Trunk injection of the oxytetracycline hydrochloride formulation ReMedium TI for HLB treatment was given final clearance Jan. 11. The product began moving into the Florida citrus industry that same day. Consequently, the product’s manufacturer and the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation both issued reminders and recommendations about the product’s use. Manufacturer TJ BioTech, LLC suggested the following things …
All In For Citrus Podcast, January 2023
The January All In For Citrus podcast kicks off 2023 with a recap of a recent citrus program on gibberellic acid as well as a preview of a host of upcoming events. Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center, provides details on the various seminars scheduled on topics ranging from trunk injection to the new and improved …
Sneak Peek: January 2023 Citrus Industry
Past management, a perennial problem for citrus growers, is the primary focus of the January issue of Citrus Industry magazine. An old pest is posing new concerns for Florida growers. The recent resurgence of diaprepes root weevil is the subject of the cover story by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers Lukasz Stelinski, Lauren Diepenbrock …
Open House Showcases Research Center’s Work
The Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) in Immokalee recently hosted its annual open house. The event had a great turnout of local growers and residents from nearby communities. Several school groups also attended, so students could learn more about farming in Southwest Florida and the research being conducted at the center. Originally established in 1958, SWFREC was dedicated …
Oxytetracycline Product Promises Timely Relief From HLB
What may be the closest thing yet to a timely silver bullet for HLB was discussed Oct. 26 at Lake Alfred’s Citrus Research and Education Center. Josh Steinbronn, director of research and development at TJ BioTech, said trunk injection of his company’s ReMedium TI oxytetracycline product suppresses Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the causal agent of HLB. He added that injection …
Meet Matt Joyner
Editor’s note: This Q&A was conducted prior to Hurricane Ian striking Florida. After the storm, Matt Joyner said that Florida Citrus Mutual is working with growers in the recovery process and collecting information to aid in any potential requests for assistance. Matt Joyner started with Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) in December of 2018 as director of government relations. In April …
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 …
All In For Citrus Podcast, July 2022
This month’s All In For Citrus podcast focuses on the upcoming Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo scheduled for Aug. 17–18 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, said the university’s citrus research team worked hard to develop …
All In For Citrus Podcast, January 2022
It’s tough to be a citrus grower in Florida right now. In the January All In For Citrus podcast episode, Michael Rogers discusses the challenging environment for growers. Below-average prices and low yields are among the major obstacles. However, the UF/IFAS citrus researchers and Extension agents continue to work hard on behalf of growers, looking for tools they can use …
Expo Focus: ‘What Growers Can Do Now’
Many of the citrus presentations featured on the first day of Citrus Expo, Aug. 18, will focus on “what growers can do now” to keep groves productive, Michael Rogers reports. Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, offers what he calls “a 30,000-foot view” of the citrus seminar …
Sneak Peek: May 2021 Citrus Industry
New citrus technology and tried-and-true techniques are among the article topics in the May issue of Citrus Industry magazine. Yiannis Ampatzidis, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor, discusses several ways artificial intelligence is being used to improve citrus production and reduce negative environmental impacts. Among the topics he covers in his article are automated …
Managing Asian Citrus Psyllid with RNA Interference
Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are using RNA interference (RNAi) to alter field populations of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). Nabil Killiny, UF/IFAS associate professor, shared the latest findings from his team’s RNAi research in a recent All In For Citrus podcast episode. He says the team is using RNAi to attack …
Sneak Peek: April 2021 Citrus Industry
Ask any Florida citrus grower what the top priority is, and you’ll likely get the same answer: Keeping HLB-affected trees productive and profitable. The April issue of Citrus Industry magazine provides research on production practices aimed to meet this goal. Adjusting the amount of sunlight plants receive has proven to increase citrus tree health and yield. University of Florida Institute …
Delivering Peptides to Fight HLB
Encouraging news stories have appeared in recent months on the possible benefits of using peptides in the fight against HLB. Peptides, small groups of linked amino acids, have many functions, including acting on pathogens. As researchers continue to investigate the role of peptides in the fight against HLB, they are also looking for the most effective delivery method of these …
Get Citrus Growers’ Institute CEUs
Citrus growers can get continuing education units (CEUs) from the 2020 Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute, even though the in-person version of the annual event was cancelled due to COVID-19. Multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt discusses how growers and others can get their restricted-use pesticide license or Certified Crop Advisor CEUs. “We have started to receive those presentations from those …
New Opportunity for Citrus Growers to Earn CEUs Online
When the annual 2020 Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute was canceled due to the stay-at-home guidelines recommended by the state, growers were shut out of learning the latest research updates from University of Florida citrus scientists. In addition, they were denied access to earning valuable continuing education units (CEUs) needed to renew pesticide licenses. University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural …
Antibiotics Used in Citrus
A new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension document, Antibiotics in Crop Production, was published in May by Leigh Archer, Ute Albrecht and Pamela Roberts. The authors found that the use of antibiotics has resulted in the successful control of bacterial diseases in some crops but not in others. The publication includes research information on antibiotics …
New Citrus Greening Treatment Shows Promise
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers have discovered another possible solution to the plague of citrus greening that is impacting Florida’s citrus groves. This new information adds to the growing portfolio of knowledge that UF/IFAS scientists are amassing to fight the disease. Led by UF/IFAS microbiology and cell science professor Claudio Gonzalez, a team of plant …
Automated System Under Study to Deliver Bactericides
Imagine using a robotic arm to grip and puncture the trunk of a citrus tree to deliver chemicals into the vascular parts of the plant, reducing its susceptibility to the citrus greening disease. Ozgur Batuman, an assistant professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), leads a team of researchers trying to …
Florida Growers Reminded to Complete State of Industry Survey
The 2024 Florida Citrus State of the Industry Survey will provide a current view of the status of the state’s citrus industry. Among the topics covered in this year’s survey are hurricane impacts and the use of trunk-injection therapies to improve the health of HLB-infected trees. If you are a grower or a consultant/caretaker (who can answer generally on behalf …