Ag Industry Mourns Loss of Phil Stansly

Tacy CalliesCitrus

Philip A Stansly, age 74, of LaBelle, passed away Sept. 12, 2018 in Fort Myers, Florida. Stansly served the agricultural industry as a member of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center team for 32 years. Stansly was a frequent contributor to Citrus Industry magazine and was featured as the “psyllid slayer” …

All In For Citrus Podcast

About The Podcast The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Southeast AgNet are partnering to provide the latest news on citrus-related research in a monthly podcast. The podcast, “All in for Citrus,” features short interviews with scientists working to find solutions to citrus greening and other devastating citrus diseases. “This is the latest tactic in a …

A Grower’s Perspective on Marketing Lemons in Florida

Tacy Callieslemons

Interest in lemon production is increasing among Florida’s citrus producers. This was evident by the strong turnout of growers who attended a lemon workshop at the Citrus Research and Education Center on Sept. 11. Approximately 80 growers and industry members attended the event, hosted by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Polk County Extension. George Hamner Jr., …

steve futch

A Day in the Life of a UF/IFAS Extension Citrus Agent: Steve Futch

Daniel CooperCitrus, Research

Steve Futch’s official office is located in Lake Alfred at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center. But most days you’ll find him working out of his other office — his car — driving from grove to grove in his four-county area. “I go to meet or work with citrus growers …

psyllids

Combating Citrus Greening with Fungus

Tacy CalliesCitrus Greening

By Breanna Kendrick The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is testing an insect-killing fungus to combat the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). Pasco Avery, biological scientist at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce, is researching the use of fungus-oil sprays and assessing the effects on ACP, the insect that transmits the …

florida

Florida Citrus Recovery Grant Program for Hurricane Irma

Daniel CooperCitrus, hurricane

The Florida Citrus Recovery Grant Program (CRGP) is available to citrus producers who maintain an active citrus farming operation and who suffered citrus crop damage as a result of Hurricane Irma. In order to qualify for CRGP, producers must first apply for the Federal 2017 USDA Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (WHIP). Producers receiving assistance under either CRGP or WHIP must obtain …

HLB

Individual Tree Covers for HLB Defense

Ernie NeffHLB Management

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Jim Graham shares preliminary results from a new trial aimed at protecting trees from HLB infection at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. During the first five months of the trial, individual protective covers (IPCs) successfully kept psyllids off young trees and delayed HLB infection. Trees under the covers …

How to Handle Glyphosate-Related Fruit Drop

Tacy Calliesweeds

By Ramdas Kanissery, Fernando Alferez and Ozgur Batuman Herbicides are one of the key inputs necessary for effective management of a wide diversity of weed infestations in citrus crop production. Most weeds in citrus could be controlled by adopting a weed management program that utilizes a combination of herbicides based on their selectivity and compatibility with the crop. This would …

acreage

Grower Discusses Acreage Count, Tree Health

Ernie NeffAcreage

Arcadia citrus grower V.C. Hollingsworth, chair of the Citrus Crop Estimates Advisory Committee, reacts to the recent Florida citrus acreage report and discusses tree health. Hollingsworth says the acreage count is “not down as far as I thought it might be.” On Aug. 28, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released its Commercial Citrus Inventory, which indicated Florida …

whip

Citrus Block Grant Funding Coming Soon

Daniel CooperCitrus, hurricane, Industry News Release

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Florida Citrus Mutual continue to push for the prompt disbursement of funds associated with Hurricane Irma relief. Mutual is optimistic the Hurricane Irma Block Grant program administered by the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) will begin in earnest next week. Administrators of the Block Grant will hold an internal Florida Citrus …

What the New CRDF Leader Learned in Two Weeks

Ernie NeffCRDF, HLB Management

Two weeks into his job as chief operations officer (COO) of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), Rick Dantzler summarizes what he has heard from growers and his thoughts on helping the industry. Dantzler says he has talked to growers, CRDF board members and industry representatives “to try to get a sense of what they want CRDF to do. …

Sneak Peek: September 2018 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

Some fruit drop in citrus is a naturally occurring process, but other types of drop can and should be avoided. In the September issue of Citrus Industry magazine, University of Florida researchers discuss HLB-associated pre-harvest fruit drop and glyphosate-related fruit drop. Not only does HLB increase fruit drop, it also negatively impacts fruit flavor. Another research article in the September …

Citrus Expo Presentations Now Available

Abbey TaylorCitrus Expo

The 27th annual Citrus Expo saw great success as growers piled into the Lee Civic Center on Aug. 15–16 in North Fort Myers, Florida. Growers experienced the biggest trade show in Citrus Expo history, as well as extended citrus seminar sessions. The educational program, titled “Planting Tomorrow’s Profits,” featured presentations on the latest research from the University of Florida Institute …

aphis

Florida Citrus Acreage Declines Again

Ernie NeffAcreage

Florida’s citrus acreage continued a long descent in 2018, decreasing 2 percent to 447,012 acres. The total number of acres is the least since the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service began keeping count in 1966. The 2018 count was released on Aug. 28. There was a gross loss of 20,114 acres in 2018, partially offset by new …

PIECES OF THE PAST: Centennial Celebration

Tacy CalliesHistory

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Frostproof will celebrate its 100th year beginning at noon on Sept. 1, 2018. The Frostproof Centennial Committee has been posting a number of articles on its Facebook page in honor of the celebration. One of the articles noted how Frostproof was incorporated. On June 18, 1918, at 3:00 p.m., 47 Frostproof men met in the Thompson …

Crate Labels: Marketing Tools Become American Art

Tacy CalliesCalifornia Corner, History

By Len Wilcox The labels that citrus packinghouses formerly placed on their shipping crates have a long and colorful history. These vibrant labels — usually square, depicting a beautiful farm, pretty lady or perhaps some impossibly perfect oranges — have become art objects and unique representations of their time and place in history. LOCATIONS OF COLLECTIONS In Florida, that history …

CUPS Offers Grapefruit Hope

Ernie NeffGrapefruit

A 4-year-old citrus-under-protective-screen (CUPS) trial offers hope for fresh grapefruit growers who struggle to grow fruit in the face of HLB, Arnold Schumann reports. Schumann says last season’s Ray Ruby grapefruit crop enclosed in CUPS at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred had 100 percent packout, even after Hurricane Irma inflicted some damage to the CUPS structure …

Consider Vigorous Resets at Higher Densities

Tacy Calliesplanting, Rootstocks, sales

By Aaron Himrod Although there is a current lack of true resistance to HLB, making appropriate variety choices does have a significant impact on grove performance and profitability. Compromises among the various factors will have to be made. Take note of the most limiting factors in your grove and make your selection with these in mind. HLB exacerbates stresses that …

HLB, Replanting

What to Ask When Deciding What to Plant

Tacy CalliesRootstocks, Scions, Varieties

By Nate Jameson The decision-making process for choosing a scion/rootstock combination involves multiple factors. The process starts by answering the following questions: Question 1: New planting or resetting? If the block is being reset, is still profitable and will stay in production for several years, then I suggest the grower stay with the existing combination currently planted. If the block …

Rootstock/Scion Combos: What Works and What Doesn’t

Tacy CalliesRootstocks, Scions

By Ernie Neff For Phil Rucks and Tom Powers at Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery in Frostproof, Florida, selecting rootstock and scion combinations starts by acknowledging that some varieties just don’t do well with HLB. “We don’t recommend some varieties regardless of rootstock,” Rucks says. Powers says varieties that are especially difficult to grow with HLB are Hamlin, midsweet and pineapple …