By Michael Rogers As we approach a new citrus-growing season, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers and Extension agents working throughout the state renew their focus on finding solutions that growers can use in the short term to sustain their operations. While we value our longer-term research projects, efforts that provide tangible applications that …
Update to Hurricane Forecast Issued
On Aug. 4, Colorado State University (CSU) decreased its hurricane forecast for Atlantic seasonal activity and landfall strike probability for 2022. But citrus growers and other agriculturists shouldn’t relax their guard because the CSU Department of Atmospheric Science continues to call for an above-average Atlantic hurricane season. NEW PROJECTIONSCSU now forecasts the Atlantic will have 18 named storms in 2022, …
First U.S. Detection of Citrus Yellow Vein Clearing Virus
The first detection of citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV) has been made in Tulare, California. The disease was detected during the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) routine multi-pest survey. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed positive identifications of the disease. CDFA is surveying for the disease in Tulare County …
What’s Next for the Donaldson Citrus Variety?
During this summer’s Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference, Matthew Mattia, a post-doctoral associate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), discussed his work to identify the origins of the Donaldson citrus variety. The variety is a single tree on the USDA A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm near Groveland, Florida. Mattia was the first to discover the tree on the farm in …
How Alico Had Less Crop Decline Than Average
Alico President and CEO John Kiernan recently pointed out that the company had less orange crop decline than Florida as a whole in the 2021–22 citrus season. He noted that while the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that the Florida crop declined 22.7% from the prior season, Alico’s decline was only 12.9%. “The company believes this lower rate of decline …
Aid Available to Conserve Florida’s Natural Resources
Florida growers and others looking to make farm improvements can apply for aid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). CIGThe NRCS will invest up to $900,000 for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for agricultural resource priorities in Florida. Fiscal Year 2022 conservation resource priorities for the NRCS in Florida are: climate resilience, grazing, soil health and urban …
The Status of Satsuma Mandarins in Georgia
Satsuma mandarins remain the predominant citrus variety produced in Georgia, but growers diversified more with their plantings this year. Jake Price, University of Georgia Extension coordinator, described the impact that growers could see with various citrus varieties now in place. He presented this information during the recent Citrus Growers’ Summer Update in Valdosta, Georgia. Price says the citrus industry in …
Get the Newest UF/IFAS Info at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo
By Jamie Burrow and Ruth Borger Over the last several months, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus team has been preparing for the annual Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The excitement is in the air as many faculty are preparing seminar presentations on valuable information that growers may use today to support their operations. …
Microbiology and Microbes: The Key to Boosting Citrus Productivity
Whether a citrus grove is thriving or not is often based on what is observed above the ground. However, the best measurement of fertility comes from what’s happening below ground—in the soil microbiology. There is a complex community of living organisms, everything from worms and insects to tree roots. One of the most important elements is soil microbes. Soil microbes …
Startups Aim to Aid Citrus Industry
Two University of Florida (UF) startup companies have formed a union to help reverse the trend of declining Florida citrus production. Agriculture Intelligence and Satlantis believe they can offer a powerful tool to help the state’s growers more closely monitor their trees and manage problems faster. The startups, housed in one of UF’s business incubators, will combine expertise in precision …
CRDF Board Acts on Research Recommendations
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors spent much of its monthly meeting in July considering recommendations from the foundation’s research management committee (RMC). TRACKING TREESThe RMC recommended that a request for proposals be put forth to create an inventory of all germplasm existing in field trials from the plant breeding programs CRDF has helped to fund. …
Two New Tools in the Fight Against HLB Seek EPA Registration
The recent Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference featured educational presentations on navigating production in an environment where HLB is endemic in groves. Two of those presentations focused on new technology being developed for use in citrus. Two companies, Elemental Enzymes and TJ BioTech, have been collaborating with the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) to research their respective products’ potential …
Hear What’s on Tap for the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo
The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo is set for Aug. 17–18 in North Fort Myers, Florida. The event, held at the Lee Civic Center, will be a flurry of activity as citrus and specialty crop growers come together to learn, network and see the latest tools of the trade in farming. The latest episode of the All In For Citrus …
Microregion Maps in Brazil Help With HLB
Microregion maps developed by Fundecitrus should help Brazilian citrus growers make the necessary decisions to combat HLB disease, also known as greening. Fundecitrus explained that the incidence of HLB differs in the various regions of Brazil’s extensive citrus belt. To allow citrus growers to better understand the places where the disease is located, a study by Fundecitrus divided the belt …
It’s Almost Time to Spray Gibberellic Acid
By Tripti Vashisth Gibberellic acid (GA) can benefit citrus trees in many ways. GA can improve vegetative and fruit growth while reducing fruit drop and flowering intensity. Evidence is mounting that repeated application of GA is needed to induce the desired positive effect on fruit growth and tree productivity. In a multiyear field trial on Valencia orange, monthly application of …
Sneak Peek: August 2022 Citrus Industry
As growers prepare for the 2022–23 season, August is the perfect time to review what’s new in the citrus industry. The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo on Aug. 17–18 in North Fort Myers is the ideal venue to get the latest research updates while learning about new products and services. There’s no better place for industry leaders, growers, researchers and …
Expedited Tree Propagation Program Approved
The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on July 20 approved the Florida Department of Citrus’ (FDOC) plan for implementation of the Program for Expedited Propagation of HLB Tolerant and Resistant Trees (PEP). The program’s goal is to provide resources needed to ramp up the availability of the apparently HLB-tolerant Donaldson tree and others like it. The FDOC received $1 million in …
Trunk Injection for HLB: Pros and Con
The pros of injecting the antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) into citrus tree trunks to combat HLB appear to be numerous, including increased fruit yield, according to scientist Ute Albrecht. On the other hand, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher only discussed one con, but it was a big one. “Trunk injections cause injury, and long-term …
HLB Cause and Control Explained
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Nian Wang reported in a July 20 webinar that HLB is a pathogen-triggered immune disease. After explaining the sequence in which the disease attacks trees, he suggested ways growers can use that knowledge to combat HLB. Wang is a microbiologist and cell scientist at the Citrus Research and Education Center. …
A Transformative Program
By J. Scott Angle Morgan McKenna always knew she’d return home some day. Three previous generations of McKennas hadn’t just made a living from citrus. They’d made a life of it. It’s a life she wanted, too. Morgan saw the family business as family first and business second. She was most interested in the emotional rewards of coming home to …