Aldicarb Registered for Florida Citrus

Ernie NeffPesticides

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Jan. 12 announced two actions to help protect America’s citrus industry from HLB and citrus canker. One action is for the insecticide aldicarb; the other is for the antibiotic streptomycin. ALDICARBEPA is registering one technical product, a supplemental label and one new end-use product for the insecticide aldicarb for use on oranges and …

The State of the Florida Citrus Processing Industry

Tacy CalliesProcessing

Kristen Carlson, executive director of the Florida Citrus Processors Association, answers questions from Tacy Callies, Citrus Industry editor. Q: What are the current opportunities in Florida citrus processing?  A: There is some excess capacity in Florida should the citrus greening situation improve, and Florida increases its box production. Greening has decreased the yield of boxes per tree. With less impact …

Georgia Citrus Pest and Disease Update

Tacy CalliesDiseases, Georgia, Pests

As the Georgia citrus industry continues to grow and prosper, growers should be aware of the potential signs of citrus pests and diseases that could be looming in their groves. Bill Barber, Certified Crop Advisor and owner of Barber Ag Services, delivered a presentation during the 2021 virtual Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. He addressed pests and diseases presently …

FDOC Update: OJ Sales, Supply and Demand

Tacy CalliesOrange Juice

Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), reports that total orange juice (OJ) sales are performing at 2016 levels. “In the four week-period ending Dec. 26, 2020, average year-over-year sales of total OJ increased 7.68 percent with nearly 37.39 million equivalent gallons sold, according to the latest Nielsen retail sales update,” Shepp says. “Volume sales of …

Third Packer for Cold-Hardy Citrus

Ernie NeffPacking

A third packinghouse started packing fresh South Georgia and North Florida citrus in 2020. The newest packer, The Satsuma Company, is in Tifton, Georgia. The others, Corbett Brothers in Lake Park, Georgia, and Florida Georgia Citrus in Monticello, Florida, have been packing citrus since 2016. “I have visited all three facilities in South Georgia and North Florida,” said Lindy Savelle, …

Louisiana Faces Several Citrus Woes

Ernie NeffLouisiana

Hurricanes, development, demographics, disease and other issues combined in recent decades to severely reduce citrus acreage and crops in Plaquemines Parish, which has the majority of Louisiana growers. According to Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter, the state has only 841 acres of citrus remaining. Anna Timmerman, LSU AgCenter horticultural Extension agent, discussed the industry’s woes in the parish that she …

SFWMD Accepting Applications for Cost-Share Water Projects

Tacy CalliesWater

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) announced it is accepting applications for cost-share projects to develop alternative water supply projects and water conservation projects. This is part of the state of Florida’s continuing efforts to identify and implement cost-effective strategies to protect its water resources while meeting Florida’s water needs. Partnering with local governments and other entities for implementation …

acp

Time for ACP Dormant Season Sprays

Tacy CalliesHLB Management, Tip of the Week

By Lauren Diepenbrock Pest management is an ongoing effort in Florida citrus. Taking advantage of pest life cycles, whether they are tied to the season or plant phenology, can make management efforts have greater impacts on pest populations. For many citrus growers, managing the impacts of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), the vector of huanglongbing (HLB), is part of the annual …

HLB-Positive ACP Found in San Diego County

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, Industry News Release, Psyllids

A citrus tree at a private residence near San Diego, California, has been found to be infected by four Asian citrus psyllids (ACP). Upon testing, the ACP were found to be carriers of the bacterium that causes citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing (HLB). The finding was announced by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Citrus Pest and Disease …

Report: Make Farmland Access Equitable

Ernie NeffLand

A new report claims major barriers prevent the next generation of farmers and ranchers, particularly those of color, from accessing quality, affordable farmland. The report, Land Policy: Towards a More Equitable Farming Future, was released by the National Young Farmers Coalition. See the full report here. According to the report, land ownership in the United States is vastly unequal. The …

Irrigation Management With Artificial Intelligence

Tacy CalliesIrrigation

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be an overwhelming topic, but Sandra Guzmán says it is easier to swallow when it helps growers. Guzmán, an agricultural engineering assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center, has been working directly with growers to integrate the benefits of in-field technology. The influx …

Flowering Intensity, Shoot Dieback and HLB

Tacy CalliesHLB Management

Citrus trees grown in Florida continuously undergo various types and levels of stress. Stressors can include severe weather conditions, soil pH, chemicals, pests and diseases. The constant presence of HLB and psyllid infestation adds further stress to the tree, compromising overall tree health. Off-season flowering and prolonged flowering are common responses of trees when undergoing various stress conditions. Off-season and …

Choosing a Lemon Rootstock

Tacy Callieslemons, Rootstocks

By Kim D. Bowman Lemons are a relatively small part of the Florida citrus crop. But with more than 317,000 lemon trees propagated in Florida nurseries over the past two years, lemons are clearly gaining increasing interest from growers trying to find a crop that is easier to grow and with a quick return on investment. As is the case …

Growing Citrus Trees With Oak Mulch

Ernie NeffHLB Management

Lukas Hallman, a graduate student at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), is doing research to find what is in oak trees that apparently helps citrus cope with HLB. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences operates the IRREC. “Anecdotal reports from Florida growers claim that citrus trees growing within the drip line of large …

ACP/HLB Management Survey for California

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, HLB Management

Researchers from Sacramento State and the University of California, Riverside are requesting input from citrus industry members to help examine the economics of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and huanglongbing (HLB) management in California citrus groves. The research team is looking for growers, advisors and other citrus industry members in California to provide input on overall knowledge of ACP and HLB, …

Rogers on Fruit Drop, Meetings and More

Ernie NeffAll In For Citrus Podcast, Fruit Drop

Add Michael Rogers to the list of those seeing early-season fruit drop in Florida this fall. Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, saw the drop while visiting groves. In the December All In For Citrus podcast, he also addresses flower bud induction advisories and upcoming UF/IFAS presentations. …

growers

Freeze Protection Measures for Citrus

Ernie Nefffreeze

Multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt discussed historical and current freeze protection measures in a virtual Dec. 22 OJ Break. PASSIVE MEASURESSome cold-protection measures are taken well in advance of freezes; Oswalt referred to them as passive measures. They include grove site selection, crop selection and cultural practices. One site selection consideration is planting groves at higher elevations, which are …

Drought and Heat Harm Brazil’s Harvest

Tacy CalliesBrazil

By Maurício Mendes There is a saying among those who have been in the industry for a long time: “There is no citrus harvest like the other.” Growers are facing production challenges in the current harvest season in Brazil. HOT, DRY CONDITIONSThe first signs of a decrease in the season’s fruit crop were given by last year’s (August to September …

High-Tech Scouting in Citrus Production

Tacy CalliesTechnology

By Yiannis Ampatzidis and Tara Wade Traditional sensing technologies in citrus production for pest and disease detection and field phenotyping rely on manual sampling, which is time consuming and labor intensive. Since availability of personnel trained for field scouting is a major problem, small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with various sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) can simplify the surveying …

Citrus Holiday Traditions

Tacy CalliesTip of the Week

By Ruth Borger and Megan Dewdney Oranges and other citrus have a special place during holiday celebrations. We find them in our decorations, on our dinner table, shipped to friends and families across the country, and sometimes, if you are really good, in your Christmas stocking. But where did these traditions come from? And when did they become part of …