Citrus Crop Forecast Live Coverage Wednesday, October 12

Taylor Hillman Citrus, Industry News Release

A unique new sponsor targeting Florida citrus growers will result in broadcast “from location” in Italy (AgNet Media, Inc., Gainesville, FL, September 29, 2016)  The annual October citrus crop forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will be broadcast live for the 22nd consecutive year, at noon on Wednesday, October 12, 2016, on the Southeast AgNet …

HLB and ‘Tolerance’ as a Practical Matter in Choosing Rootstocks

Tacy Callies Rootstocks

By Bill Castle (Editor’s note: Click on the graphs throughout the article to enlarge them.) By classic biological definition, a particular citrus rootstock-scion combination when infected with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) would be considered tolerant if infected trees had no more than slight reductions in performance, sometimes accompanied by a reduced level of the pathogen. That definition implies that the …

HLB tolerance

Southern Gardens Citrus to Host HLB Webinar

Tacy Callies Citrus, Citrus Greening

Rick Kress, senior vice president of research commercialization for Southern Gardens Citrus will present a webinar titled “Can We Live Without Citrus?” on August 25 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EDT. Can you imagine what your store would look like if the orange juice section was suddenly empty or produce shelves were void of all oranges, grapefruit, lemons and …

Dr. Bryony C. Bonning

UF/IFAS Hires Eminent Scholar to Help in Fight Against Citrus Greening

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has added another soldier in its battle against citrus greening by hiring world-renowned entomologist Bryony Bonning. She has been named Eminent Scholar with tenure in the UF/IFAS entomology and nematology department. Currently, Bonning is a professor of entomology at Iowa State University and director of the National Science Foundation Center …

mandarins

UF/IFAS Scientists Zeroing in on Better Mandarins

Daniel Cooper Citrus

In their quest to develop higher quality mandarins, University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are zeroing in on the traits that will help them breed the best fruit. Last year, they released the mandarin cultivar currently known as ‘7-6-27,’ which UF/IFAS researchers say is soaring with interest, and with more than 100,000 trees already ordered. Sponsored …

Saving Florida’s Citrus Industry Through Collaboration and Innovation

Kelsey Fry Citrus, Citrus Greening

From Kevin Shea, Administrator, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: The Florida citrus industry is under siege and the invader is a tiny bug called the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). The ACP spreads a disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening, and together they are destroying groves that have been cultivated by families for generations. But all is …

Strauss Joins UF/IFAS Fight Against Citrus Greening

Kelsey Fry Agriculture, Citrus Greening

A new researcher has joined the University of Florida’s fight against citrus greening, which has devastated the state’s industry. Sarah Strauss, a soil microbiologist most recently from Davis, California, has accepted a position at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. Strauss, an assistant professor with an Extension appointment, …

The Latest Buzz on Honeybees

Kelsey Fry Citrus

There’s a renewed buzz in honeybee research when it comes to problems within the hive. AgNet Media’s Sabrina Hill talks with a bee care program leader and a bee researcher.  Hear the full report here: The Buzz on Honeybees New research shows more threats to honeybees. There is a lot of talk in the general public about pesticides and bees. …

Vegetables Being Grown on Old Citrus Land

Kelsey Fry Citrus

Doug Bournique, executive director of the Indian River Citrus League, says that for about a year now, vegetable growers have been moving in on old citrus land in the northeast corner of Lake Okeechobee. The land has been out of citrus production for many years, but has grown in popularity with California and Midwest vegetable growers. Bournique says it all started …

Sneak Peek: June Citrus Industry Magazine

Josh McGill Citrus

The June issue of Citrus Industry magazine is coming soon. This edition is all about citrus beyond the Sunshine State. Readers will notice a new column in the magazine, called Global Perspectives, authored by a Brazilian citrus expert, Marcos Fava Neves. Ernie Neff, senior correspondent at large, examines the citrus industries in California and Texas. His articles include both challenges …

Discussing Genetic Engineering With a Concerned Public

Josh McGill Citrus

By: Kevin Folta Our farm producers have brought unprecedented low-priced, safe food to the United States and the world. Despite the success, there are challenges to sustained production that may best be solved with genetic engineering. These technologies have proven safe and effective for almost two decades, mostly in the arena of high-acreage agronomic crops like corn, soy and cotton. …

EPA Releases Preliminary Risk Assessment

expoadmin Citrus

EPA Releases Preliminary Risk Assessment for Insecticides Potentially Harmful to Bees From the Environmental Protection Agency: WASHINGTON– The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a preliminary pollinator risk assessment for the neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, which shows a threat to somepollinators. EPA’s assessment, prepared in collaboration with California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation, indicates that imidacloprid potentially poses risk to hives when …

fungus

USDA Grant To Attack Citrus Greening

expoadmin Citrus, Citrus Greening

Researchers share $4 million USDA grant to attack citrus greening From UF/IFAS: By: Kimberly Moore Wilmoth and Kathleen Haughney GAINESVILLE, Fla. — International researchers, including ones at the University of Florida and Florida State University, are sharing in a $4 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to attack the problem of citrus greening, a disease that has …