Citrus Expo

What Have We Learned?

Tacy CalliesCitrus, News from our Sponsor

By Harold Browning Column sponsored by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation Within the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), the daily challenge of keeping up with a wide array of HLB topics, more than 75 currently funded projects, and monthly committee and board meetings translates into a constant flow of information. Project managers meet weekly to discuss progress and …

UC Davis Seeking a Few Good Citrus Orchards

Len WilcoxCitrus

Professor Patrick Brown, of the University of California, Davis Department of Plant Sciences, needs the help of some citrus growers with high-producing citrus orchards for a special project. He is looking for growers who have both navels and mandarins that are productive. “It’s a non-destructive study. We just want to collect leaf samples and analyze them for nutrient levels,” said …

HLB

New CRDF Manager Will Push HLB Solutions

Ernie NeffCitrus Greening, HLB Management

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) will soon hire another top administrator to ensure potential HLB solutions make it to the grove. The application period for a senior project manager ends May 24. Rick Kress, CRDF vice president and Governance Committee chairman, discusses the need for the position and the manager’s duties. “Right now, the entire citrus industry, specifically …

usda

USDA Citrus Crop Forecast

The first USDA citrus crop forecast for the 2024-25 season is scheduled to be released at 12:00 noon Eastern Time/9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 11, 2024. You will be able to tune in and hear the numbers as they are given by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service. Click on the player below to hear the …

Controlled-Release Fertilizer Boosts Health of HLB Trees (Part 2)

Tacy CalliesCitrus, Nutrition

By Pete Spyke, Joby Sherrod and Jude Grosser Part 1 of this article, published in the April 2017 issue of Citrus Industry magazine, provided some background information on controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) along with a discussion of practical applications in citrus production. This article, part 2, includes summaries of observations from several case studies in which CRF has been applied for …

Drought Remains Top Concern Despite Recent Floods

Kelsey FryCalifornia Corner

By Len Wilcox The wettest year in recent history is bringing relief to California growers. The relief may be short-lived, however, unless state water officials make permanent changes in water management and address the supply shortfall during drought years. A new executive order has been issued by the state to improve conservation measures and water-management procedures. The short-term outlook is …

citrus celebrates anniversary

CREC and FDOC: Decades of Working Together

Daniel CooperCitrus, Industry News Release, Research

As the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) celebrates its 100th anniversary, administrators are praising a decades-long relationship between researchers with CREC and the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). “Housing the FDOC and CREC scientists at the same location has brought together the expertise needed to address any issue facing the …

Teaming Up Against Asian Citrus Psyllids

Josh McGillCitrus, Psyllids

The natural enemies Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis and Tamarixia radiata may have a future together in California. By Ivan Milosavljević and Mark S. Hoddle Over the past 11 years, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP)-Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) (manifested as citrus greening) complex has become a “duo from hell” for Florida’s citrus industry, causing a substantial negative economic effect. ACP-CLAS MANAGEMENT IN CALIFORNIA …

Bucks Toward BMPs

Kelsey FryWater

Cost-share assistance is available from several sources for growers looking to implement improvements to best management practices. By Tacy Callies The names of the organizations and programs that provide funding to Florida citrus growers for best management practices (BMPs) projects — SWFWMD, FARMS, EQIP, etc. — can sound like a big bowl of alphabet soup. But in reality, they represent …

The Pest Partnerships that Threaten Citrus

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Citrus, Pests

Biocontrol of Asian citrus psyllids can be improved by controlling ants. By Kelsey Schall and Mark Hoddle More than a decade of battle with the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP)-huanglongbing (HLB) complex has drained the vigor from Florida’s citrus industry, costing billions in disease management and production losses. With HLB established in parts of urban Southern California, the second largest citrus …

Buddha’s Hand Citron Could Play Role in Canker Resistance Breeding

Kelsey FryCitrus, Diseases

By Naveen Kumar, R.C. Ebel and P.D. Roberts Citrus canker became endemic in Florida after several introductions and eradication programs dating back to 1915. The citrus industry struggles for an effective, permanent program. Canker is an expensive disease due to the need to increase the number of sprays and products applied. Canker also causes enormous economic losses due to fruit …

leprosis

Researcher Provides Leprosis Update

Ernie NeffDiseases, Research

The citrus viral disease leprosis, found briefly in Florida in the 1960s, is now in South America, Central America and Mexico. Ron Brlansky, University of Florida professor emeritus, provided an update on the disease at a March OJ Break in Lake Alfred. “It (leprosis) causes fruit spotting, leaf spots, leaf drop, fruit drop and even some major twig dieback of …

HLB

Bactericide Grower Trials for HLB ‘Extremely Variable’

Ernie NeffBactericides, HLB Management

Stephanie Slinski, Citrus Research and Development Foundation bactericide project manager, discussed grower trials on the use of bactericides for HLB at the Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park on April 4. She summarizes the presentation. “We have a series of field trials set up throughout Florida to test the efficacy of oxytetracycline and streptomycin just in the grower program,” …

Controlling ACP and Other Pests as Critical as Ever

Tacy CalliesCitrus Greening

By Jawwad A. Qureshi and Philip A. Stansly More than a decade has passed since 2006, when huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening disease was identified in Florida. By then, the disease had already spread widely and went unrecognized due to high psyllid populations and a disease incubation period of months or years between infection and symptom expression. Nevertheless, management of …

Entomopathogenic Nematodes: Root Weevil Management Tool

Tacy CalliesPests

By Larry Duncan Citrus growers are recognized as early adopters of practices that enhance the biological control of arthropod pests. For more than a century, tactics such as the exploration and importation of predators and parasitoids or the reduced use of insecticides that disrupt biological control were increasingly employed against pests in the tree canopy. Beginning in the early 1990s, …

bactericides

How Much Psyllid Control Needed for HLB?

Ernie NeffCitrus

Soon after Florida’s citrus industry realized it couldn’t eradicate HLB, researchers and growers put a huge emphasis on controlling the Asian citrus psyllids that spread the disease. Most still agree that psyllid control remains essential in the short term to survive HLB. But many are now questioning the long-term economic sustainability of massive levels of psyllid control. Such questioning took …

Florida Agriculture Faces Big Hits in Budget Proposals

Josh McGillLegislative

By: Abbey TaylorFlorida agriculture is facing some big budget cuts. The House’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee met on March 28 to discuss its budget proposal for the 2017–2018 fiscal year. The Senate’s Environment and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee met on March 29 to discuss its budget proposal. While some dollar amounts in the competing proposals were different, Florida …

Phil Stansly: Psyllid Slayer

Tacy CalliesCitrus, Citrus Health Management Areas, HLB Management, Pests

By Ernie Neff Gulf citrus growers had a CHMA (citrus health management area) before CHMAs were popular — even before they were called CHMAs! Phil Stansly, University of Florida (UF) entomology professor, is among those credited with organizing Florida’s first psyllid- and HLB-fighting CHMA. Others recognized for the achievement include Gulf Citrus Growers Association (GCGA), Florida Cooperative Extension Service and …

Safeguarding Citrus Stock

Tacy CalliesCitrus Greening, Regulation

By Georgios Vidalakis On March 30, 2007, I received a memorable phone call in my office at the University of California (UC), Riverside. “Georgios,” said the caller, “The 2008 Farm Bill will establish the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) for specialty crops. This program will be like no other because it will be driven from the ground up. The system …

forecast

Hall of Famer Sparks Credits Teams for Success

Ernie NeffCitrus

Florida Citrus Mutual Chief Executive Officer Mike Sparks, inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame on March 10, lists a group of teams that contributed to his success. “You’ve got to look at the big groups, no one individual – the citrus commissioners, past executive directors at the Department of Citrus, professional staff, growers, Mutual’s board of directors, Mutual’s …