Scientists from numerous countries attending the International Citrus Research Conference on HLB in March reported on studies of horticultural practices that might help growers cope with the disease. Tripti Vashisth, a horticulturist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), summarized their observations at the recent Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute. She shares those observations in the …
Rootstock Solutions for HLB
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus breeders are working on both short-term and long-term rootstock solutions for HLB, Fred Gmitter said earlier this year. Gmitter and fellow UF/IFAS citrus breeder Jude Grosser have already identified numerous rootstocks that seem to offer tolerance to the disease. Tolerance would help growers in the short term. Gmitter says …
Artificial Intelligence Could Help Citrus Growers Detect Psyllids
Precision agriculture engineer Yiannis Ampatzidis sees a day when citrus farmers use artificial intelligence (AI) to detect the pin-sized insects that can infect the fruit’s trees with the deadly greening disease. That day could come in the near future, because Ampatzidis and his research team are starting to perfect a system to detect the potentially deadly Asian citrus psyllid. Citrus …
Media Investigating Bactericide Use in Citrus
Potential human resistance to antibiotics as a result of bactericide use to treat HLB is the apparent topic of upcoming media stories. The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) has recently responded to national and local reporters’ questions about the topic. Questions “have mostly touched on resistance in humans,” according to an FDOC spokesperson. The spokesperson said the reporters were with …
Pathology Research for HLB
Scientists from numerous countries attending the International Citrus Research Conference on HLB in March reported on pathology research that might help growers cope with the disease. Megan Dewdney, plant pathologist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), summarized their reports at the recent Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute. Dewdney shares the research findings in the current …
Grower Picks Favorites at Rootstock Trial
Gardinier Florida Citrus General Manager Lee Jones named two rootstocks that looked appealing at an April 25 Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) rootstock field day in Highlands County. “(US) 942 kind of stands out to me,” he said. “(US) 812 looks good,” he added. “What we’re learning as we’re going is we’ve got to spoon feed this (citrus trees) …
Grapefruit Grown Under Protective Screens Maximizes Fruit Yield
Growers of one of Florida’s signature citrus crops may see more production and possibly less of the deadly citrus greening disease. Researchers have worked for four years growing grapefruit under protective screens on a 1-acre experimental plot at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), and they’re seeing encouraging results. UF/IFAS scientists and a few commercial …
Soil and Water pH Play a Key Part in Nutrition
By Tripti Vashisth, Davie Kadyampakeni and Lushan Ghimire In the past few years, horticultural citrus grove management practices have changed significantly in Florida. It is a common observation across the state that huanglongbing (HLB)-affected trees respond well to complete and balanced nutrition programs. Therefore, citrus growers are currently focusing on intensive management of irrigation and nutrition. HLB-affected trees suffer a …
Critical Leaf Nutrient Thresholds to Diagnose Deficiencies in HLB Trees
By Arnold Schumann, Laura Waldo, Tripti Vashisth, Alan Wright and Kelly Morgan Huanglongbing (HLB) disease severely impacts the nutrient status of citrus trees, particularly by stunting the feeder roots and causing measurable deficiencies of nutrients in the roots and canopies. Visible symptoms of nutrient deficiencies on citrus foliage are characteristic but not diagnostic of HLB disease. Recent HLB research efforts …
Grower Considers New Variety
About 20 people attended an informational program on April 9 at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, Florida. The meeting addressed the newest Fast Track program variety, Marathon, being released. Marathon is an early-season seedless mandarin. Jerry Mixon of KLM Farms, who is growing other selections released by the Fast Track program, expressed interest in the Marathon …
California Legislative Staff Updated on HLB Control Efforts
Recently, California Citrus Mutual (CCM) hosted a lunchtime briefing at the Capitol. The purpose was to update legislative staff on the status of HLB in California and the industry’s continued efforts to prevent the disease from spreading into commercial groves. The briefing included a panel discussion with CCM Director of Government Affairs Alyssa Houtby, California Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention …
Using Organic Insecticides for Psyllid Control
Organic insecticides rotated with either spray oil or insecticidal soap provided good Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) suppression in long-term studies in Florida, entomologist Jawwad Qureshi reported recently. Qureshi is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. Suppression of ACP is important because the pest spreads citrus …
Hurricane Irma Raises Black Spot Threat
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension pathologist and associate professor Megan Dewdney reported that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist Tim Gottwald thinks there’s a “fairly high” chance that Hurricane Irma spread citrus black spot. Black spot had been confined primarily to Southwest Florida, especially Collier and Hendry counties, before Irma hit the state with damaging …
Citrus Land Price Rises in Florida
The sales price of Florida citrus land rose in 2018, according to the Lay of the Land Market Report issued by Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Real Estate (CBCSRE) on March 29. The price per net-tree acre was approximately 5.8 percent higher than in 2017, and the gross acre price was approximately 9.2 percent higher than in 2017. “The large growers …
Ambrosia Beetle Update
By Lauren Diepenbrock In October 2018, a potential “new pest” was found in large numbers in one grove in Hernando County, Florida. The damage to trees was dramatic, with dark staining throughout the trunk of the tree and beetle damage evident. It was something that would put any grower, Extension agent or researcher on alert. Fortunately, by working with Jiri …
Indian River Citrus Agent Shares Goals
Amir Rezazadeh discusses his role as the new multi-county citrus Extension agent for the Indian River production region. “I really want the growers to know that I’m here to support them,” says Rezazadeh, who has experience working in production. In addition to helping growers deal with greening disease, he says he wants to “introduce … new, high-value alternative crops” to …
Studying Citrus Roots in the HLB Era
By Lorenzo Rossi, Ute Albrecht and Evan Johnson Citrus root systems are confronted with many challenges that limit resource availability needed for tree productivity. Challenges are compounded by huanglongbing (HLB), which now affects nearly all citrus trees throughout Florida’s production areas. Contrary to the above-ground portion of the tree, study of the below-ground portion is considerably more difficult. This article …
Value of HLB Research Conference
Rick Dantzler, chief operating officer of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation in Florida, discusses the importance of the recent International Research Conference on HLB, held in California. “I think there’s real merit in the industry, nationally and internationally, getting together occasionally to talk about what’s going on in their home states and their home countries,” Dantzler says. He notes …
$3.5 Million Donation to Aid California Citrus Collection
The University of California, Riverside (UCR) has received a $3.5 million donation from Givaudan to support UCR’s Citrus Variety Collection. The gift will help build a screened structure to protect the collection from the impending threat of citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing (HLB). The 2.8-acre protective screened structure will house new trees and back-up collections of the UCR …
Drone Images Can Accurately Find, Count Citrus Trees
By using drone technology, Florida citrus growers can find out how many trees live in their groves and, eventually, they may detect the health status of the trees, a new University of Florida study shows. Imaging from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can accurately detect and count citrus trees and spaces where trees have had to be removed in groves, said …