Sweet Orange Scab

Sweet Orange Scab Regulations Modified

Josh McGillDiseases, Regulation

The conditions under which citrus fruit may be moved interstate from areas quarantined for sweet orange scab (SOS) when destined for processing or packing in a commercial citrus-producing state without a statewide SOS quarantine have been modified. The modification was made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS). In 2010, APHIS published Federal …

Nursery Owner Wins Judgment Over Destroyed Trees

Josh McGillCitrus, Citrus Greening, Legal

The owner of a commercial nursery has won a $1.2 million judgment against the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) for the destruction of citrus trees in the 2000s, AP News reported. A jury in Orlando determined the state agency had destroyed more than 160,000 citrus plants in an effort to stop citrus greening, AP reported. The jury …

Florida citrus

Results of the Florida Citrus Research Order Referendum

Josh McGillCRDF, Regulation, Research

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced that the state’s citrus growers reauthorized the Florida citrus research order in a statutorily required referendum conducted by the department. The results of the ballots returned yielded 76% “yes” votes representing 69% of total citrus acres. The Florida Citrus Research Order has a six-year cycle and is subject to renewal …

Does Compost Improve Young Tree Growth?

Josh McGillResearch, Root health, Soil Improvement

By Ute Albrecht, Gabriel Pugina, Antonio Castellano-Hinojosa and Sarah Strauss Root health is important for tree growth and directly affects a tree’s ability to cope with adverse biotic and abiotic stresses. Most citrus production in Florida occurs on natural infertile sands with very little organic matter and a low cation exchange capacity (CEC), resulting in minimal amounts of soluble nutrients …

toolkit

How to Handle Worker Heat Stress

Josh McGillLabor, Weather

By Amir Rezazadeh Heat stress happens when the body is exposed to extreme heat in a hot environment. Heat-related illnesses include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat rashes. Other signs of heat stress include sweaty palms, fogged-up safety glasses and dizziness. Agricultural workers are at risk of heat stress. Those who are 65 years of age or older, …

Maintaining Demand for OJ Amid Supply-Shortage Concerns

Josh McGillFlorida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

By Marisa L. Zansler Over the last 20 years, the Florida citrus industry has faced many challenges, from destructive diseases, hurricanes, production cost increases, and, now in 2022, the devastation of a winter freeze. As a result, Florida citrus production has declined considerably. During the 2021–22 season, there is a 26% decline in volume movement compared to the prior season. …

Rootstocks and Fertilization for Finger Limes

Josh McGillLimes, Nutrition, Rootstocks

Rootstock selection and fertilization are important for those considering growing finger limes in Florida. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences horticulturist Tripti Vashisth addressed both of those topics in a recent virtual Finger Lime Symposium. Vashisth concluded that Volkamer lemon, UFR-5 and US-802 rootstocks appear promising for finger limes. She noted that a vigorous rootstock influences tree …

An Update on Oak Mulch to Increase Soil Health

Josh McGillResearch, Soil Improvement

By Lukas M. Hallman, John M. Santiago and Lorenzo Rossi At first glance, one may not see how oak trees relate to citrus production. But in the early 2010s, growers and scientists reported seeing little to no HLB symptoms on citrus growing underneath the dripline of oak trees compared to citrus trees nearby but not directly under oak trees. These …

HLB-affected trees

What Southeast Citrus Growers Should Be Watching For

Josh McGillIrrigation, Pests, Weather

A prolonged dry spell across the Southeast should have citrus growers ensuring their young trees are properly irrigated. But Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, cautions growers about applying too much water. “The real young trees don’t have much of a root system, of course. It has been pretty dry. But you don’t want …

Brix Is a Key Issue for Florida Citrus Mutual

Josh McGillOrange Juice, Regulation

Florida Citrus Mutual President Glenn Beck and Executive Vice President/CEO Matt Joyner recently met with members of Florida’s congressional delegation and others in Washington to highlight issues important to Florida citrus. The need for federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action on lowering the Brix level was one focus of the meetings. Beck and Joyner met with U.S. Sen. Marco …

International Partnership Strengthens HLB Research

Josh McGillInternational, Research

Brazil’s Fundecitrus reported that the exchange of international researchers and technicians working on the PRE-HLB (Preventing HLB Epidemics for Ensuring Citrus Survival in Europe) project strengthens research on the disease. In recent months, Fundecitrus received a researcher from the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) and sent a researcher to the University of Valencia (Spain). Counting on the expertise of more than …

Program to Provide HLB-Tolerant Trees

Josh McGillFlorida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, HLB Management

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on May 18 received an update on a propagation program intended to quickly produce and commercialize trees showing tolerance or resistance to HLB disease, also known as citrus greening. The program will focus on the Donaldson tree and other escaped trees. The Donaldson is a tree at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Whitmore Farm that …

Use Physical Barriers for Root Health

Josh McGillIPCs, Root health, Tip of the Week

By Larry Duncan Citrus trees in Florida soils infested with diaprepes root weevil (Diaprepes abbreviatus) or sting nematode (Belonolaimus longicaudatus) frequently contend with devastating damage to their root systems. This is made even worse by root loss due to huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Where soil conditions are conducive to the insect or nematode, it is very difficult to prevent major economic …

High Summer Temperatures Take a Toll on Trees

Josh McGillResearch, Weather

By Anirban Guha and Christopher Vincent A quick body temperature test is common these days before entering many workplaces, hospitals and clinics due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose is to screen people for fevers, usually with a non-contact infrared thermometer. Measurement of plant body temperatures also has become common for many field crops, not to screen for infectious …

ACP Found at Packinghouse and Juice Plant in California

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Psyllids

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently urged all citrus industry members to be extra vigilant in their Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) mitigation steps and adherence to regulatory practices. The request is in response to ACP detections in the Central Valley over the last few weeks. ACP is the vector of HLB disease.  Multiple ACP were detected on …

citrus greening

Representatives Ask for HLB Pesticide Approval

Josh McGillLegislative, Pesticides

U.S. Representatives Kat Cammack and Al Lawson led members of the Florida congressional delegation to ask the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for expeditious approval of Vismax, a biochemical pesticide for HLB. A letter from the representatives asks the EPA to rapidly approve the use of Vismax in preventing HLB so the industry may access this product before the start …

Keep CTV Under Control

Josh McGillDiseases, Tip of the Week

By Amit Levy Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) infects the citrus phloem. CTV infects almost all citrus varieties, but it causes different disease symptoms depending on the virus isolate, the citrus variety and scion-rootstock combination. Florida has three dominant strains of CTV: T36, a decline-causing strain T30, which normally does not cause severe disease VT, a stem-pitting causing strain CTV is …

Citrus Nutrient Deficiencies? There’s an App for That

Josh McGillDiseases, Nutrition, Pests, Technology

While sending citrus tissue samples to the lab for analysis remains important, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has developed a smartphone application (app) that can supplement lab analysis to identify leaf symptoms of key nutrient deficiencies and certain pests and diseases. Arnold Schumann, a professor of soil and water science with UF/IFAS, demonstrated how …

Diagnosing Herbicide Phytotoxicity in Citrus

Josh McGillweeds

By Ramdas Kanissery, Nimal Timilsina and Ruby Tiwari Chemical weed control is an essential component of the toolbox to keep weeds in check in citrus groves. Citrus growers primarily rely on herbicide to manage weeds due to their efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Despite their benefits, herbicides may have a wide range of unintended effects on citrus. For instance, an herbicide-related injury …