By Brenda Eubanks Burnette During this year’s Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, I interviewed a number of citrus growers as part of the Oral History Program. One of them was Brad Turner, who later sent me an article by E.F. DeBusk from the 1930 Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society. DeBusk was a Florida Citrus Hall …
Fundecitrus Declares ‘Battle Time’ Against Psyllids
Brazil’s Fundecitrus recently declared battle in the fight against HLB-spreading psyllids. The citrus association’s recently launched “It’s battle time!” advertising campaign reinforces the need for rigor in psyllid control during the most critical period of the year. It is at this time, between the end of winter and spring, that high numbers of psyllids are captured in traps installed in …
PGRs Promote Tree Health
The use of plant growth regulators (PGRs) has been a popular method to treat HLB-infected citrus trees. The materials have continued to be applied in conjunction with trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) to improve tree health. Tripti Vashisth, an associate professor of horticultural sciences with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), has been studying PGRs …
All In For Citrus Podcast Holds a Wealth of Information
There is a constant stream of research flowing out of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). In recent years, much of that science has focused on the fight against HLB. There are various venues where growers and other stakeholders can learn more about this research, including the All In For Citrus podcast. The podcast, produced …
Purity Is a Two-Part Consideration in Trunk Injection
Sponsored Content In this special series, Tom Johnson, owner of TJ BioTech, tackles questions about optimizing trunk-injection applications to treat HLB. Q: Is there more to the purity of a trunk injection of ReMedium TI® than just the purity of the active ingredient? Tom Johnson: The purity of a trunk injection is important to the overall performance of the active …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: What’s on Tap for 2024–25
By Peter Chaires The New Varieties Development and Management Corp. (NVDMC) has awarded funding to citrus projects for the 2024–25 season. Exciting things are happening in crop transformation, but significant progress is also being made in conventional breeding. The NVDMC board continues to support conventional breeding projects, each with a focus on near-term results, while still setting a foundation for …
University of Georgia Makes Citrus Appointments
The University of Georgia (UGA) announced the appointment of citrus Extension specialist Mary Sutton and peach and citrus breeder Dario Chavez. MARY SUTTON Sutton will focus on maximizing citrus production and improving its efficiency in the face of challenges. Issues important to citrus production in Georgia include: Sutton received her master’s degree in horticulture from UGA in 2019 and her …
Survey Asks Growers About Oxytetracycline Trunk Injection
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are conducting a grower survey about the use of oxytetracycline (OTC) trunk injection in citrus production. The researchers want to learn about the adoption, efficacy and economic feasibility of OTC injections. The survey, which can be accessed here, will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. It should be completed …
Low pH Does Not Cause Tree Injury in Trunk Injections
Sponsored Content In this special series, Tom Johnson, owner of TJ BioTech, tackles questions about optimizing trunk-injection applications to treat HLB. Q: Some are suggesting that oxytetracycline injections may be creating tree injury due to low pH. What have you learned about this from your ongoing research? Tom Johnson: A substantial amount of research has been conducted by TJ BioTech …
CRAFT Applications Open Until Nov. 1
Applications are available online for Cycle Six of the traditional Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) New Tree Planting Program and Round Three of the Existing Tree Therapies Program. Growers may submit their applications until 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1. The CRAFT board of directors, with the help of the Technical Working Group, has established a list of factors …
Fourth Generation to Lead Fresh Citrus Business
There have been many challenges faced by the Florida citrus industry in its long and storied history. Innovative growers have found ways to overcome those challenges, making citrus one of the core industries in the state. Few would argue that HLB is not the biggest challenge to date, but growers continue to innovate to try to save the industry. A …
California Quarantine Updates
Federal and state officials have removed and reduced Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantines in two California counties and expanded the huanglongbing (HLB) quarantine in another county. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY On July 5, the …
Preview of the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo Seminars
In the July All In For Citrus podcast, Tripti Vashisth, associate professor of horticultural sciences with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), gave a sneak peek of the citrus educational seminars at the upcoming Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The event takes place on Aug. 21–22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. Vashisth coordinated …
CLas-Positive Psyllid Sample in Riverside County
An adult Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) sample from a residential property in the San Jacinto Valley area of Riverside County, California, has tested positive for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the bacterium that causes huanglongbing (HLB). The positive sample was collected as part of the Multi-Pest Risk Survey on a residential property in Hemet. It was confirmed positive for CLas on …
Sneak Peek: August 2024 Citrus Industry
Despite low production levels this season in Florida, grower success stories can still be seen in citrus. Wm. G. Roe & Sons is a prime example. The August issue of Citrus Industry magazine tells how the century-old citrus business is still flourishing. As the next generation of leadership steps up in the Roe family, the business is also implementing a …
No Shortage of Australian Orange Juice
Citrus Australia has assured Australian consumers they will continue to have consistent access to orange juice made from locally grown fruit. Adverse growing conditions and the spread of the huanglongbing (HLB) disease have reduced orange production in Brazil, Florida and several other key citrus-growing regions around the world. This has created a global shortage of orange juice concentrate, prompting media …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Strong Support for Cold-Hardy Citrus Growers
By Peter Chaires The citrus research program at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) includes several projects aimed at assisting growers in the cold-hardy citrus region. Let’s take a look at what researchers are working on. EVALUATING SCIONS AND ROOTSTOCKS Presently, the citrus industry in North Florida faces …
All In For Citrus Podcast, July 2024
As citrus growers try to stabilize production in the midst of endemic HLB, maintaining the industry’s infrastructure is critically important. Two key sectors of that infrastructure are citrus nurseries and juice processors. In the July episode of the All In For Citrus podcast, Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research …
Citrus Nutrient Research Update
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Muhammad Shahid and Alisheikh Atta Current citrus nutrient guidelines are based on studies of healthy citrus trees conducted in the pre-huanglongbing (HLB) era. These guidelines may no longer be valid for the present situation where 100% of mature citrus trees in Florida are HLB-affected. Scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) …
Foliar Feed Your Trees
By Mongi Zekri Foliar fertilizer application is certainly not a new concept to the citrus industry. For over six decades, foliar fertilization has been recommended to correct zinc, manganese, boron, copper and magnesium deficiencies in citrus. It is now common knowledge in agriculture that properly nourished crops may tolerate insect pests and diseases. Traditionally, citrus growers try to achieve optimum …