How to Build Consumer Trust

Ashley RobinsonMarketing

Consumer trust in the food and beverage industry has decreased drastically, despite surging at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer: Trust and the Food and Beverage Sector uncovers a 12-point decline in trust globally, the largest of any sector measured, following a major surge last spring. “People had high hopes and had real connections with …

Advances in Therapeutics for HLB Control

Ashley RobinsonHLB Management, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is examining different ways to deliver therapeutics to citrus trees for management of citrus greening disease, also know an huanglongbing (HLB). The hope of the USDA initiative is to establish an HLB-therapeutic molecule and identify the most cost-effective strategy to deliver these molecules to growers. The project is in collaboration with the University of …

Agriculture Group Addresses Climate Change

Ashley RobinsonEnvironment, Land

Florida agricultural leaders launched an initiative to identify and implement climate-smart agriculture solutions and ecosystem services that benefit the public, producers and the planet. The Florida Climate Smart Agriculture (FLCSA) Work Group is the collaborative effort of Solutions from the Land (SfL) and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The multi-stakeholder effort is led by …

Promoting Orange Juice for Hydration

Tacy CalliesOrange Juice

It may not officially be summer yet, but with temperatures heating up, Steve Johnson, chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission, has a reminder about the value of drinking orange juice (OJ) for hydration. “A glass of orange juice is a great hydration option in addition to water since it naturally contains a high percentage of water — almost 90%, says …

Grower: Production Dips, but Still Profitable

Ernie NeffProduction

Hardee County, Florida, orange grower Kenny Sanders saw his orange production dip in the 2020-21 season compared to the prior year. However, he still made a good profit, thanks to strong fruit prices. “I went down from 400 boxes an acre to 308 boxes, which I can live with, but it’s not as nice,” Sanders said. “We had a good …

Principles and Risks of Trunk Injection for Delivery of Crop Protection Materials

Tacy CalliesPesticides, Research

By Ute Albrecht and Leigh Archer Trunk injection is a targeted delivery of materials into the stem or trunk of trees as an alternative to spraying or soil drenching. It is practical for disease and pest management in high-value forest trees and ornamental plants where aerial applications are problematic because of environmental and human health-related concerns. Interest in using the …

Effects of Grower Tools on Citrus Diseases and Roots

Ashley RobinsonDiseases, Root health

Citrus researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are taking a more comprehensive look at how tools to manage HLB affect young trees. The goal is to develop integrated approaches and update management practices for growers. After one year of the research project, some interesting results are already emerging. The research project, “Establishing Healthy …

citrus greening

HLB Slowed by Biocontrol

Ernie NeffHLB Management

Florida citrus growers may have a new tool to help them slow the presence of HLB in already diseased trees, courtesy of researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The researchers found that injecting a benign Xylella fastidiosa EB92-1 bacteria biocontrol into infected citrus trees over a period of six years reduced the incidence …

citrus forecast

Citrus Crop Forecast Has Small Changes

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast

Reductions in the projected Florida grapefruit and tangerine/tangelo crops were the only changes in the May 12 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) citrus crop forecast. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reduced Florida’s grapefruit crop projection by 2%, to 4.2 million boxes, down from 4.3 million boxes in April. The total 100,000-box reduction was in red grapefruit, which dipped to …

Updating Guidelines for New Plantings

Ashley RobinsonAll In For Citrus Podcast, HLB Management, Research

Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are taking a whole-systems approach to update current recommendations for new plantings. A research project, “Establishing Healthy Citrus Plantings in the Face of Persistent HLB Pressure,” is led by UF/IFAS entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock. According to Diepenbrock, current guidelines were created pre-HLB and therefore are out of date …

Citrus Research Operations Manager Honored

Ernie NeffAwards

Thomas “Tom” James, citrus horticulture research operations manager at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), recently received a UF/IFAS Superior Accomplishment Award. At the IRREC, James facilitates a team of 17 visiting scientists, agricultural assistants and interns who perform field activities in two citrus groves on university property …

How Soil Health Changes Impact Citrus

Ernie Neffsoil

A team of University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers is investigating how changes in soil health impact citrus and other subtropical tree crops. Specifically, they will examine how quickly soil health can change in Florida and how specific changes might impact yield. The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture is funding …

citrus acreage decline

Grower Instigates Sap Analysis Research

Ernie NeffNutrition

Indian River area citrus grower Cody Estes provided the impetus for an upcoming research project into the use of sap analysis for monitoring citrus tree nutrient levels. The analysis method has been used in other crops. Advocates declare it to be a relatively inexpensive way to quickly determine nutrient status so growers can make corrections before nutrient excess or deficiency …

podcast

Research ‘of Use to Growers Right Now’

Ernie NeffResearch

“We’ve come a long way in the time that we’ve had HLB here in Florida,” says Michael Rogers. The director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center says early HLB research “covered a wide range of topics.” Now, however, “We’re really narrowing down things that are of use to growers …

Asian Citrus Psyllid Anatomical Discoveries

Ernie NeffPsyllids

Scientists from the University of Granada (UGR) have made the first anatomical atlas of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), which spreads HLB. The research group, led by Professor Susan J. Brown from Kansas State University, conducted a multidisciplinary project to study the psyllid, the bacteria it transmits, its effects and means of control. The U.S. research team approached Javier Alba-Tercedor …

CRDF Research Proposals Include Peptides

Ernie NeffCRDF, Research

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) received 59 proposals for funding of projects in response to the organization’s recent request for proposals (RFP). “This is the best RFP we’ve ever done since I’ve been here,” said CRDF Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler.   The deadline for submitting proposals was April 26, a day before the CRDF’s board of directors …

citrus

All In For Citrus Podcast, April 2021

Taylor HillmanAll In For Citrus Podcast, Sponsored Content

A whole-systems approach to one University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research project is the focus of the April All in For Citrus podcast. Citrus Research and Education Center Director Michael Rogers said the project is a good example of citrus researchers taking a more comprehensive look at problems in the industry. “We’re starting to put …

Vaccinating Trees Against CTV and HLB

Ernie NeffDiseases

University of Maryland virologist Anne Simon and the company she founded, Silvec Biologics, have successfully vaccinated laboratory hosts against citrus tristeza virus (CTV). They are now focusing on HLB, also called citrus greening. The vaccination induces trees to produce their own therapeutic agents.   Silvec’s vaccination concept is based on the discovery of a novel infectious RNA that the company calls …

Above-Average Hurricane Season Predicted

Ernie Neffhurricane

Colorado State University (CSU) researchers are predicting an above-average Atlantic hurricane season in 2021, citing the likely absence of El Niño as a primary factor. Tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures are near their long-term averages, while subtropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures are much warmer than their long-term average values. The warmer subtropical Atlantic also favors an active 2021 Atlantic hurricane …

Nematode Identification With AI

Ernie NeffPests

Parasitic nematode damage in agriculture totals $125 billion around the world each year. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers hope to alleviate some of that destruction. The UF/IFAS scientists will use artificial intelligence (AI) to try to more rapidly identify nematodes. Some nematodes live in the ground and harm plants, while others are beneficial, so …