As Citrus Industry changes to a new format in 2025 (see more here), now is a good time to look back at some of the stories the publication has covered over the years. The world’s largest citrus library at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred holds a mostly …
CRDF Board Approves Four More Projects
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) held its governance and plant improvement committee meetings along with its board of directors meeting on Dec. 3 in Sebring. Rick Dantzler, chief operating officer, said several orders of business were conducted as the year comes to a close. “The CRDF board of directors approved four projects at its last board meeting of …
UF/IFAS Researcher and Postdoc Honored
A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher and her postdoc have been inducted into the Sigma Xi scientific research honor society. The inductees are Sandra Guzmán, assistant professor at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) and Gregory Conde, postdoctoral research associate in Guzmán’s Smart Irrigation and Hydrology Laboratory. “Dr. Guzmán and Dr. …
H-2A Improvement Recommendations
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently offered two recommendations for improving the H-2A visa program. The first recommendation is that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) establish a schedule to process H-2A petitions electronically. The second recommendation is that the Department of Labor (DOL) evaluate options it could use to better locate workers to return back wages. The recommendations …
Status Update on CRAFT Programs
The application window for the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) New Tree Planting Cycle Six and Existing Tree Therapies Round Three closed in November. Updates on the programs follow. NEW TREE PLANTING CRAFT received 227 New Tree Planting applications, including 13 solid set projects featuring plant material from the Program for Expedited Propagation, 50 traditional solid set projects and 164 …
All In For Citrus Podcast Discusses Indian River Events
The Millennium Block grove is a large-scale trial evaluating HLB tolerance of various rootstock/scion combinations at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce, Florida. The trial is primarily focused on grapefruit scion/rootstock combinations. Recently, a Millennium Block field day allowed growers to view various selections that …
Improving ACP and HLB Control in Residential Settings
By Romain Exilien and Xavier Martini Residential gardens serve as reservoirs for Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) and citrus greening disease (also known as huanglongbing or HLB) due to unmanaged citrus trees. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) conducted a survey to assess residents’ needs regarding ACP and HLB management. The survey examined their current control …
Climate Change in the Cold-Hardy Citrus Region
Climate change is a key reason that citrus production has progressed in South Georgia, North Florida and South Alabama, the area known as the cold-hardy citrus region. As more varieties, other than satsuma mandarins, continue to be planted in the area, warmer temperatures are needed for trees to flourish. Arnold Schumann, professor of soil fertility and water quality at the …
Changing With the Times
By Robin Loftin and Frank Giles When HLB was first confirmed in Florida in October 2005, it was difficult to imagine the path the disease would take the state’s citrus industry down. In some ways, it has been a testament to the resolve and ingenuity of growers who have kept trees alive and continued planting, despite some early prognostications that …
PIECES OF THE PAST: He Called It a Day
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette University of Florida Professor P.H. Rolfs gave a speech during the 1935 Florida State Horticultural Society (FSHS) meeting about the “Founders and Foundations of Florida Agriculture.” (FSHS Proceedings, 1935). An interesting read, it touched on many of the major industry members of the time, but I truly loved the following excerpt I found under the heading …
Indian River Open House Includes Varieties Display
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center (UF/IFAS IRREC) will hold an open house Saturday, Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Numerous activities are planned for the facility at 2199 S. Rock Road in Fort Pierce. UF/IFAS IRREC and its next-door neighbor, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service …
HLB-Tolerant Hybrid Varieties Highlighted
Two varieties that tolerate HLB and produce ample fruit yield and juice were the highlights of the recent Millennium Block Field Day in Fort Pierce, Florida. The 20-acre Millennium Block at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) examines fresh fruit varieties and rootstocks. “The two varieties that give …
How to Handle Extended Flowering in HLB Trees
By Tripti Vashisth University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) flower bud induction advisories for 2024–25 started on Nov. 25. The advisories will be posted bi-weekly until March 2025. The goal of the advisories is to provide growers and production managers with a complete overview of flowering prediction. Every advisory will aim to deliver recommendations for that …
Juice Maturity Standards Eased; Varieties Approved for Licensing
Update as of 12-2-24: For the period beginning 12:00 a.m. on Dec. 2, 2024, and ending at 11:59 p.m. on May 23, 2025, maturity standards in regard to ratio are suspended for all grapefruit including field run and eliminations. This emergency rule supersedes Emergency Rule 20ER24-4. At the request of Florida processor and grower associations, the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) …
IMG Citrus Moving Forward With More CUPS
A Nov. 22 Lake County farm tour, hosted by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, included a visit to the 13-acre citrus under protective screen (CUPS) site owned by IMG Citrus. Located in Groveland, the facility consists of Ruby Red grapefruit on Swingle rootstock planted in May 2022. Clint Updike, IMG citrus production manager, told farm …
Sneak Peek: December 2024 Citrus Industry
Citrus Industry magazine has been proudly serving growers for more than a century. In the December issue, AgNet Media announces some important changes to the 105-year-old brand. Beginning in January of next year, Citrus Industry content will become a part of Specialty Crop Grower magazine. The Citrus Industry website and weekly e-news will continue as is. Learn about the reason …
Citrus Canker Spreading in Cold-Hardy Region
Citrus canker has long been a presence and concern for Florida’s citrus growers. Growers in North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama should be wary of its potential spread into the cold-hardy citrus region. Clive Bock, a research plant pathologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, spoke about the disease during the recent Cold-Hardy Citrus Meeting at the University of …
All In For Citrus Podcast, November 2024
In November, academia from around the world gathered in Jeju, Korea, for the 2024 International Citrus Congress. A contingent of researchers from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) attended the event. Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center, was among the attendees. He discusses the trip in the November episode of …
Large Grant to Aid Nursery Automation
Imagine a future where nurseries can effortlessly manage their plants with cutting-edge automation technologies, using potting or weed-spraying robots instead of having to dig each hole or spray each pot by hand. With the help of a $9.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, this vision is becoming a reality. The University …
Improved Method for Evaluation of Canopy Density
The American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) journal HortScience recently published an article that describes a simple, low-cost method for accurate canopy evaluation of citrus. The authors are Taylor Livingston, Amit Levy and Tripti Vashisth of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center. A summary of the article follows. Citrus cultivation presents …