mandarin

Evaluating Fresh Mandarins and Oranges

Ernie NeffFresh

Mark Ritenour with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) reports on evaluations of new fresh mandarin and sweet orange selections. Ritenour is a professor at the Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce. Ritenour lists four mandarin varieties that had “100 percent healthy fruit” after six or seven weeks in storage, even without being …

grapefruit

Varieties Update: OLL-20 and Bingo

Ernie NeffVarieties

Fred Gmitter provided an update at Citrus Expo on University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus varieties, including OLL-20 and Bingo. Gmitter is a UF/IFAS citrus plant breeder and geneticist at the Citrus Research and Education Center. Gmitter said OLL-20, a new sweet orange, has “exceptional flavor characteristics … It looks to be something that could …

Long-Horned Beetle Update

Ernie NeffPests

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock provides an update on the long-horned beetle, the newest Florida citrus pest. The beetle was discovered in a Hendry County grove in September. Diepenbrock reports that a grove crew worker “hit a branch and the branch fell right off.” After finding a hole in the branch, the …

Aiming to Improve Production of Florida Grapefruit

Daniel CooperGrapefruit, Industry News Release

(UF/IFAS) — Dinesh Phuyal, who is pursuing a master’s degree in horticultural sciences from the University of Florida’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, recently garnered a prestigious Yara North America Crop Innovation Scholarship. The award is Phuyal’s fourth academic honor this year for his efforts to improve Florida grapefruit tree size, fruit yield and fruit quality. Phuyal studies higher …

CRAFT program

Citrus Rootstock Guide Updates Available Online

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release, Rootstocks

(UF/IFAS) — Florida’s citrus growers may now access the updated Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide, which is more user- and mobile-friendly. Revisions include current University of Florida rootstock horticultural traits, three new rootstocks that tolerate citrus greening and an updated bibliography. “The fourth edition of the Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide has a new look and information for a comprehensive description …

CUPS

CUPS: Favorite Varieties to Grow

Ernie NeffCUPS

After five years of growing citrus under protective screen (CUPS), Arnold Schumann has named Ray Ruby grapefruit and Honey Murcott tangerine as his favorite varieties to grow in the system. Schumann is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. He addressed the topic of …

nutrition

Nutrition and Fruit Display Meetings Met With Success

Ernie NeffNutrition

Grower turnout at recent citrus nutrition meetings and a fruit display exceeded University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) expectations, says Michael Rogers. Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), also provides an update on the search for a new member of the UF/IFAS plant breeding team. Rogers says attendance at meetings where …

florida

Citrus Soil Health an Important Part of Overall Tree Health

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release, Research, soil

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will host a field day focused on improving citrus soil health, a topic of growing interest to researchers and growers. With the challenges of citrus greening, there is an increased need for understanding overall tree health, including the soil, Juanita Popenoe, UF/IFAS Extension multi-county agent, said. The field day …

citrus

All In For Citrus Podcast, October 2019

Taylor HillmanAll In For Citrus Podcast

October’s All In For Citrus podcast includes something new — a California guest! First, events providing growers with starter nutrition sampling kits went so well this month that an extra event has been added for next month, reports Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) Director Michael Rogers. Another well-attended event that he discusses was the CREC Plant Improvement Team’s first …

Sneak Peek: November 2019 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) are here to stay, and growers need multiple management methods for dealing with the deadly HLB disease this pest transmits to trees. The November issue of Citrus Industry magazine offers growers psyllid strategies they can use now as well as details on research investigating a biological way to knock down ACP. Several fresh citrus growers in …

Putting Fresh Fruit to the Test

Tacy CalliesFresh, fruit

Quality and shelf life were evaluated for new fresh mandarin and sweet orange selections. By Mark A. Ritenour, Cuifeng Hu, Yu Wang and Fernando Alferez New fresh citrus fruit selections continue to be developed and released by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In addition, promising new varieties are …

citrus

Steam Technique Can Spell Doom for Citrus Weeds

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release, Research, weeds

Like many farmers nationwide, citrus growers are looking for any edge in their fight against weeds, and they’d rather use fewer chemicals to control the plants, says a University of Florida scientist. That’s because chemicals can get into groundwater, surface water and plants themselves. Weed scientist Ramdas Kanissery and his colleagues at the University of Florida Institute of Food and …

More on the UF Citrus Nutrition Program

Ernie NeffAll In For Citrus Podcast, Nutrition

At Citrus Expo, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) introduced a new Citrus Nutrition Program to help growers ensure their trees are getting the proper nutrition. Tripti Vashisth, UF/IFAS horticulturist at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), provides more information about the effort. “We have learned the past few years that citrus nutrition can …

Grower Appreciates Nutrition Test Kit

Ernie NeffNutrition

Lake Wales citrus grower Marshall Hartley left a recent meeting at the Citrus Research and Education Center with a box containing nutrition sampling materials for his small grove. His was one of 31 boxes passed out as part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Citrus Nutrition Management Program. More growers will pick up boxes …

IPCs for HLB Prevention in Young Trees

Tacy CalliesHLB Management

By Fernando Alferez, Susmita Gaire, Ute Albrecht, Ozgur Batuman, Jawwad Qureshi and Mongi Zekri Controlling the Asian citrus psyllid vector of huanglongbing (HLB) is critical, especially in young trees. Reducing HLB incidence is essential for tree survival and productivity under current endemic conditions. Individual protective covers (IPCs) are a novel strategy based on psyllid exclusion by means of a protective …

grapefruit

Grapefruit and Marathon Discussed

Ernie NeffAll In For Citrus Podcast, Grapefruit

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant breeder Fred Gmitter discusses efforts to create a replacement for grapefruit. He also talks about the recently released mandarin variety, Marathon. Gmitter points out that grapefruit is “one of the most sensitive of all the citrus varieties” to HLB dusease and has “taken the greatest hit” in terms of …

guide

Production Guide: What’s New

Ernie NeffProduction

The three editors of the new Florida Citrus Production Guide recently told growers at a meeting in Sebring what’s new in the guide this year. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) produced the guide. Megan Dewdney, a UF/IFAS plant pathologist, addresses new information provided about diseases. New items include the addition of a chemical for …

Jackson to Join Florida Ag Hall of Fame

Ernie NeffAwards

Long-time Extension agent John L. Jackson, who is well known in citrus circles, and two others will be inducted into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame next year. Jackson, Hugh Fred Dietrich III and Robert “Robbie” Roberson will be inducted during ceremonies at the Florida State Fair’s Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet on Feb. 11. Jackson’s professional career spanned more …

Graduate Students Play Big Role in Research

Ernie NeffResearch

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) faculty members play the lead role in citrus research, but they depend heavily on graduate students to get the work done. Kelly Morgan, director of the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC), explains the graduate students’ role in research, after first discussing new graduate student housing being constructed …

Pest Update: Lebbeck Mealybug

Ernie NeffPests

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock provided an update on the lebbeck mealybug pest at a recent Highlands County citrus growers’ meeting. The mealybug, first found in Highlands groves in June, feeds on and damages citrus, leading to fruit drop and crop loss. Diepenbrock reports that surveys conducted by the Florida Department of …