Flower Bud Advisories Have Resumed

Tacy Callies Industry News Release

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has resumed providing growers with regular flower bud advisories now that the critical time for citrus grove management has begun this season. Tripti Vashisth, UF/IFAS assistant professor, restarted the advisories Nov. 23 and will continue providing them every other week through the spring. The advisories provide critical information about …

production

Irrigating Young Trees in High-Density Plantings

Tacy Callies Irrigation

Florida citrus yields have declined by almost 56 percent since 2005. With such a large decrease, growers have been forced to replant trees at much higher densities to counter-balance tree loss. In November 2017, researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) initiated a study to determine how …

Give the Gift of Citrus This Holiday Season

Tacy Callies Tip of the Week

By Ruth Borger Sending boxes of Florida citrus across the country to friends and family during the holidays is a beloved tradition. But it is important to work with a certified grower/gift shipper as it is illegal in Florida for individuals to send citrus via the mail or delivery services. You can find a list of Florida gift fruit shippers …

Texas Mexfly Quarantine Established

Ernie Neff Pests

Effective Nov. 5, 2020, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) established a Mexican fruit fly quarantine in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas. The pest is commonly referred to as Mexfly. APHIS, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign …

Grapefruit and Drugs: A Conversation

Ernie Neff Grapefruit

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus breeder Fred Gmitter recently had an email conversation with a retired Swedish pediatrician about a UF/IFAS grapefruit and pummelo hybrid that likely won’t interact with drugs. The retired physician, Leif Gothefors, had inquired about Gmitter’s work on the hybrid, UF 914. Gothefors noted that he had heard UF 914 …

Label Doesn’t Impact Beverage Choices

Ernie Neff Orange Juice, Research

This year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated the nutrition facts label to highlight certain information, including added sugars, to help consumers make healthier food choices. A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) study found that the label did not impact consumer beverage choices. “We were interested in how effective the newly updated nutrition label …

Things to Be Thankful for This Year

Tacy Callies Tip of the Week

By Ruth Borger Despite 2020 being a challenging year with a lot to complain about, there are many things to be thankful for. This is the time of year to take a few minutes to reflect on what we have to be grateful for. Here are just a few things to be thankful for that come quickly to mind. A …

Research Update on Individual Protective Covers

Tacy Callies Pests

By Fernando Alferez, Susmita Gaire, Ute Albrecht, Ozgur Batuman, Jawwad Qureshi and Mongi Zekri It has been nearly three years since the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) started its studies on individual protective covers (IPCs). The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of IPCs as a strategy to prevent HLB infection of …

march

All In For Citrus Podcast, November 2020

Taylor Hillman All In For Citrus Podcast, Sponsored Content

The November episode of the All In For Citrus podcast covers a multitude of grant-funded research that the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus team both leads and collaborates on. Citrus Research and Education Center Director Michael Rogers begins the podcast with a discussion on research projects UF/IFAS scientists are playing critical roles in collaborative …

SWFREC Recognizes Growers During Farm-City Week

Ernie Neff Agriculture

Nov. 18-25 is National Farm-City Week, a time to recognize and honor the contributions of the country’s agriculturalists and to strengthen the bond between urban and rural citizens. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) took the opportunity to recognize the agriculturists in its area. Some of its statements …

Cold Acclimation and Freeze Protection for Florida Citrus

Tacy Callies Freeze Protection

By Chris Oswalt and Davie Kadyampakeni In preparation for winter in Florida, citrus growers must first understand some essential concepts related to protecting citrus from freezing temperatures. Specifically, growers need to know when and how to protect citrus trees from freeze damage. WHEN TO PROTECT When (i.e., at what critical temperature) will damage begin to occur? This temperature is dependent on …

rule

Worker Safety Resources Available in Spanish

Ernie Neff Education

Free online resources from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension put safety in the hands of Spanish-speaking agricultural workers and pesticide handlers. The Extension Farm Labor Education programs are part of UF/IFAS Extension Online Learning. For the first time, the Worker Protection Standard Train the Trainer (WPS TTT) certification course is available online in …

citrus

Scout IPCs for Pests

Tacy Callies Pests, Tip of the Week

By Jawwad Qureshi Young citrus trees produce shoots with feather-stage leaves more frequently, making them highly attractive to the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). This pest requires young shoots with feather-stage leaves to develop and reproduce. ACP is the pathogen’s primary vector responsible for causing huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Plant infection with HLB at an early age makes it challenging to bring …

Spotting the Symptoms of Citrus Black Spot

Ernie Neff Diseases

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension recently provided the following information about identification of citrus black spot (CBS): Fruit symptoms can be observed around this time of year with the onset of color break and fruit maturity. Growers and agricultural workers should learn to identify the symptoms of CBS even if they are not located …

Adjuvants Did Not Improve Delivery of Foliar-Applied Oxytetracycline

Tacy Callies Citrus Expo

In 2016, federal authorities began allowing Florida citrus growers to spray oxytetracycline solutions on their trees to combat citrus greening disease. Since then, researchers have been investigating oxytetracycline delivery methods. In a Citrus Expo presentation, Christopher Vincent, assistant professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, shared …

Controls for Sting Nematodes

Ernie Neff Pests

Larry Duncan provides updates on the damage done by sting nematodes and research into controlling them with nematicides and perennial peanut as a cover crop. Duncan is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) nematologist at the Citrus Research and Education Center. Sting nematodes have become a “real issue” for Florida growers in the past five …

Five Years of Fresh Fruit Production in CUPS

Tacy Callies CUPS

By Arnold Schumann, Laura Waldo, Napoleon Mariner and Timothy Ebert According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Florida grapefruit production for the 2019–20 season was only 12 percent of the production recorded in 2003–04, prior to the arrival of huanglongbing (HLB) disease in the state. A major goal of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …

citrus

Get Florida Freeze Updates With Winter Weather Watch

Tacy Callies Tip of the Week, Weather

By Chris Oswalt There was a time back in 1962, on Dec. 12 and 13, when a devastating freeze in Florida decimated a significant portion of the state’s citrus industry. In Polk County, the freeze caused serious damage to 134,000 acres of citrus. In 1963, citrus growers were concerned about receiving timely weather information and frost warning bulletins. Back then, …

Genome Sequencing and Other UF Research

Ernie Neff All In For Citrus Podcast

Michael Rogers discusses the importance of the recent sequencing of the trifoliate orange genome by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers and others. He also tells how growers can learn more about UF/IFAS research funded by the Florida Legislature. Rogers is director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred and …

The Effect of the Clean Waterways Act on Ag

Tacy Callies Tip of the Week

The Clean Waterways Act (Senate Bill 712) was signed into law on June 30 by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The act discusses several mechanisms and provisions to protect waterways by reducing water pollution. It includes a few changes that directly affect the agriculture industry. The law requires the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to perform onsite implementation verification …