Sneak Peek: July 2022 Citrus Industry

Josh McGillRootstocks, Sneak Peek, Varieties

HLB continued to contribute to reduced production and lower quality fruit for Florida growers this season. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are working to help alleviate these problems by delivering improved rootstocks and varieties. The July issue of Citrus Industry magazine includes an in-depth look at this work. Read “Juice for Florida’s future” to …

CRDF Recommends Lowering Box Tax Rate

Josh McGillCRDF, Regulation, Research

In May, Florida citrus growers voted on whether to continue a research order that allows them to impose a tax on their production to fund scientific studies. The referendum passed with 76% voting in favor of the self-assessment. After the vote, all eyes turned to the June Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors meeting, which was held …

Selecting the Right Leaves for Sampling

Josh McGillNutrition, Tip of the Week

By Jamie D. Burrow and Tripti Vashisth With the increased cost and limited availability of fertilizer, purchasing decisions are more important now than ever. Collecting the right leaves for sampling is the first step to making fertilizer decisions. Leaf samples should consist of 100 leaves that are 4- to 6-month-old spring flush leaves taken from nonfruiting branches. WHY LEAVES FROM …

Preliminary Department of Citrus Budget Approved

Josh McGillfinancial, Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus

The Florida Citrus Commission on June 15 approved a preliminary 2022–23 operating budget for the Florida Department of Citrus of $29.9 million. The preliminary budget includes $19.125 million in general revenue funding from the state of Florida for marketing, research and administration. The majority of the budget will fund domestic marketing programs aimed at driving sales of Florida orange juice (OJ). …

Florida Citrus Industry Conference Draws Record Crowd

Josh McGillAwards, Events, HLB Management

Citrus growers and industry stakeholders gathered in Bonita Springs last week for the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference. After being sidelined the previous two years due to COVID-19, the conference drew a record crowd of more than 500 registered attendees. The event, hosted by Florida Citrus Mutual, was packed with educational programming and meetings for various industry groups. The Citrus …

Florida State Budget and OJ Action Reported

Josh McGillFlorida, Legislative, Orange Juice

In a recent Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) newsletter, the grower association told how the Florida state budget addresses citrus issues and reported FCM’s position on an orange juice petition.  STRONG SUPPORTThe 2022–23 Florida state budget signed June 2 by Gov. Ron DeSantis totaled $109.9 billion and included more than $37 million in support for the state’s citrus industry. Citrus support …

ACP Detection Response: ‘The System Is Working’

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, HLB Management, Pests

County and state officials in California have been actively responding to various Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) discoveries in the Central Valley in recent weeks. Kern, Tulare and Fresno counties have all reported an ACP detection over the last month. The Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD) has been implementing delimitation protocols and necessary treatment programs. CPDPD Director Victoria Hornbaker …

Citrus Industry Priorities Highlighted at GCGA Annual Meeting

Josh McGillEvents, Legislative

Citrus industry growers and allied members of the Gulf Citrus Growers Association (GCGA) gathered in Fort Myers last week for the association’s annual meeting. Matt Joyner, executive vice president/CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, recapped Florida’s 2022 legislative session and touched on some other priorities during his address to the group. Joyner said the legislative session was a strong one for …

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 …

Releasing Rootstocks: Balancing Responsibility With Urgency

Josh McGillRootstocks, Tip of the Week

By Bill Castle, Fred Gmitter and Jude Grosser The rootstock development cycle, from creation to eight years in the field to release, is presently about 10 to 15 years. However, if multiple trials are involved, then the time required is increased. The criteria used to advance new selections through the system are commercially based. Rootstocks for juice fruit are assessed …

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 …

Tips to Keep Citrus Fruit on Trees

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast, Fruit Drop

By Frank Giles During the May All In For Citrus podcast, Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center, discussed research on how applications of gibberellic acid (GA) can improve tree health and reduce fruit drop. The research is being conducted by Tripti Vashisth, an associate professor of horticultural sciences with the University of Florida Institute of Food …

Inflation Impacts OJ Consumers

Josh McGillEconomics, Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) economist Marisa Zansler discussed orange juice (OJ) volume movement and the potential impacts inflation may have on the category at the May 18 Florida Citrus Commission meeting. She also addressed the importance of ongoing marketing activities to support sales even as supply constraints continue. Inflation is persistently up across all goods, with shelter, food, airline …

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 …

Forum for Growers Sparks Conversations

Josh McGillHLB Management, Pests

By Ajia Paolillo Florida citrus growers are undoubtedly under pressure while they work daily to maintain tree health and produce quality fruit that is profitable. Growers are constantly switching gears to budget increasing production costs, address labor issues and, of course, fight HLB and other problems in the grove. Growers are fighting HLB from many different directions, including enhanced nutrition, …

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 …

Impact of Herbicides on Fruit Drop

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast, Fruit Drop, Herbicides

Growers know the negative impacts of any kind stress on trees infected by HLB. That raised a question: Can injury from herbicides make fruit drop worse? Ramdas Kanissery, an assistant professor of weed science with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), conducted a research project to help answer that question. Kanissery discusses the research in …

Progress With SuperSour Rootstock Trials

Josh McGillResearch, Rootstocks

By Kim D. Bowman The breeding of new citrus rootstocks is not an endeavor for the impatient. Two of the most popular rootstocks in Florida, US-942 and US-812, each were included in field evaluation for more than 20 years before the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released them for commercial use. In these cases, the time invested in thorough testing …

Oak Leaves and Turnpike Signs

Josh McGillHLB Management, Marketing, Research

Citrus growers Travis Murphy and Tom Thayer developed a formulation based on oak leaf extract that was observed to rejuvenate trees back to economic productivity. But the rejuvenation effects observed in the growers’ trials were not observed in field trials using a modified version of the formulation. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research geneticist Randall Niedz reported that result in …