents, International

Researchers from Brazil’s Fundecitrus participated in the 14th International Citrus Congress held in Mersin, Turkey, Nov. 6–11. The event brought together participants from public and private research institutions, as well as the production and commercial sectors of citrus. Representatives from 28 countries participated in the congress, including the United States, South Africa, Australia, Israel and several countries in Europe. Fundecitrus …

solutions

Unraveling the Relationship Between the HLB Bacterium and Trees

Josh McGillHLB Management, Research

At the heart of the HLB threatening the Florida citrus industry is a complex exchange between the citrus tree and an insidious bacterium. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers continue to study the bacterium that causes HLB. They are learning more about how it works within the citrus tree in an effort to find viable …

Researchers Study Relative of HLB Pathogen

Josh McGillHLB Management, Research

Sometimes the most niche plant pathogen packs the greatest punch. Such is the case for the Florida citrus industry, which has seen a 70% decline in its orange production since the introduction of HLB in 2005. HLB is also known as citrus greening disease.  The bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus cause this disease, which spreads via a flying insect. When the …

pest risk

Northern Hemisphere Citrus Forecast Drops

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

The World Citrus Organisation’s (WCO) Northern Hemisphere citrus production forecast for the 2022–23 season is 25.958 million tons, a 13% decrease from the prior season. Production of every citrus variety in the Northern Hemisphere is forecast to dip by more than 11%. The forecast is based on data from Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United …

citrus production

Research to Help Organic Growers Fight HLB

Josh McGillOrganic, Research

A grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) is intended to advance research to help organic citrus producers fight HLB.   The grant awards $2.03 million to a team of scientists from the University of Florida, Texas A&M University and The Organic Center. The Organic Center is a non-profit organization convening evidence-based science on the …

Growers and Researcher Discuss Millennium Block Trials

Josh McGillResearch, Rootstocks, Varieties

Two citrus growers recently explained the benefits to be gained from research at the Indian River Research and Education Center’s (IRREC) Millennium Block in Fort Pierce, and a scientist discussed a grapefruit study there. The IRREC is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) facility. The 20-acre block was planted in 2019 to help growers find …

Flower Bud Advisories Promote Better Planning

Josh McGillProduction, Tip of the Week

By Tripti Vashisth In Florida, it is the time of year to start following citrus flower bud induction conditions for next year’s bloom. Citrus flower bud induction starts in the fall and usually is complete by early January. Low temperatures first stop growth and then promote induction of flower buds as more hours of low temperatures accumulate (below 68 degrees). …

Getting Antibiotics Where They Need To Go

Tacy CalliesHLB Management, Research

Purdue University’s Kurt Ristroph has received a $1 million federal grant to develop nanocarriers as an antibiotic delivery system to help plants fend off citrus greening disease, also known as HLB. The grant is part of the 21.7 million recently awarded for HLB research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. “The mixing technology we’re …

New Advancements in Herbicide Spraying

Josh McGillTechnology, weeds

By Ramdas Kanissery, Yiannis Ampatzidis, Mahesh Bashyal and Shea Teems Weed control is vital for profitable citrus production since weeds compete for nutrients and water, can harbor diseases and pests, and get in the way of equipment and workers. Without proper management, weeds lead to reduced crop yield and economic losses. Chemical weed control using herbicides is the most common …

Pruning Recommendations and Benefits

Josh McGillPruning

By Mongi Zekri Pruning is an important grove practice that increases sunlight penetration within the tree canopy. Sunlight enhances flowering, fruit quality and color development. Sunlight also allows foliage to dry quickly after a rain shower, which reduces problems of fungal diseases. Pruning trees can improve fruit quality and increase fruit size. However, tree response to pruning depends on scion …

Hargill Mexfly Quarantine Removed in Texas

Josh McGillPests, Regulation, Texas

Federal and state agriculture officials on Sept. 21 removed the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in Hargill, Willacy County, Texas, after three generations elapsed with no additional detections in this area. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). This action releases the final …

Groundcovers Promote Water-Use Efficiency and Pest Management

Josh McGillIrrigation, Pests

By Sandra M. Guzmán, Larry Duncan, John Santiago and Lorenzo Rossi The implementation of pest management technologies might have an impact on other management areas in the grove. Landscape fabric groundcovers, for example, have been used for pest management in citrus production. Groundcovers also recently have been used to promote the homogeneous availability of water for uptake by roots, better …

consumer

CRISPR Research Update for HLB and Canker

Josh McGillBreeding, Florida Citrus Commission, Research

Yianni Lagos, chief executive officer of Soilcea, told the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) in October about his company’s efforts to use CRISPR gene editing to aid the citrus industry in its struggles with canker and HLB. Soilcea was founded to find solutions to these citrus diseases. The company has exclusive licenses to patents from the University of Florida to cure …

$21.7 Million for HLB Research

Josh McGillHLB Management, Research

Seven entities recently received $21.7 million to conduct research into combating and preventing HLB at the farm level. The funding is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension program. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) received the majority of the funding, more …

Irrigation Contributes to Rising Yields in São Paulo

Josh McGillBrazil, Irrigation, Production

Use of irrigation for citrus in Brazil’s state of São Paulo has grown by almost 33% in the last six years, according to Citricultor magazine, published by Fundecitrus. The magazine cites irrigation and other improved growing practices as causes for a continuing yield rate acceleration.      In 35 years, citrus production per hectare in São Paulo has leaped by about 178%, …

Assessment Rate Set for California Citrus Growers

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Regulation

The California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) has established an assessment rate for California citrus producers of 3.2 cents per 40-pound standard field box for the 2022–23 marketing season. The marketing season runs from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023. The assessment applies to all types and varieties of citrus, as defined by the California Citrus Research Program, …

Silicon Being Evaluated for North Florida Citrus

Josh McGillCold Hardy, Diseases, Nutrition

The element silicon, known to be beneficial to many plants, is being evaluated for advantageous effects on North Florida citrus and blackberries. Horticulturist Muhammad Shahid discussed the benefits of Earth’s second-most-abundant element (after oxygen) during a recent Cold-Tolerant Citrus Production Workshop in Perry, Florida. Shahid is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences assistant professor at the …

Changing Psyllids to Make Them Incapable of Spreading HLB

Josh McGillHLB Management, Research

By Kirsten S. Pelz-Stelinski and Lukasz L. Stelinski Managing Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) remains a consideration for growers because psyllids transmit the citrus greening disease pathogen, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), to newly planted trees. There are several tools that can reduce psyllid populations or mitigate the symptoms of HLB and improve the health of infected trees. However, additional methods that …

Fungi Controlling Whiteflies in North Florida

Josh McGillBiologicals, Pests

Entomopathogenic fungi have recently been seen attacking citrus whitefly and cloudywinged whitefly nymphs in North Florida citrus groves. Muhammad Shahid, Mujahid Hussain and Danielle Sprague, all with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), wrote about the “friendly” fungi in the October UF/IFAS Cold Hardy Citrus Connection newsletter. Shahid is a horticulturalist and Hussain is a …