grapefruit

Grapefruit: A Breeder’s Thoughts

Ernie Neff Breeding, Grapefruit

Grapefruit’s struggle with survival and potential future were addressed by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) breeder and geneticist Fred Gmitter earlier this year. He told Florida Citrus Show attendees that the fruit has hit the bottom with HLB. “I was talking with one of the old-time families in the grapefruit business, one of the biggest …

Sneak Peek: April 2019 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy Callies Sneak Peek

As Florida citrus growers learn to live with HLB, greater attention is being paid to plant nutrition. Nutrition takes center stage in the April issue of Citrus Industry magazine. Both growers and researchers are exploring the use of cover crops in grove row middles to enhance tree nutrition. The April issue includes a case study on eight years of cover …

podcast

Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute Preview

Ernie Neff All In For Citrus Podcast

In a recent interview, Michael Rogers provided an in-depth preview of presentations scheduled for the April 2 Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park. Rogers is director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Rogers said multi-county citrus Extension agents have been putting the Institute program together …

CRDF President on Field Trials and Communication

Ernie Neff CRDF

Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) President Larry Black discusses the organization’s potential role in large-scale field trials to demonstrate how citrus can be grown in the face of HLB. He also talks about a communication study showing how growers like to receive information about CRDF. The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program would be funded for approximately $8 …

$3.5 Million Donation to Aid California Citrus Collection

Len Wilcox California Corner, Industry News Release

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 …

Sting Nematodes: A Growing Problem for Young Trees

Tacy Callies Pests

By Larry Duncan Successive hard freezes in Florida in the late 1980s resulted in widespread replanting of citrus groves. Within a few years, many groves on the Central Ridge had discrete patches of poorly growing, chlorotic young trees amid patches of vigorously growing trees. Stubby root symptoms on the declining trees suggested damage by sting nematodes (Belonolaimus longicaudatus). This nematode …

acp

ACP Found in Sacramento

Len Wilcox California Corner, Citrus Greening, HLB Management

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), working in cooperation with the Sacramento County agricultural commissioner, has placed Sacramento County under a plant pest quarantine for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) following the detection of one ACP in Sacramento’s Lemon Hill area.  The quarantine prohibits the movement of citrus and curry leaf tree nursery stock and all plant parts, …

Phytophthora: An Old Problem with New Challenges

Tacy Callies Diseases

By Evan Johnson Diseases caused by phytophthora continually threaten Florida citrus production. Brown rot can directly reduce yields of early maturing varieties including Hamlin and grapefruit, can delay harvest of fresh market fruit until infected fruit have dropped, or risk packinghouse rejection of the load because it can spread post-harvest. Foot and crown rot can kill trees but are uncommon …

3 Enter Citrus Hall of Fame

Ernie Neff Awards

Tim Hurner, Peter McClure and the late Richard Kinney were inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame on March 8 in ceremonies at Florida Southern College (FSC). Hurner was a longtime Highlands County citrus Extension agent who directed the citrus horticulture program at FSC for several years. He called his time at FSC a career highlight, “working with young …

Growers Talk About Valencias, PFD and Nutrition

Ernie Neff PFD

Highlands County Extension director and citrus agent Laurie Hurner discussed Valencia oranges, postbloom fruit drop (PFD) and nutrition in summarizing a recent grower forum she hosted.   “I think that the overarching feeling (of growers) is positive,” Hurner said. “It seems that Valencias are coming on strong; everybody’s seeing a good crop that’s hanging on the tree. So I think we’ll …

hlb

Large-Scale Citrus Field Trials Idea Surfaces

Daniel Cooper Citrus, Citrus Greening, HLB Management, Research

Citrus research continues to be a topic in state and federal funding circles as the industry’s battle with HLB, or citrus greening, continues. One idea in the incubator of industry discussion is the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program. It would involve large-scale grower field trials throughout Florida. Rick Dantzler, chief operating officer of the Citrus Research and Development …

Planting: ‘More Options Than Ever’

Ernie Neff planting, Varieties

Michael Rogers recently said there is increased optimism in the Florida citrus industry. “With that optimism, growers are starting to give more consideration to replanting,” said Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. According to Rogers, some growers who held off on planting in the …

nutrition

Developments at CRDF

Ernie Neff CRDF

Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler updated growers on CRDF activities during the Florida Citrus Show in January. He summarized his comments in an interview after his presentation. Here are a few key points: “We’ve had a 25 percent reduction in our staff” since he joined CRDF last year, Dantzler said. “Growers are having to …

Sneak Peek: March 2019 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy Callies Sneak Peek

The March issue of Citrus Industry magazine gets to the root of the matter. Several articles cover the topic of root health. Citrus growers Ben Krupski and David Wheeler share successful strategies for stronger roots. Methods include the use of compost, more frequent irrigation and other techniques. Three University of Florida research articles in the March issue also address root-related …

Albrigo: Bloom Looks Good

Ernie Neff Production

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) researcher known for his work on the timing of bloom sees the potential for good bloom this season. “Flowering for Florida’s next citrus crop has been coming along fairly well,” UF/IFAS Emeritus Professor Gene Albrigo said in a Feb. 13 interview. He expects the first wave of spring flowers …

Fungal Foliar Disease Concerns for 2019

Tacy Callies Diseases

By Megan Dewdney The Florida citrus-growing seasons of 2017 and 2018 were quiet in terms of fungal foliar disease outbreaks. Small pockets of severe disease occurred sporadically, but there were no widespread reports of diseases like postbloom fruit drop, much to the relief of the industry. Greasy spot has flared up in a few locations on cultivars like Valencia, and …

greening

Developing New Greening-Tolerant Citrus

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Industry News Release, Research

When Nian Wang pieces together sequences of genes, he hopes to make citrus varieties that are more tolerant to the deadly disease known as citrus greening, which has devastated a multibillion-dollar-a-year industry in Florida. Wang, a professor of microbiology and cell science with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), will help an investigation in which …

orange

Growing 325 Boxes of Citrus per Acre

Ernie Neff Citrus

Grower Roy Petteway told fellow growers attending a recent grower roundtable meeting in Arcadia that his 400 acres of citrus groves in three counties are averaging production of 325 boxes per acre. That’s approximately double the production level of the average Florida citrus acre hammered by HLB, though far below pre-HLB production levels. Petteway grows fruit for processing in DeSoto, …

Indian River’s Grapefruit Plight

Ernie Neff Grapefruit

Florida grapefruit trees have taken a much harder hit from HLB, also known as greening disease, in recent years than orange trees have. Grapefruit production has plummeted drastically, and growers are desperately seeking ways to keep trees alive and productive. The fruit’s troubles have hit especially hard in the Indian River area, known worldwide for its grapefruit. Indian River Citrus …