summer

Covering the Basics of Summer Cover Crops

Daniel CooperCover Crops, Tip of the Week

By Sarah Strauss The recent rising temperatures are a reminder that summer is approaching, and the beginning of the rainy season is a great time to start planting cover crops. If you are looking for a method to invest in your soil health, cover crops are one option. By definition, cover crops are planted to improve soil health and are …

irrigation

Irrigation Frequency Critical to Fight Tree Stress

Daniel CooperIrrigation

During the month of April, Florida rainfall has been scarce. Groves are drying out after some areas enjoyed more rain than normal during the El Niño winter. The dry weather has growers busy running irrigation. Keeping HLB-infected trees well-watered is especially important to reduce plant stress. That was the message Tripti Vashisth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural …

nutrient availability

The Effect of Soil pH on Nutrient Availability

Daniel CooperNutrition

By Chris Oswalt Soil pH influences nutrient availability. This article considers the specific fate of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in soils with elevated pH values. The discussion also assumes that these effects would be similar to conditions in the wetted zone where micro-sprinkler irrigation has raised soil pH. NITROGEN Soil pH can affect several reactions involving nitrogen in the soil …

August

All In For Citrus Podcast, April 2024

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast

April was a busy month for citrus events. The Florida Citrus Show was held April 3 in Fort Pierce followed by the Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park on April 9. These events were a topic of discussion between All In For Citrus podcast host Frank Giles and Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food …

owari

In Georgia Owari Trial, Yields Peaked in 2021

Daniel CooperGeorgia, Research, Rootstocks

University of Georgia Extension agent Jake Price recently summarized yields for three recent seasons from Owari satsuma trees in a rootstock trial. Last year, 2023, was the last harvest year for data collection in the trial. Price reported that yield in the trial plot peaked in 2021 with a yield of about 20,300 pounds on 60 trees, which would be …

sprayer

PIECES OF THE PAST: Citrus Sprayer Innovation

Daniel CooperIrrigation, Pieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette In the early 1900s, there were a number of inventions made to help the growing citrus industry flourish. One of those inventions took place in Winter Haven at the Van Fleet Company in Florence Villa. The company manufactured the Van Fleet sprayer. An article in the May 1920 issue of The Citrus Industry magazine described it …

eastern lubber

Managing the Eastern Lubber Grasshopper

Daniel CooperPests

Eastern lubber grasshoppers are out in force in some parts of Florida, munching away on citrus, vegetable crops and landscape plants. They can be found from March or April to about October or November in North Florida and the state’s Gulf Coast. They can be economically important throughout Florida. Eastern lubber grasshoppers can completely strip foliage from plants. More commonly, …

grower

Grower Panel: OTC a Net Positive So Far

Daniel CooperEvents, HLB Management

Florida Citrus Mutual recently hosted a roundtable discussion about the performance of trunk-injection therapies as growers are making their second round of applications. The grower participants included Jim Snively, Southern Gardens Citrus; Glenn Beck, Beck Bros. Citrus and Wes Soria, Sorrells Citrus. University of Florida scientist Ute Albrecht also joined the panel to provide a research update. Rick Dantzler, chief …

breeding program

California Citrus Breeding Program Gets More Funds

Daniel CooperBreeding, California Corner

The presidents of the Citrus Research Board (CRB) and California Citrus Mutual (CCM) applauded congressional leaders for recently approving additional funds for the new citrus breeding program in Parlier, California. Congress is allocating an additional $500,000 in federal funding on top of the $1 million granted last year to expand the program into California. The program will now receive $1.5 million in …

Organic Nutrient Sources

Optimizing Organic Nutrient Sources

Daniel CooperNutrition, Tip of the Week

By Davie Kadyampakeni The use of certified organic nutrient sources (manures, composts, biochar, biosolids, etc.) should be considered by Florida commercial citrus growers to improve the soil properties and long-term nutrient availability of the predominantly sandy soils. Use of the organic residues could be incorporated in the soil during tillage to plan a new grove or periodically to an existing …

planting

Determining Planting Density

Daniel CooperEconomics, planting

As growers grapple with planting new blocks in the HLB era, there has been considerable discussion about planting densities to optimize growth and yield. John Chater, assistant professor of horticultural sciences with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), has been working with growers in evaluating new varieties and rootstocks as trees are planted. TRENDING HIGHER …

Kistler

Kistler to Direct Indian River Research and Education Center

Daniel CooperEducation, Indian River

Mark Kistler will become director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce on June 17. He will succeed Ron Cave, who has been the IRREC director since 2016. Cave will continue with UF/IFAS as a faculty member. Kistler currently is professor and dean of the …

usda

USDA to Host Workshops on Nursery Insurance Program

Daniel CooperInsurance, nursery

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has expanded its Nursery Value Select (NVS) crop insurance program to all counties in all states. The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) is encouraging interested nursery producers to learn more about the program through upcoming informational workshops. There are three NVS workshops — two on April 18 and one on July 18. Get the …

particle films

Protect Trees With Particle Films

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Tip of the Week, Weather

By Christopher Vincent Particle film is a useful tool to take the edge off stress to citrus trees caused by weather and HLB. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research over the past several years shows moderate concentrations of kaolin particle films cause trees to grow faster, suffer less water loss and keep leaves cooler, even …

Citrus Budwood

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: New Leadership at Bureau of Citrus Budwood Registration

Daniel CooperCitrus Nursery Source

By Peter Chaires The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Bureau of Citrus Budwood Registration is key to maintaining a healthy citrus nursery industry. The bureau ensures that Florida nurseries have access to clean, quality, reliable budwood. It is important for industry to remain familiar with the team running the bureau. Considering recent changes to the bureau’s leadership, …

csu

CSU Issues Highest-Ever Initial Hurricane Forecast

Daniel Cooperhurricane, Weather

Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane researchers on April 4 predicted an extremely active Atlantic hurricane season in their initial 2024 forecast. The team cites record warm Atlantic sea surface temperatures and a likely developing La Niña as primary factors for their prediction of 11 hurricanes this year. This is the highest prediction for hurricanes that CSU has ever issued in …

climate

New Tool Helps Growers With Climate Variability

Daniel CooperWeather

A new web-based tool will help growers reduce risks that come with climate variability. It’s called the climate indicators tool, the newest addition to AgroClimate. AgroClimate is a web-based platform designed 15 years ago by Clyde Fraisse, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor of agricultural and biological engineering. Growers can use the new tool …

destination dupes

Destination Dupes, Simpler Times and Grower Assessments

Daniel CooperFlorida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus

The March 20 Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) meeting provided some education about destination dupes for people who aren’t constantly in the social media loop. It looked at how Florida orange juice (OJ) can invoke simpler times and provided a preview of likely Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) grower tax assessments for the 2024–25 citrus season. DESTINATION DUPES John Fuller, director …

citrus

Hacks and Suggestions for Georgia Citrus Growers

Daniel CooperGeorgia, Production

Citrus meetings are vital to a grower’s plan for the upcoming season. What they learn and take back to the grove can provide major benefits heading into the upcoming harvest season. The recent Georgia Citrus Association annual meeting provided a venue for growers to share management tips with their peers. Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association, compiled a …

show

Tomorrow Is Show Day!

Daniel CooperEvents, FCS24

The day we have been waiting for is almost here. The Florida Citrus Show will open at 8:00 a.m. on April 3. There will be plenty of time to enjoy breakfast and network with exhibitors before the general session begins at 9:00 a.m. in the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce. The event offers plenty of …