By Jim Gravley The entire citrus industry has changed since the arrival of HLB (citrus greening). To ensure success and produce a quality product, the grower must adapt and truly understand the issues brought on from the infection of HLB. The disease was officially identified in 2005 in South Florida, and we are still fighting to save this great industry. …
Psyllid Control Strategies
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences entomologist Jawwad Qureshi discussed several means of Asian citrus psyllid control at Citrus Expo in August. He provides an overview of his presentation. Qureshi says it is best to start psyllid sprays during the winter dormant period. “Do it individually or do it in a collaborative effort, but you must do …
UF Study: Screen Houses May Help Prevent Grapefruit Greening
By: Brad Buck, 352-294-3303, bradbuck@ufl.edu GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Grapefruit grows better under screen houses than in unprotected groves because the indoor facilities keep out the insect that causes citrus greening, new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research shows. Protecting citrus from greening is essential, UF/IFAS researchers say. The disease, first detected in Florida in 2004, …
Plant Biostimulants — Snake Oils or Beneficial Substances?
By Ute Albrecht and Sarah Strauss Recent years have seen an explosion of products termed “biostimulants” as alternatives to traditional chemical products to improve plant growth and productivity, and to enhance the sustainability of agricultural systems. Although there is currently no legal definition of biostimulants, they are usually defined as “substance(s) and/or microorganisms that when applied to plants or the …
Semiautonomous Vehicle Used in CUPS
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Arnold Schumann showed off a semiautonomous vehicle at the recent Citrus Research and Education Center 100th anniversary celebration. The vehicle is used in the center’s citrus under protective cover (CUPS) facility, designed to keep trees free of HLB-spreading psyllids. Schumann discusses the vehicle and its uses. “We designed that vehicle …
Cold-Tolerant Citrus for Southeastern Growers
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will host the Cold-Tolerant Citrus Production for the Southeastern Coastal Plain educational program for growers. The event will take place Dec. 13 at the Suwannee Valley Agriculture Extension Center in Live Oak, Florida. “It’s an educational event for people that are interested in producing cold-tolerant citrus,” said Clay Olson, …
Dramatic Weather Events Disrupt the Orange Juice Market
By Marcos Fava Neves The first 2017–18 U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast for Florida oranges — 54 million boxes — after Hurricane Irma was the lowest number in 70 years. Before the hurricane, we were all expecting that Florida would have more than 80 million boxes of oranges. This possible shortage of approximately 25 million boxes will dramatically affect not-from-concentrate …
Low-Density Planting Problematic with HLB
Two economists addressing a Gulf Citrus Growers Association economic seminar on Nov. 30 agreed that low-density citrus plantings would likely be hazardous to growers’ financial health in the face of HLB. One also reported that the average grower is not making a profit, and that small growers are exiting the industry faster than larger growers. “We were looking into different …
Walls Aim to Keep Psyllids Out
Walls consisting of insect-proof screen held up by telephone poles hold promise for helping growers reduce the cost of controlling HLB-spreading psyllids. The walls serve as artificial windbreaks in a new model grove planted in June at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). The grove was one of numerous projects viewed by more than 500 attendees who came to …
Sneak Peek: December 2017 Citrus Industry Magazine
The 2018 Citrus Guide is featured in the December issue of Citrus Industry magazine. This annual directory of Florida citrus organizations, agencies, researchers and vendors has expanded to include California. Growers can find all of the contact information they need in a single, easy-to-read source. In addition to the Citrus Guide, the December issue of the magazine includes several features. …
Some Fresh Citrus Problems Begin in the Grove
Some fresh citrus problems arise or can be addressed in the packinghouse; others must be dealt with earlier, in the grove. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Mark Ritenour discusses three problems that must be addressed in the grove. They are peel breakdown, fruit decay and pesticide residues. Ritenour summarizes a presentation he made at this …
100th Anniversary of the Citrus Research and Education Center
Officials, citrus scientists, growers and other stakeholders will gather at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred this Wednesday, November 29, for the 100th anniversary of the CREC. Dr. Jack Payne, University of Florida senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, is looking forward to the big event. …
Maximizing Insurance Claims After Hurricane Irma
Attorney Steven Boyne with Gunster law firm in Jacksonville suggests ways growers can maximize insurance claims resulting from Hurricane Irma. His remarks summarize a presentation he made at the Florida Agriculture Financial Management Conference earlier this month. “The more documentation you can provide, the better,” Boyne says. “Don’t view the adjuster as an adversary. If you work closely with the …
Millennium Block Resurrected for HLB Research
An approximately 35-acre research plot that fell victim to citrus canker years ago will soon become a new research site helping growers pick trees that fare best with HLB. The plot at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce will keep its former name, the Millennium Block. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …
Pruning and Controlled-Release Fertilizer to Rehabilitate HLB Trees
By Tripti Vashisth and Troy Gainey Pruning is one of the oldest horticultural practices that changes the form and growth of a tree. The pruning process 1) adjusts tree shape and the ratio of framework to fruit-bearing shell of the canopy, 2) alters the shoot/root ratio and 3) changes the carbohydrate (food storage) status of the tree. Under Florida weather …
Fresh Citrus Minimum Sizes Reduced
The minimum size requirement for fresh Florida oranges and grapefruit was recently reduced. The Citrus Administrative Committee (CAC), which manages a federal marketing order for fresh Florida citrus, requested the change. The minimum orange size was reduced from 2.5 to 2.25 inches in diameter. The grapefruit reduction was from 3 and five-sixteenths inches to 3 inches. CAC Manager Duke Chadwell …
Putnam, Ross Say Relief Proposal Leaves Out Citrus
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Congressman Dennis Ross on Friday criticized a lack of funding for the state’s storm-ravaged citrus industry in the latest disaster-relief package proposed by the White House. Putnam said a $44 billion request sent to Congress by the White House Office of Management and Budget “puts government reimbursement in front of real taxpayers and completely leaves out the …
Irma Agriculture Losses Continue to Mount
Florida’s $2.5 billion request for federal disaster relief for its agriculture industry after Hurricane Irma might not be enough. Members of the House Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness said on Nov. 16 that month-old damage estimates made by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services are too low. “I actually think your numbers are conservative,” said Rep. …
‘Herbicide Synergy’ Looks Promising
A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher is trying to give growers more weed control options. The researcher, Ramdas Kanissery, says he wants the options to be more effective and economically viable as well as environmentally friendly. “We are introducing a concept: herbicide synergy,” says Kanissery, a horticulturist at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and …
70th Anniversary for Indian River Research and Education Center
A big event will take place Nov. 16 as the 70th anniversary of the Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce takes place. Jack Payne, University of Florida senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, invites folks to attend. From Indian River Research and Education Center: Seventy years of service to growers in the world’s renowned grapefruit production region …