Tripti Vashisth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor of horticultural sciences and citrus Extension specialist, was part of a question-and-answer session that the UF/IFAS Statewide Citrus Team held for growers last week prior to the weekend’s winter storm. She talked about how low temperatures and high winds could impact citrus flowering. She expressed hope …
Impacts of Freeze on Fruit Quality
Florida citrus growers are in the middle of harvest season. That means plenty of fruit was still left on the trees prior to last weekend’s winter storm that brought freezing temperatures and dangerous wind chills to the state’s citrus-producing regions. Growers are assessing the negative impacts following the freeze, but they may not know the extent of damage for a …
When and How To Use Silicon for Freeze Protection and Recovery
By Muhammad A. Shahid and Davie Kadyampakeni Silicon (Si) is getting a lot of attention from citrus growers as a tool to help trees handle stress, especially during cold and freeze conditions. It toughens up plant tissues, strengthens cell walls and helps trees better handle stress when it is applied at the right time. BEFORE FREEZE The most important thing …
OLL Orange Varieties Revisited at Griffin’s Grove
Last September, Jason Griffin hosted a field day in his citrus grove near Lake Alfred in partnership with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The event was well attended, and some growers requested a second field day when the crop was closer to harvest. Griffin and UF/IFAS hosted a second event in late January as …
Ag Groups Plead for Economic Support for Farmers
American farmers “are facing extreme economic pressures that threaten the long-term viability of the U.S. agriculture sector,” 56 agriculture organizations told congressional leaders in a Jan. 15 letter. California Citrus Mutual, Florida Citrus Mutual and Texas Citrus Mutual were among the letter’s signers. The letter went to the U.S. Senate majority and minority leaders and the House of Representatives speaker …
West Indian Fruit Fly in Texas Grapefruit Triggers Quarantine
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on Jan. 16 established a West Indian fruit fly (Anastrepha obliqua) quarantine in Mission, Hidalgo County, Texas. It is designated the Palmview quarantine. This action parallels a quarantine established by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) on Jan. 13. APHIS took the action in response to the confirmed …
Cold-Hardy Citrus Damage Expected From Incoming Freeze
Trees in the cold-hardy citrus region have already experienced severe cold weather in 2026. If forecasts come to fruition this weekend, freezing temperatures will make things worse. Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, discussed the impact of recent sub-freezing temperatures that citrus in North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama has been subjected to. …
Sneak Peek: February 2026 Citrus Industry
The February issue of Specialty Crop Grower magazine features Part 2 of results from the Citrus State of the Industry Survey. Florida growers reveal details on their planting intentions. Find out what varieties and rootstocks they’re selecting, what percent are growing citrus under protective screen, and other insights. In the digital edition of the magazine, readers can find bonus coverage …
Growers Can Stay Productive in the Face of HLB
Despite declaring there will be no silver bullet for HLB, Ozgur Batuman in a Jan. 21 virtual seminar said growers using integrated pest management (IPM) tools “can stay productive.” However, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor also warned that producing citrus juice in Florida “will not be easy or cheap.” Oranges are by far …
Nutritional Needs of HLB-Affected Trees
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Alisheikh Atta and Edilaine Traspadini Citrus trees require optimal nutrition to be able to maintain high fruit yields, canopy size and good root health. Adequate nutrition supports not only yield and growth, but also tree resilience to disease and environmental stress, which is particularly important in HLB-affected groves. A balanced mix of macronutrients and micronutrients is needed …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Increased Interest in Fresh Utilization
By Peter Chaires Florida breeding programs have been largely focused on the juice stream in recent years. And for good reasons. Retaining the remaining processing capacity and infrastructure is of paramount importance to support Florida’s orange juice industry. Numerous sweet oranges have been released in hopes of achieving incremental improvements in HLB tolerance while improving juice quality. Likewise, there has …
PIECES OF THE PAST: A Legacy and a Launchpad
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette As I look back through my past columns, I realize I’ve unintentionally overlooked an organization that played a pivotal role in shaping both my career and my passion for Florida’s citrus industry — the Dundee Citrus Growers Association (CGA). Dundee CGA generously sponsored me — not once, but twice — in the Florida Citrus Queen Pageant, …
Alico Sells Large Grove in Hendry County
Alico, Inc. on Jan. 15 announced the sale of approximately 2,950 acres of citrus grove in Hendry County for $26.8 million. The company also announced that it has made significant progress in its plans to generate cashflow from its agricultural assets. Those actions have advanced its strategic transformation from traditional citrus operations to a diversified land company. According to Alico, …
All In For Citrus Podcast, January 2026
In the latest All In For Citrus podcast, Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, discussed a statewide citrus workshop hosted at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in January. The event provided a day full of educational presentations covering a wide range of topics. Rogers …
Oxytetracycline Performance Addressed at Citrus Workshop
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted a statewide citrus grower workshop in mid-January at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. The event offered a full day of education covering a wide range of topics, including management of pests, diseases, weeds and nutrients. Ute Albrecht, UF/IFAS associate professor of plant physiology, provided …
Grower Results With ReMedium TI® Mirror Researcher Results
Sponsored Content Question: Are there any updates on the performance of ReMedium TI® and citrus yield improvements? Answer: We are hearing from growers about groves in central and southern Florida where they are observing HLB recovery. I am getting reports from growers that have been steadfast users of ReMedium TI® that seem to be in agreement with much of the …
Grove Conditions, Infrastructure and Funding Addressed
In the recent Highlands County Citrus Growers Association (HCCGA) newsletter, Riley McKenna discussed conditions in groves, shrinking infrastructure and the importance of block grant funding. GROVE OBSERVATIONS McKenna, HCCGA president, stated that “faint hints of March bloom are already beginning to fill the air.” He added that the weather shows little indication of stabilizing or slowing tree growth, “which could …
UGA Extension Monitoring for Psyllid Movement
The vector of citrus greening disease remains in low numbers in Georgia. University of Georgia (UGA) researchers are hoping the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) stays that way. Led by UGA entomologist Apurba Barman, UGA Extension is monitoring for the insect in hopes of limiting its migration throughout South Georgia. “The good thing is, so far, we’ve found ACP in only …
Amending Oxytetracycline With Ascorbic Acid
By Lauren Fessler Mathews, Ana Redondo and Ozgur Batuman Trunk injections of oxytetracycline (OTC) have been proven to give huanglongbing (HLB)-affected citrus in Florida a boost in productivity and quality. However, previous studies have shown that even just six hours of exposure to heat and humidity in the grove can lead to OTC injections that no longer adequately suppress CLas …
Benefits and Risks of Individual Protective Covers
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers have long extolled the virtues of individual protective covers (IPCs). Multi-county citrus Extension agent Edwin Gutierrez-Rodriguez does the same but also warns of potential risks. Following is information from a recent UF/IFAS blog article he authored. In the ongoing battle against huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease, …





























