Alico, Inc.’s Citrus Division reported it had “significantly lower than anticipated” early and mid-season orange production for the fiscal quarter that ended Dec. 31, 2023. It blamed the reduction on the ongoing effects of 2022’s Hurricane Ian. Although the early and mid-season crops were lower than anticipated, Alico still harvested more boxes, produced more pound solids and received higher prices …
Fall Tree Health After Initial Trunk-Injection Treatments
By Frank Giles and Maegan Beatty As growers deployed their first application of oxytetracycline (OTC) via trunk-injection this summer, expectations were high but tempered by the fact the therapy is not expected to turn the massive HLB ship around in just one season. By this fall, after the seasonal cooldown, growers were still reporting generally positive signs from the treatments. …
PGRs: Multipurpose Tools for Citrus Improvement
By Tripti Vashisth Canopy health of HLB-affected citrus has been directly related to disease severity, fruit drop and overall fruit production. Some success has been found with the use of certain plant growth regulators (PGRs) such as gibberellic acid (GA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) to achieve healthier trees with reduced fruit drop and increased production. HLB MANAGEMENT Application of these …
California’s CRaFT Accepting Cycle 2 Applications
California’s Citrus Research and Field Trials (CA-CRaFT) program is now accepting Cycle 2 applications from commercial growers. This initiative aims to showcase the efficacy of additional control measures against the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). ACP is the carrier of the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus bacterium causing huanglongbing (HLB) disease in citrus. For Cycle 2, applications will be accepted until program capacity …
Scouting Tools and Tactics
By Matt Smith Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. This article is an updated version of a previous article, “Scouting: The Tip of the IPM Spear,” published in the …
Update on Florida’s CRAFT Program
Florida’s Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) board of directors recently approved a slate of Cycle 5 solid set Program for Expedited Propagation (PEP) projects following recommendations from the Technical Working Group. Eleven projects totaling 455 acres were approved. Projects will focus on comparisons of five scions (Parson Brown, Roble, Carney 2, Carney 3 and Donaldson) on the same rootstock. …
CRDF Off to a Busy Start in 2024
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) kicked off the new year with a full agenda for its monthly board meeting. New members were welcomed to the board. Growers Matt Machata, Sarah Spinosa and Trevor Murphy joined the group. On the research front, the board funded continued work by Ping Duan, a plant pathologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. …
All In For Citrus Podcast, January 2024
If you grow citrus in Florida, you’ve probably heard the term CRISPR used in discussions about gene editing to find HLB resistance. CRISPR is complicated science but holds great promise in fighting both human and plant diseases. At the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), Nian Wang, a professor of microbiology and cell science, has been …
Sneak Peek: February 2024 Citrus Industry
The February issue of Citrus Industry magazine takes a look at efforts to combat HLB. Some strategies are already available for growers to implement in their groves, while others offer hope for long-term solutions. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently launched a new Crop Transformation Center. The goal of the center is to use …
Taking Available Tools to the Grove
The quest for long-term solutions to HLB is well underway. Technology like CRISPR is being developed to introduce tolerance or resistance to HLB. Conventional breeding also is seeking rootstocks and varieties that can resist the disease. In the meantime, growers are reminded to utilize available tools that help trees remain productive in an HLB environment. During the August Citrus & …
Florida Citrus Industry Survey Reflects Industry Optimism
By Frank Giles Last year’s citrus season was marred by continuing production declines from HLB and hurricanes. The combined effect of both dropped the final all-orange output to 15.8 million boxes. Certainly, the numbers reflected the dire situation the industry found itself in after the storms. But after last year’s harvest, growers were given clearance to utilize new trunk-injection therapies …
Updates on FDOC Research Projects
Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) members on Jan. 17 heard an update on one recent Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) scientific research project and learned about some future research plans. Rosa Walsh, FDOC director of scientific research, presented the information. PROGRAM FOR EXPEDITED PROPAGATIONWalsh reported that the 2022–23 Program for Expedited Propagation of HLB Tolerant and Resistant Trees was successful. She …
Brassinosteroid and Weed Management Research Updated
Brassinosteroids for HLB-infected trees and the latest on year-round weed management were discussed at a Jan. 17 OJ Break at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, Florida. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt hosted the event. UF/IFAS assistant professors Fernando Alferez and Ramdas Kanissery made the presentations …
New Discovery About Asian Citrus Psyllids
A failed field test has led to a major discovery about Asian citrus psyllids (ACP). According to new research, the bacterium that causes HLB disease can interfere with ACP’s sense of smell, rendering some kinds of insect traps useless. The work is currently available as a preprint. HLB, also known as citrus greening, is caused by the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) bacterium. …
Irrigation Strategy to Enhance Fruit Growth and Retention
By Tripti Vashisth Huanglongbing (HLB) severity is associated with small fruit sizes and lower fruit numbers at harvest. Moreover, small fruit are more likely to drop and drop earlier during preharvest fruit drop. Unfortunately, management practices suggested to increase fruit size or reduce drop have had mixed results. So, before looking for ways to increase fruit size and number, it …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Seeds Aplenty
By Peter Chaires Beginning this month, Citrus Nursery Source (CNS) transitions to Citrus Industry magazine after 14 years in Florida Grower magazine. For those unfamiliar with this column, CNS covers citrus industry issues that are of potential interest to nurseries and the growers they serve. Recognizing that it is difficult for nursery owners and staff to regularly attend meetings, this …
Sticking to a Solid Production Plan
Matthew Machata grew up in Polk County on the family’s citrus farm, Rolling Meadows Ranch Groves in Lake Wales, Florida. After he graduated high school, he joined the Marine Corps and served two tours in Iraq. He then attended Auburn University, where he earned a degree in aerospace engineering. At the time, his plans didn’t include farming, but that changed …
Mulch Suppresses Psyllids in Young Trees
By Jawwad A. Qureshi, Lauren Diepenbrock and Davie Kadyampakeni Protecting citrus trees from the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is critical to reducing the spread and severity of huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The frequent availability of viable shoots in young trees is attractive to psyllid colonization, feeding and oviposition events. UV-metalized reflective mulches reflect ultraviolet light, which is disturbing for some insects …
New Neonicotinoid Regulations in California
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) has adopted new regulations to protect pollinators from the hazards associated with exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides containing the active ingredients clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. The regulations affect the application of these pesticides on certain food and feed crops, including citrus. Product labels will not be updated with these requirements. CDPR suggests that …
All In For Citrus Podcast, December 2023
In the December 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 and Education Center (CREC), gave a tip of the hat and congratulations to Ruth Borger who retired this fall. Borger was the CREC communications specialist. She transitioned to this position after eight …