Since 2016, federal authorities have allowed Florida citrus growers to spray oxytetracycline solutions on their trees to combat citrus greening disease. A newly published University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) study suggests that the bactericide would be more effective if it were injected into citrus tree trunks, a practice not currently approved under U.S. law. Citrus …
Citrus Expo Seminar Program Preview
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) horticulturist Tripti Vashisth discusses the citrus seminars to be presented Aug. 14-15 at Citrus Expo. She also reports on a presentation she’ll make at Expo regarding fruit drop. Vashisth is organizing the Citrus Expo educational sessions for growers. She says the goal is to present “something useful for the growers …
More Predictable Market Ahead
By Marcos Fava Neves With the announcement of the 2019–20 crop in Brazil and Florida’s season over, more information is now available to see where the global orange juice market is headed. HIGHER FLORIDA INVENTORIESAs of July, Florida had 71.6 million boxes of oranges, 200,000 boxes more than the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s June estimate. Inventories in Florida are high. …
Citrus Industry Magazine CEU 2019 Article #3
Protecting soil and water while using pesticides By Laurie A. Hurner Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. Pesticides, pesticides, pesticides. It seems that the word pesticide has become quite …
Citrus Marketing via Social Media
A presentation that David Armano, global strategy director at Edelman/Edible, made at the Florida Citrus Mutual annual conference this summer focused on marketing via social media. His company is the Florida Department of Citrus’ (FDOC) consumer marketing agency. Following his presentation, he and FDOC Executive Director Shannon Shepp discussed the use of social media for marketing Florida citrus. “We found …
Lebbeck Mealybug Update
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock provides an update on the lebbeck mealybug, a new pest of Florida citrus detected in Highlands County in June. Diepenbrock reports that the mealybug was found June 14 by a Highlands County grower. It came from groves in Avon Park and Sebring. “It is definitely beyond one …
Zinkicide Has Potential for HLB
Research and trials into zinkicide “look very promising” for use against HLB, University of Central Florida researcher Swadeshmukul Santra says. He summarizes a presentation he made at the Florida Citrus Mutual annual conference in Bonita Springs this summer. “It (zinkicide) can improve yield, fruit and juice quality on HLB-affected trees,” stated a slide that Santra presented at the conference. The …
Sneak Peek: August 2019 Citrus Industry Magazine
The August issue of Citrus Industry magazine has everything you need to make the most of your time at Citrus Expo. The complete guide to the event includes a seminar schedule, exhibitor directory, details about the new hands-on citrus session and more. The Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo is once again being held jointly with Citrus Expo. The general session …
Growers Happy With Lebbeck Mealybug Response
Growers who attended a recent meeting in Sebring about the lebbeck mealybug left with good feelings about the official response to the pest, said Laurie Hurner, Highlands County Extension director and citrus agent. “Growers were very pleased with the information that was presented and how quickly we were able to get it out to the industry,” Hurner said. She reported …
Putting IPM Back in Citrus
By Lukasz L. Stelinski, Jawwad A. Qureshi and L. Gene Albrigo Florida citrus production has a long and trailblazing history of implementing integrated pest management (IPM). In 1950, the director of the Florida Citrus Experiment Station, A.F. Camp, proposed an “Ecological Survey of Citrus Pests and Disorders” to provide a comprehensive survey of the ecology of citrus groves throughout Florida …
Citrus Expo Offers Interactions
Growers will have opportunities to learn in interactions with University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers at Citrus Expo on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 15. “We wanted to do something a little bit different to keep folks involved and keep folks coming back for that second afternoon” of Citrus Expo, says Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS …
Individual Protective Covers Are ‘Promising’ for HLB
Individual protective covers (IPCs) have thus far kept citrus trees free of HLB in research plots, according to Susmita Gaire, a presenter at the recent Florida State Horticultural Society annual meeting. Gaire is a graduate student working with University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher Fernando Alferez at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in …
FDOC Response to Cancer Study
A new study suggesting a link between sugary drink consumption, including 100% fruit juice, and increased cancer risk was recently published in a medical journal. The study has spurred a series of news media stories. Researchers of the study, who are based in France, assessed the associations between the consumption of sugary drinks (sugar sweetened beverages and 100% fruit juices), …
CUPS Research in Indian River Area
Research into citrus under protective screen (CUPS) in the Indian River area was discussed by students of Rhuanito (Johnny) Ferrarezi at the Florida State Horticultural Society meeting in June. The project at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) grows grapefruit, the citrus of most economic importance in the Indian River region. Ferrarezi, a University of Florida Institute of …
All In For Citrus Podcast, July 2019
Researchers at the University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center are gearing up for the 2019 Citrus Expo! Get a sneak peek of what to expect during the citrus program in July’s All In for Citrus Podcast. Also, growers will hear an update on a recent pest alert in this month’s program. Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research …
Controlling Difficult Weeds in Citrus Groves
By Ramdas Kanissery, Camille McAvoy and Mongi Zekri Some weeds are more difficult to manage in the production system than others due to their ability to grow in an available niche. If given a chance to establish, Guinea grass and goatweed can be the two most difficult weeds to manage. This is not just because they both are prolific seed …
Citrus Numbers Improve as Struggles Continue
Florida’s citrus industry ended its growing season on a slight uptick, regaining the Sunshine State’s dominance in orange production over California. But struggles remain. Growers, who last year posted 75-year lows because of damage caused by Hurricane Irma, still are at diminished production levels that hadn’t been seen in decades as they face deadly citrus-greening disease and factors such as …
Orange Production Up Slightly From June Forecast
ORANGESThe 2018–2019 Florida all-orange forecast released by Mark Hudson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now 71.6 million boxes. The total is comprised of 30.4 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, mid-season and Navel varieties), unchanged from the June forecast, and 41.2 million boxes of Valencia oranges, up 200,000 boxes from last month. California non-Valencia oranges remained at …
Coming Soon: New Citrus Scholarship
By Tacy Callies The average age of principal farm operators in Florida is 60, according to the 2018 State Agricultural Overview for Florida published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As current growers approach retirement age, who is going to step in to fill their role? This is a question that’s often asked in Florida citrus, especially given the industry’s …