navel oranges

Navel Oranges: Current Status and Future in Florida

Tacy CalliesVarieties

By Pete Spyke and Bill Castle Navel oranges are fairly tolerant of HLB, are popular and easy to sell, and offer a stable source of income that is only marginally related to worldwide supply and demand. Nevertheless, the Florida navel orange industry has experienced some tough times recently. Growers are questioning whether it is possible to grow navel oranges profitably …

grapefruit

Gmitter Earns High Honor

Ernie NeffAwards

Fred. G. Gmitter Jr. has been named a 2021 Fellow by the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS). Gmitter is a professor of horticulture and a citrus breeder at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Being recognized as a Fellow is the ASHS’ highest honor. Fellows …

Controlling Diplodia Stem-End Rot Before Harvest

Tacy CalliesDiseases

By Mark A. Ritenour, Jiuxu Zhang, Liliana M. Cano and Megan M. Dewdney The decay of fresh citrus fruit in Florida is usually caused by fungal pathogens that grow and develop in the hot and wet conditions typical to the state. While green and sometimes blue Penicillium molds and sour rot can cause Florida fruit to decay, the subtropical conditions …

IRREC Student and Researcher Honored

Ernie NeffAwards

A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) doctoral student and the researcher who oversees his work have received awards from the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS). Student Lukas Hallman won the first Graduate Student Scholars Award. Researcher Lorenzo Rossi received the Professional Early Career Award. Both are at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education …

greenbelt law

Behind Florida’s Production Decline

Ernie NeffProduction

In addition to recently projecting that Florida orange and red grapefruit production will likely decline for the foreseeable future, economist Tom Spreen provided some of the reasons. OLDER, LESS PRODUCTIVE TREESSpreen, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences professor emeritus, cited an older tree inventory and declining fruit per tree as contributors to projected yield declines. He said …

Chilli thrips

Chilli Thrips a Potential Problem in CUPS

Tacy CalliesAll In For Citrus Podcast, CUPS, Pests

A modified way of producing citrus in Florida to protect against the Asian citrus psyllid may provide shelter for another pest — chilli thrips. Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) production systems protect against the psyllid and the huanglongbing (HLB) disease the pest transmits. However, according to University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock, the …

Assessing Spatial Patterns of Individual Protective Covers

Tacy CalliesIPCs

By Fernando Alferez, Ozgur Batuman, Susmita Gaire, Ute Albrecht and Jawwad Qureshi In previous and ongoing research performed at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC), we have demonstrated that individual protective covers (IPCs) are effective in keeping psyllids off newly planted citrus trees. Trees have been HLB-free for more than two years after planting, and the IPCs provide …

Grower: Young Trees Look ‘Outstanding’

Ernie NeffProduction

In the face of production declines, pest issues and other challenges, multi-county Florida citrus grower David Wheeler of Wheeler Farms found something positive to report. “One bright spot is the health of our young trees,” he said. “They look outstanding and have been on a good program with a rotation of insecticides.” Wheeler Farms’ more mature citrus trees aren’t doing …

Valencia Grove Design Research Earns Award

Ernie NeffAwards

Scientists who showed that high-density plantings yield considerably more Valencia oranges, among other findings, have been honored by the American Society for Horticultural Science. Researchers Rhuanito “Johnny” Ferrarezi, Mark Ritenour and Alan Wright won the society’s Outstanding Fruit Publication Award. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers work at the Indian River Research and Education Center …

zinc

Florida Production Faces Further Decline

Ernie NeffForecast, Production

Florida orange and red grapefruit production, already at historically low levels, will likely decline for years, according to a leading citrus economist. Tom Spreen, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences professor emeritus, calculated Florida crop output through the 2031-32 season based on various yield and tree replacement assumptions. Oranges and red grapefruit are Florida’s top-producing varieties.   …

Parson Brown Outperforming Hamlin

Ernie NeffResearch, Varieties

Manjul Dutt recently discussed his research on the Parson Brown (PB) sweet orange, which shows some characteristics that could make it more attractive than Hamlin, Florida’s leading early-season orange. Dutt is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences horticultural sciences researcher at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Dutt’s research, funded by the Citrus …

benefits

Dundee CUPS Project Awarded

Ernie NeffAwards, CUPS, Irrigation

A citrus under protective screen (CUPS) project in Dundee, Florida, has received the 2021 Vanguard Award from the Irrigation Association (IA). The award honors an innovative project in the irrigation industry executed by a team of individuals, companies, organizations or other group entities. Projects chosen for the award exemplify the IA’s mission of promoting efficient irrigation.   The partners in …

Florida Citrus Packers

Grower: Last Season Had Ups, Downs

Ernie NeffGrapefruit, lemons

Vero Beach grower George Hamner reported having better production and size on his fresh market grapefruit and lemon crops in the 2020-21 season than in the prior year. He said grapefruit prices remained steady, similar to the prior year. “Lemons, however, were not as good as previous years because of the loss of food-service business … due to COVID-19,” he …

soil

CRDF on Plant Breeding and Peptides

Ernie NeffBreeding, CRDF, Peptides

Plant breeding, project terminations and peptide discussions dominated the July 27 meeting of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation’s (CRDF) board of directors. CRDF Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler provided the following report: PLANT BREEDINGWe continue to believe that plant breeding will ultimately be how we put HLB in the rearview mirror. As a result, we continue to put a …

World Orange and OJ Production to Rise

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast

Worldwide orange and orange juice (OJ) production are projected to climb in the 2020-21 market year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported recently. ORANGESGlobal orange output for 2020-21 is estimated up 2.5 million tons from the previous year to 48.6 million as favorable weather leads to a larger crop in Brazil (up 7%) and Mexico (up …

pesticide

Before You Spray

Tacy CalliesCEU

By Matt Smith Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. We often think about pesticide safety and best management practices when we are in the field spraying. You’re outside, you’re …

Expo Focus: ‘What Growers Can Do Now’

Ernie NeffCitrus Expo

Many of the citrus presentations featured on the first day of Citrus Expo, Aug. 18, will focus on “what growers can do now” to keep groves productive, Michael Rogers reports. Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, offers what he calls “a 30,000-foot view” of the citrus seminar …

Sneak Peek: August 2021 Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

August brings the biggest issue of Citrus Industry magazine of the year! That’s due to the annual Citrus, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo on Aug. 18-19 in North Fort Myers, Florida. The August issue serves as the show guide to the event and includes the seminar schedule, an exhibitor directory and everything attendees need to make the most of the …

CUPS Tree Growth Surprises Growers

Ernie NeffCUPS

Brothers Jerry and Keith Mixon have been surprised by how well trees grow in their citrus under protective screen (CUPS) facilities in Alturas, Florida. “All of the varieties we are growing have responded amazingly,” they said recently about their CUPS experience. Though each brother has his own CUPS structures, they jointly discussed their results. The brothers have a combined 130 …

Maximizing Rootstock Seed Production

Tacy CalliesSeed

By Fernando Alferez, Deived Uilian de Carvalho, Daniel Boakye, Tim Gast and Manjul Dutt Endemic HLB in Florida has provoked increased pressure to replant and reset infected groves. This has resulted in concern from citrus growers and nursery operators about seed availability for the most popular rootstocks in the state. In the past, all rootstock fruit (both early and late …