Research

Citrus Research at SWFREC

Ernie NeffHLB Management, Research

Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) Director Kelly Morgan provides an update on citrus research being conducted at the center. SWFREC is operated by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Morgan says most of the research is “related to greening, but not all of it.” Greening is another term for huanglongbing (HLB), the citrus …

Growers Have a Bigger Problem Than HLB

Ernie NeffHLB Management, Market

“A bigger gorilla by far than HLB, going into the future, is slumping market demand for citrus products from Florida and apparently from other producing areas in the United States as well,” declares Apopka citrus grower Chip Henry of McGuire Groves. He believes the decline in demand for Florida citrus products is related to HLB reducing fruit quality. “Consumers are …

uf

UF/IFAS Helps Assess, Manage New Fruit Bug

Daniel CooperCitrus, Industry News Release, invasive, Pests, Research, Top

Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are already trying to help growers figure out how to effectively manage the problems created by an invasive pest  – confirmed last week in Highlands County — that could further erode citrus production at a time when growers are just beginning to turn the corner on managing …

orange

Orange Grower: ‘Best Year I’ve Ever Had’

Ernie NeffProduction

Hardee County orange grower Kenny Sanders said at a grower roundtable meeting on June 25 that he produced 409 boxes per acre in the 2018–19 Florida citrus season. “This is the best year financially I’ve ever had in the citrus business,” Sanders said at the Wauchula gathering hosted by Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association. “In 2012, I picked 500 …

Sneak Peek: July 2019 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

Four articles on grove management will give citrus growers food for thought in the July issue of Citrus Industry magazine. The first article tells how one grower handles HLB. Del Murphy discusses production practices that have helped him cope with the disease. Bactericides, irrigation and nutrition management are among the topics he addresses. The second article is for growers who …

Understanding Glyphosate Formulations

Tacy CalliesResearch, weeds

By Ramdas Kanissery, Steve Futch, Brent Sellers and Camille McAvoy Glyphosate is a popular post-emergent herbicide among Florida citrus growers for its broad-spectrum of weed control under trees and in row middles. The use of glyphosate as a “burn-down” application alone, or in combination with other herbicides, is a standard practice in citrus groves. Various glyphosate-containing product formulations are available …

citrus greening

Studying Citrus Greening with an Integrated Approach

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, Diseases, HLB Management, Industry News Release, Psyllids, Research

While citrus growers continue to look for best management approaches to deal with the deadly greening disease, scientists will take an integrated look at how to protect young trees by using existing tools growers can use. Five scientists from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will compare insect management tools, including insect-proof netting. Researchers also …

UF/IFAS

Jack Payne Announces Retirement

Daniel CooperAgriculture, Citrus, Citrus Greening, Research

After serving nearly 10 years as the senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), Jack Payne announced he will retire next year. His last day with UF/IFAS will be July 1, 2020. Payne has overseen Extension offices across Florida and its 12 research and education centers since …

Study Shows Mandarin IPM Needs Work

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, IPM, Pests

According to a study published in the Journal of Economic Entomology, current integrated pest management (IPM) techniques used in California mandarins may need to be adjusted to allow for differences between mandarins and oranges. The study suggests that following guidelines for oranges may lead to an overuse of pesticides in some situations. Almost all mandarins in America are grown in …

June

All In For Citrus Podcast, June 2019

Taylor HillmanAll In For Citrus Podcast

June’s All In For Citrus Podcast is filled with updates on University of Florida citrus research. First, Citrus Research and Education Center Director Michael Rogers discusses a recent visit by some U.S. Department of Agriculture administrators who make decisions on how millions of dollars in farm bill citrus research money are allocated. He explains that the visit was very valuable …

CUPS

Many Aspects of CUPS Addressed

Ernie NeffCUPS, Research

Arnold Schumann, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor of soil science, reports on his five years of research into citrus under protective screen (CUPS) for fresh fruit. He is one of the first researchers in Florida to do extensive, hands-on research into the system. His discussion is part of the current All In For Citrus …

forecast

CRAFT Program Moving Forward

Ernie NeffCitrus, Research

A direct support organization (DSO) to be established within the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will reportedly run the massive Citrus Research and Field Trials (CRAFT) program. Florida Citrus Mutual CEO Mike Sparks announced the pending arrangement June 13 during the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference in Bonita Springs. The CRAFT program features an expected 5,000 acres of …

Farewell to Futch

Tacy CalliesCitrus

After 34 years of faithful service to citrus growers, University of Florida Extension agent Steve Futch readies for retirement. By Tacy Callies Steve Futch’s Florida citrus roots sprouted more than a century ago. His great-grandfather owned a Wauchula grove in about 1905. As a boy, Futch’s first hands-on citrus experience was hoeing trees in the family orange groves. Later, he …

UF/IFAS Tops in Research

Ernie NeffResearch

“There is no program anywhere in the country better than IFAS (University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences) in conducting both applied and basic research.” That declaration is made by Scott Angle, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in the latest episode of the All in for Citrus podcast.  Angle became …

Kids to Learn About Citrus in Labs During Youth Day

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release, Research

Children are invited to an up-close-and-personal, hands-on experience with the world of citrus. They might even get their hands dirty while touring plant labs at this year’s third annual Citrus Youth Day on June 27. Scientists at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred, Florida, part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …

Precision Agriculture Technologies in Citrus

Tacy CalliesPests, Psyllids, Research, Technology

By Yiannis Ampatzidis Citrus growers face issues from an increasing number of pests and diseases. Rapid and accurate tools for early pest and disease detection are needed to improve precision and timely management. Almost all agrochemicals (e.g., pesticides) applied in specialty crop production are made uniformly with conventional spraying equipment, despite the fact that pathogen distribution is typically patchy. Uniform …

Fruit Markets: Then and Now

Tacy CalliesGlobal Perspectives

By Marcos Fava Neves In the last three decades, world fruit production went from 338 to 865 million tons. CHANGES IN THE CITRUS SECTORCitrus represents 17 percent of fruit production but is growing at a slower rate (140 percent) than the 155 percent growth rate seen in the total category of all fruits. Within the citrus sector, oranges represented 67 …

acp

Psyllid Control and Endemic HLB

Ernie NeffHLB Management, Pests, Psyllids

In the early days of HLB in Florida, virtually all researchers and growers agreed that nothing was more important than controlling HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids. But once HLB had spread to every grove (become endemic), many growers began questioning whether continued psyllid control was necessary. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist Lukasz Stelinski tackled that …

June

All In For Citrus Podcast, May 2019

Taylor HillmanAll In For Citrus Podcast

Growers won’t want to miss the May All In For Citrus podcast. This episode addresses concerns about bactericide use in citrus, includes an interview with Scott Angle, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and provides a summary of citrus under protective screen research. First, Michael Rogers, Citrus Research and Education Center director, focuses …

Citrus Expo Registration Opens June 1

Tacy CalliesCitrus Expo

The 28th annual Citrus Expo is quickly approaching! AgNet Media, organizer of the event, is excited to once again bring the citrus industry together. Citrus Expo will take place Aug. 14–15 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. All pre-registered growers will automatically be entered for a chance to win a John Deere gun safe, courtesy of …