Southeast citrus trees were undoubtedly impacted by multiple days of sub-freezing temperatures during Christmas week. An exact understanding of the impact will not be known for another couple of months, believes Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist. “The freeze was significant, but you never really know for sure until the plants start to flush …
First HLB Confirmation in City of San Diego
The citrus disease HLB has been confirmed for the first time in the city of San Diego, California, making it the second city in San Diego County with a positive detection. (Read about the first San Diego County detection here.) The new detection was made in a residential citrus tree located in the Rancho Bernardo area of the city. The …
There Is No Crystal Ball
By Ajia Paolillo There is no crystal ball when it comes to anything in life, including agriculture. Growers are at the mercy of Mother Nature’s glory and fury. Over time, the citrus industry has developed production techniques and practices to help during the hard times. Microsprinkler irrigation is used both to provide targeted, much needed water during bloom, fruit set …
OLL Sweet Oranges Producing Pre-HLB Fruit Quality
By Jude Grosser, Fred Gmitter and Maria Brenelli The new OLL (Orie and Louise Lee) series of sweet oranges (OLL-4, OLL-8 and OLL-20) are very high-quality processing sweet oranges that generally produce higher soluble solids and better juice color than Valencia. OLL trees are more vigorous than Valencia, and anecdotal evidence suggests they are slightly more HLB-tolerant than Valencia. Trees …
Much Less Citrus Production in Turkey
Fresh mandarin/tangerine, lemon and grapefruit production in Turkey is forecast to decline in 2022–23 compared to the prior year due to freezing temperatures in March 2022. Orange juice (OJ) production will likely be unchanged, while orange production will significantly decline. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). TANGERINES/MANDARINSOverall tangerine production is forecast …
Effects of Compost and Organic Amendments on Weed Control
By Ramdas Kanissery and Mahesh Bashyal Using compost and soil amendments is beneficial to Florida citrus groves. Florida soils are sandy and have a low organic matter and cation exchange capacity. Adding compost and organic amendments (e.g., humic acid) can enhance the soil’s ability to retain water and nutrients. These practices can also boost soil microbial activity and improve soil …
Keeping Trees Healthy After Removing IPCs
Researchers and growers have found that individual protective covers (IPCs) can keep young trees free of HLB for two or more years while providing additional benefits like improved tree growth. The IPCs work by keeping HLB-infecting Asian citrus psyllids out of the tree canopies. But trees outgrow the covers and must eventually be removed. Researchers have found that about 60% …
Trialing Tree Immunizations for HLB, Xylella
Australia’s Hort Innovation has announced an $8.7 million investment to trial tree immunizations that protect Australia’s horticulture industries against the deadly huanglongbing (HLB) and Xylella diseases (including citrus variegated chlorosis). Hort Innovation is a grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australia’s horticulture industry. Hort Innovation Chief Executive Brett Fifield said the investment aims to safeguard key Australian horticulture industries by …
Natural Compounds Might Fight HLB
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded Florida International University (FIU) scientists $500,000 to investigate natural compounds that could suppress or even eliminate the bacteria that causes HLB. FIU Institute of Environment researcher Kateel Shetty is leading the search for an antimicrobial compound that could help citrus growers. The FIU team’s theory is that if they can identify a …
Psyllids and HLB in Georgia Citrus
When commercial citrus acreage started migrating north some years ago, the big question was: To what extent would Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) and HLB migrate with the crop? With citrus getting well established in South Georgia, the pest and disease are there, but not yet at devastating levels like in Florida. Johnathan Oliver, an assistant professor of fruit pathology with …
Drought to Cut Argentine Lemon Production
Due to a drought, lemon production in Argentina is forecast to decline to 1.77 million metric tons (MMT) in 2022–23, down 130,000 metric tons (MT) from the prior year. The drought is expected to continue through the Southern Hemisphere summer of 2023 due in part to the third La Niña weather pattern in a row. The forecast was issued by …
Refreshed Format for Florida Grower Citrus Show
Over the years, the Florida Grower Citrus Show has become the premier event for growers on the East Coast of Florida while drawing growers from other key production regions as well. Last year, AgNet Media purchased the assets of Florida Grower magazine. With that transaction came the show. Since that time, the team at AgNet Media, along with its partners …
Old Variety Gets a New Look
The Parson Brown is an early-season sweet orange that J.L. Carney identified in 1875. By the 1920s, the variety had become a popular cultivar among growers, but eventually plantings declined as Hamlin became the go-to selection for the early season. However, because of its apparent tolerance to HLB, Parson Brown is again stirring interest among growers. Manjul Dutt, assistant professor …
Legislation Introduced in Hurricane Relief Effort
Rep. Scott Franklin (FL-18), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) and Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the Block Grant Assistance Act of 2023, a critical bill to ensure the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) can provide needed relief to agriculture producers devastated by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. This bill will provide the agriculture secretary needed authority to provide block grants to …
Trunk Injection for HLB: What You Need to Know
Some Florida citrus growers have recently started oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC-HCl) injection into tree trunks to help manage HLB. Other growers are considering it. Researcher Ute Albrecht offered a list of best practices for the product’s use during a Jan. 31 presentation in Immokalee. The presentation was made at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Southwest Florida …
Most Israeli Citrus Crops to Increase
Production increases are forecast for Israeli mandarins/tangerines, grapefruit and lemons in 2022–23 compared to the prior year, while orange production is projected to decline sharply. The forecast is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). MANDARIN/TANGERINETotal mandarin and tangerine production in 2022–23 is forecast at 170,000 metric tons (MT), up from 159,000 MT the prior season. …
Sting Nematodes and IPCs
By Larry Duncan and Fernando Alferez Newly planted citrus trees are far less tolerant of pests and diseases than when mature. Sting nematode (Belonolaimus longicaudatus) was not considered a serious economic threat to Florida citrus until successive hard freezes in the 1980s caused widespread replanting of groves. Patches of stunted, declining trees caused by the irregular distribution of sting nematodes …
Considerations for Managing Citrus Black Spot
In Florida, citrus black spot (CBS) is present primarily in commercial groves in five southwest counties (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee). The disease can cause up to 60% yield loss in severe situations with little management, researcher Megan Dewdney reported in January. More commonly though, growers with infestations experience fruit drop levels of 10% to 20% in a minimally …
Mexican Orange Production and Trade
Mexican orange production in 2022–23 is forecast at 4.2 million metric tons (MMT), 9% lower than the previous year, due to prolonged drought in northeastern Mexico. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). Mexico is estimated to be the fifth-largest orange producer in the world behind Brazil, China, India and the United …
All About Peru’s Mandarin/Tangerine Industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has forecast Peruvian mandarin/tangerine production at 550,000 metric tons (MT) in 2022–23, decreasing 4% from the previous year. Peruvian mandarin/tangerine production area is estimated at 23,000 hectares. Harvest season runs from March to November. The major mandarin/tangerine production areas are in the central semi-tropical coastal regions with good availability of …