By Lauren M. Diepenbrock Maintaining a productive citrus grove in Florida takes a lot of effort and innovation these days. So much so that growers’ needs can outpace the timeline of the researchers who support this industry. As such, growers often move forward with promising ideas or tools before researchers can provide useful recommendations toward successfully incorporating these tools. The …
Texas Researchers to Lead HLB Project
Scientists from Texas A&M AgriLife Research will lead a public-private collaboration across Texas, Florida, California and Indiana to advance new, environmentally friendly and commercially viable HLB control strategies. The $7 million, four-year AgriLife Research project is part of an $11 million suite of grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. In addition to Texas …
Get the CEUs You Need
By Ajia Paolillo If you are a certified applicator in Florida, meaning you hold a restricted-use pesticide (RUP) license, chances are you will use continuing education units (CEUs) for the renewal of your license. With the new year approaching, this is a great time to review the CEUs that you have earned toward your license and identify how many more …
Legislators Want Grapefruit Decision Reversed
Members of the Florida and Texas congressional delegations recently urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reverse its decision to administratively suspend juice content standards for imported grapefruit. The delegations also requested information regarding the circumstances of the suspension, which was allegedly made without a proper rulemaking process, and for which Congress was not notified. The request was led by …
Citrus Hall of Fame Names New Inductees
George F. Hamner Jr., of Vero Beach, and the late A. Tillis Edwards Jr. and Edward A. Taylor, both of Lakeland, will be inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 2022. The inductions will take place during a Citrus Celebration Luncheon scheduled for Oct. 14 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. A. TILLIS EDWARDS JR. Edwards was a …
Texas Growers Stand to Lose $70.5 Million Due to Mexican Grapefruit Imports
A new report written by Luis A. Ribera, Landyn Young and Dan Hanselka of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service outlines the damage imported grapefruit is having on the U.S. grapefruit industry. The report is titled “Economic Impacts of the Suspension of Juice Content Requirement on Imported Grapefruits from Mexico.” “The U.S. Standards for Grades of Florida Grapefruit and Marketing …
HLB-Tolerant Tree Among CRDF Topics
Research proposals and a newly discovered tree that shows tolerance to HLB were among the topics discussed at the Dec. 7 Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors meeting. Rick Dantzler, CRDF chief operating officer, provided a summary of actions taken at the meeting. OFFICERS AND DIRECTORSCRDF officers for the next two years were determined. Rob Atchley will …
HLB Quarantines Established in Alabama
Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI), is establishing new quarantines for huanglongbing (HLB; citrus greening disease). The new quarantines are effective in all areas of Baldwin and Mobile counties in Alabama. APHIS is taking this action because of HLB detections in …
Citrus Flower Bud Advisories Resume
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is providing growers with regular flower bud advisories as the critical time for citrus grove management begins this winter. UF/IFAS associate professor Tripti Vashisth restarted the advisories Dec. 2 and will continue providing them every other week through the spring. The advisories provide critical information about the intensity and …
Agricultural Water Use Changes Proposed
Taylor Langford O’Bannon, food safety Extension agent for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), shared information on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed changes to the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule. The changes pertain specifically to Subpart E (Agricultural Water). “The proposed changes, if finalized, will replace the pre-harvest microbial quality criteria and …
Know the Signs of Freeze Damage
By Amir Rezazadeh It is important to know how cold temperatures impact citrus trees. Citrus trees are native to subtropical and tropical regions. Although some mandarins and tangerines are quite cold-hardy, other citrus trees are not particularly cold-hardy and temperatures below 20 degrees for more than four hours may kill most citrus trees. Chilling damage in citrus depends on several factors. …
Field Day to Feature GA and Nutrition Trials
Growers will have the opportunity to learn more about recent citrus research trials on nutrition and gibberellic acid (GA) and their impact on tree health. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Polk County will host a field day on Dec. 14 to share research findings with growers. The field tours will begin with an overview …
Pummelo Interstocks Could Improve Performance of HLB Trees
By Manjul Dutt, Ethan Nielsen, Lamiaa Mahmoud, Maria Quirico and Jude Grosser All commercially cultivated citrus scion varieties are grafted onto rootstocks before being planted in the field. The rootstocks are selected based on specific desirable qualities (abiotic/biotic stress resistance) and the ability to produce a good crop in a specific location. The ideal rootstock confers disease resistance, hardiness, tolerance …
Scout for Problems, Even in CUPS
Growers should monitor for pests and diseases, even in the citrus under protective screen (CUPS) systems designed to keep HLB-spreading psyllids out of trees, according to entomologist Jawwad Qureshi. He told more than 25 people participating in a Dec. 1 virtual seminar that CUPS “are not foolproof systems,” and said citrus can’t be grown successfully without pest management. Qureshi works …
Getting New Varieties to Growers
The executive directors of two organizations that play a vital role in getting citrus varieties into the hands of growers summarize how the process works. They are John Beuttenmuller with Florida Foundation Seed Producers (FFSP) and Peter Chaires with New Varieties Development & Management Corporation (NVDMC). When University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant breeders propose …
How to Own Your Data and Profit From It
With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, data derived from farms might be more valuable than the crops growers produce. That’s because farmers can make money from their information when companies use it for other purposes, says a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientist. The key for producers is to take ownership of their information. …
BMPs Addressed in Bill
Florida Sen. Ben Albritton filed a bill (SB 1000) to address issues related to best management practices (BMPs), the Nov. 19 Florida Citrus Mutual Triangle newsletter reported. According to the Triangle, the bill addresses several issues stemming from outdated science supporting University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) nutrient recommendation rates pertaining to BMPs. The bill also …
Grapefruit Import Action Protested
The state agriculture commissioners for Florida and Texas recently urged U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to reinstate juice content requirements on grapefruit imports. They stated that a so-called “patch” issued earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture creates unfair advantages for Mexico and other countries over domestic grapefruit producers. “There appears to have been a ‘patch’ quietly …
Sneak Peek: December 2021 Citrus Industry
Everyone seems to get busier during December as the holidays near. With the harvest season in full swing, this is especially true in the Florida citrus industry. Amidst the rush to complete holiday preparations and tend to never-ending grove tasks, it’s a good idea to pause for a moment to consider farm safety issues. The December issue of Citrus Industry …
Which Rootstock to Select
Valencia trees on high-vigor (left) and low-vigor (right) inducing rootstocks in a Central Ridge field trial. Note the higher yield efficiency of the smaller trees on the right and the leaning of these trees due to Hurricane Irma. By Ute Albrecht Rootstock selection is critical for longevity and productivity of a grove. The decision should be based on compatibility with …