The first detection of citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV) has been made in Tulare, California. The disease was detected during the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) routine multi-pest survey. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed positive identifications of the disease. CDFA is surveying for the disease in Tulare County …
A Transformative Program
By J. Scott Angle Morgan McKenna always knew she’d return home some day. Three previous generations of McKennas hadn’t just made a living from citrus. They’d made a life of it. It’s a life she wanted, too. Morgan saw the family business as family first and business second. She was most interested in the emotional rewards of coming home to …
Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine in Los Angeles County
A portion of Los Angeles County has been placed under quarantine for the Oriental fruit fly following the detection of 14 flies in the North Hills area of the San Fernando Valley. The quarantine zone measures 89 square miles. It is bordered on the north by the Angeles National Forest, on the south by the Ventura Freeway, on the west …
Final U.S. Citrus Forecast Has Several Changes
The final U.S. citrus forecast of the 2021–22 season, released July 12, projected production changes for crops in Florida, California, Texas and Arizona compared to the June forecast. FLORIDAFlorida’s all-orange forecast rose 1%, to 40.95 million boxes, due to a slight increase in non-Valencia orange production and a 1% increase in expected Valencia orange production. The Florida grapefruit production forecast …
Evaluation of Citrus × Microcitrus Hybrid Scions
By Ute Albrecht, Anas Fadli and Chandrika Ramadugu Most commercially available citrus scion cultivars are highly attractive to the Asian citrus psyllid and susceptible to HLB. There are some citrus species, however, that are HLB tolerant or resistant. This may be because they are less attractive to the psyllids and/or because they restrict pathogen proliferation and therefore HLB disease development. …
Sneak Peek: July 2022 Citrus Industry
HLB continued to contribute to reduced production and lower quality fruit for Florida growers this season. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are working to help alleviate these problems by delivering improved rootstocks and varieties. The July issue of Citrus Industry magazine includes an in-depth look at this work. Read “Juice for Florida’s future” to …
ACP Detection Response: ‘The System Is Working’
County and state officials in California have been actively responding to various Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) discoveries in the Central Valley in recent weeks. Kern, Tulare and Fresno counties have all reported an ACP detection over the last month. The Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD) has been implementing delimitation protocols and necessary treatment programs. CPDPD Director Victoria Hornbaker …
Ag Groups Want Glyphosate Case Heard
A total of 54 agricultural organizations have voiced concern regarding the possibility of a detrimental precedent being set. A letter was sent to President Joe Biden outlining concerns related to an amicus brief that was recently submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS). In the brief, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar advises SCOTUS against hearing a case related to glyphosate and …
Speeding the Search for an HLB Solution
By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP My hope is that your new citrus breeding team scientist will be a new Bill Castle on warp speed for an HLB solution. That is, John Chater will accelerate the search for citrus varieties that hold up against HLB. He’s got tens of thousands of places to search. Fred Gmitter and Jude Grosser have …
Grower and Researcher CUPS Collaboration
The spread of HLB in Florida citrus groves has forced growers and researchers to try all sorts of practices to fight off the disease’s devastating effects. One of the most successful methods has been planting citrus under protective screen (CUPS). The screen excludes the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and keeps HLB out of plantings. CUPS also is a great example …
FarmSense Pest-Monitoring System Awarded
FarmSense, Inc. was recently selected as one of two winners of the inaugural Riverside Angel Summit, a partnership between University of California, Riverside (UCR), the City of Riverside and community members. The Riverside Angel Summit is a program created to foster a thriving angel investment culture in the Riverside region by connecting investors to high-quality, vetted local entrepreneurs. FarmSense emerged …
Bee Sweet Citrus Adding New Mandarin Facility
Bee Sweet Citrus is expanding its packinghouse to include a state-of-the-art mandarin facility adjacent to California Highway 99 in Fowler. Construction for the company’s new facility broke ground in early 2022. The facility is expected to be fully operational during the 2022–2023 citrus season. The 213,000-square-foot building will include cold storage; holding and degreening rooms; washing, sorting and packing lines; …
Research Update: Stable Antimicrobial Peptide
By Hailing Jin Research on the effectiveness of a novel stable antimicrobial peptide (SAMP) identified from the Australian finger lime (Microcitrus australasica) to fight huanglongbing (HLB) continues in a multistate initiative involving 1,500 citrus trees. Although the pandemic has impacted the progress of the research, work has steadily continued and expanded. Researchers at the University of California, Riverside and University …
U.S. Lemon, Grapefruit and Tangerine Outlook
Lemons are the only U.S. citrus commodity forecast this season to exceed last season’s production levels, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service reported recently. At a projected 976,000 tons, lemon production is expected to be 10% higher than last season. Ninety-four percent of lemons commercially grown in the United States are from California. Despite the higher domestic production, …
U.S. Orange Juice Output to Hit 50-Year Low
Total U.S. orange juice (OJ) production in the current 2021–22 season is forecast at 286 million single-strength equivalent (SSE) gallons, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service reported recently. If realized, this volume will be the lowest in more than 50 years. To compensate for lower production, U.S. OJ imports are expected to increase over last year, reaching more …
Update on Finger Limes in Florida
The Australian finger lime has created a buzz among chefs and mixologists for its caviar-like texture and flavorful pulp. The fruit also has captured interest among growers for its seemingly high tolerance to HLB. On March 23, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted a half-day online symposium on finger limes to provide growers with …
Growers Needed to Aid Development of HLB Tool
Excelsior Aerospace Corporation announced it is pursuing funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to build a free tool that can rapidly detect, track and manage huanglongbing (HLB) disease. “On one end, our tool would serve growers in states such as Texas and California to detect early symptoms of ACP (Asian citrus psyllid) and HLB infection and take measures …
Growing Matters: Safe Neonicotinoid Use Urged
Growing Matters, funded by a consortium of agricultural chemical companies, recently launched its fourth annual BeSure! campaign to promote best management practices when using neonicotinoid products on farms and urban landscapes. The campaign uses a wide range of media channels to remind growers, crop protection applicators and others to ensure label directions and responsible stewardship measures are followed for neonicotinoid …
Citrus Canker Confirmed in South Carolina
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of citrus canker disease in a nursery in South Carolina. The nursery sells plants to consumers through online sales. Other nurseries did not receive these plants. Together with state partners, APHIS is working to collect and destroy the plants shipped to consumers in …
Flavor Summit Delves Deep Into the Science of Taste
In late February, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted its second annual Flavor Summit. The hybrid in-person/online event was held at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. CREC and the UF Center for Smell and Taste hosted the event that took a deep dive into the science of how flavors …