By Ramdas Kanissery Citrus growers face weed management problems throughout the year due to favorable conditions that allow the rapid growth of weeds in groves. A weed-free tree row is desired in citrus to minimize competition with the trees. This can be achieved by utilizing post-emergent herbicides that control the weeds that have already emerged. Growers have several product options …
Update on Oak Mulch Research to Fight HLB
Researchers have been looking for ways to help Florida citrus growers fight HLB, and spreading oak mulch around the drip line of citrus trees appears promising. Lukas Hallman, a graduate student at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) is doing research to find what is in oak trees …
Florida Water Policies for Agriculture
Water is the lifeblood of any farming operation. Many involved in the agriculture sector are working to do all they can to help Florida conserve water and make the most of this essential natural resource. Tatiana Borisova, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) water resource economist, gave an overview of the water-quality policies and programs in …
Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute Returns
The annual Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute, hosted by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension, will be held on April 6. The event will be delivered via a Zoom webinar from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. “We hope to reach a broad audience despite the limits imposed on us because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Chris …
Citrus Expo, Other Events Highlighted
Michael Rogers discusses three popular upcoming citrus grower educational meetings: Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute in April, the Florida Citrus Show in May, and Citrus Expo in August. Rogers is director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. UF/IFAS is the primary planner of educational presentations at all …
Experimenting With Cover Crops in Citrus
Sarah Strauss, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) soil microbiologist, shared initial results from a UF/IFAS cover crop research trial during the March 23 OJ Break virtual meeting for citrus growers. According to Strauss, use of cover crops has received increased interest by growers as a method to sustainably and economically improve soil health and …
Sneak Peek: April 2021 Citrus Industry
Ask any Florida citrus grower what the top priority is, and you’ll likely get the same answer: Keeping HLB-affected trees productive and profitable. The April issue of Citrus Industry magazine provides research on production practices aimed to meet this goal. Adjusting the amount of sunlight plants receive has proven to increase citrus tree health and yield. University of Florida Institute …
What to Do About Citrus Black Spot
By Megan Dewdney Citrus black spot is one of the newer diseases to worry Florida citrus growers. The fungal disease was first detected in Southwest Florida in 2010. The vast majority of finds have been in the southwestern citrus-producing counties of Collier, Hardee, Lee, Charlotte and Glades, but the disease has slowly moved northward. Black spot is still considered a …
Protecting Honey Bees in Citrus Groves
By Sylvia Willis, Amy Vu and Jamie Ellis When people think of Florida, the first thing that comes to mind is Fresh From Florida oranges. Florida accounts for 44 percent of total U.S. citrus production. Citrus, like many other fruits, vegetables and specialty crops, requires certain inputs to grow and produce fruit. But how are pollinators and the production of …
All In For Citrus Podcast, March 2021
March’s All In For Citrus podcast brings news of in-person events, details on controlling the vector of HLB disease, as well as potential changes to nutrient and water management recommendations. Citrus Research and Education Center Director Michael Rogers begins the episode discussing several upcoming events for growers. On April 6, the Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute will return as a virtual …
HLB Control: A New Potential Method
A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher has found a material that can be used to silence essential genes within Asian citrus psyllids and in the HLB-causing bacterial pathogen that the psyllids spread. The material is 2’-deoxy-2’-flouro-d-arabinonucleic acid antisense oligonucleotides (FANA ASO), small-sized single-stranded nucleic acids. The discovery was made by Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski, an associate …
Panhandle Growers Experience Scales
Many citrus growers in Florida’s panhandle were experiencing high populations of scales early this year, particularly Florida red scale and false Florida red scale, Jefferson County Extension agent Danielle Sprague announced in a recent issue of the Cold Hardy Citrus Connection newsletter. The newsletter is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension publication. Sprague pointed …
Biological Controls for Lebbeck Mealybug
Lebbeck mealybug (Nipaecoccus viridis) was first identified in Florida citrus in 2019 in Highlands County. It has now been documented in commercial citrus groves in 11 counties and in dooryard citrus plantings in two counties. While lebbeck mealybug can feed on most of the above-ground parts of a citrus tree, it is most damaging in the canopy, where it feeds …
Field Trials for Cultivar Evaluation; Soil and Root Health
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus researchers are collaborating on ground-breaking research projects to fight against HLB. They are working with researchers at the University of California-Riverside (UC-Riverside), Texas A&M and Washington State University on a project to field-test new citrus cultivars for tolerance or resistance to HLB. The research is funded by the U.S. …
Irrigation and Nutrition Management in the Era of HLB
A solid nutrition and irrigation program can enhance the productivity of HLB-affected trees and improve citrus tree health, potentially making production profitable even under HLB conditions. This was the subject of Davie Kadyampakeni’s talk during a March 9 OJ Break virtual meeting held for citrus growers. Kadyampakeni is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant …
Canopy Management to Improve Fresh Fruit
A new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) document, Management of Citrus Tree Canopies for Fresh-Fruit Production, addresses the principles of citrus pruning and canopy management. It tells how applying those principles can improve the quality and quantity of fresh fruit production in Florida. Here is an excerpt from the document: “Canopy management has three goals …
Scout for Scale and Mealybug Crawlers
By Lauren Diepenbrock While scale and mealybug pests commonly found in citrus have historically been controlled by predators and parasites, management advice for this group of insects is often requested. There are likely several underlying factors to these insects becoming more frequently encountered. This includes changes in insecticide management practices, changes in nutritional management, and increased scouting due to the …
Predatory Mites in Citrus Under Protective Screen
By Emilie Demard and Jawwad Qureshi Managing the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), a vector of huanglongbing (HLB), is critical for reducing disease incidence and improving tree health. Growing citrus under screened structures, referred to as citrus under protective screen (CUPS), protects trees from ACP and HLB. CUPS provides an opportunity to produce premium-quality fresh fruit by preventing psyllids and HLB …
Could Finger Limes Be Florida’s Hero?
The Australian finger lime, a citrus relative, could be a new specialty crop for Florida citrus growers. Traditionally, finger limes have remained rare in the United States, grown few and far between. However, the fruit’s unique tolerance to HLB is becoming increasingly attractive to Florida growers. Manjul Dutt, research assistant scientist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and …
Florida Growers Wanted for Rootstock Trials
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) is establishing a new project to evaluate the most promising citrus rootstocks in grower field trials. The rootstock trials are projected to be planted in the spring or summer of 2022. The goal will be to identify plant material with the traits needed for growers to realize the highest possible pound solids per …