nutrient

Citrus Nutrient Research Update

Daniel CooperNutrition, Tip of the Week

By Davie Kadyampakeni, Muhammad Shahid and Alisheikh Atta Current citrus nutrient guidelines are based on studies of healthy citrus trees conducted in the pre-huanglongbing (HLB) era. These guidelines may no longer be valid for the present situation where 100% of mature citrus trees in Florida are HLB-affected. Scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) …

Argentina

Argentine Orange and Tangerine Forecasts Slashed

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, International

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has reduced its 2023–24 production forecasts for Argentine oranges and tangerines by 44% and 30%, respectively, since the last forecasts. The 2023–24 crops are now expected to be 650,000 metric tons (MT) of oranges and 280,000 MT of tangerines.  The decrease in production is due to a combination of factors, …

recovery

Trunk Injection Shows Positive Results on Early Varieties

Daniel CooperHLB Management, OTC Expert

Sponsored Content Q: There have been questions about the effectiveness of ReMedium TI® injections on early varieties like Hamlins. What have you seen from the data collected this past season? Tom Johnson: The early varieties respond well to ReMedium TI® injection. We received data from a grower that had three separate blocks of Hamlins. Each block was about 70 acres. …

trunk injection

Where Do Growers Stand With Trunk-Injection Therapy?

Daniel CooperHLB Management

Florida growers are well into their second application of oxytetracycline (OTC) trunk injection as the 2023–24 season winds down. The results of the first application made last year are becoming somewhat clearer, but there’s still more to observe and learn about trunk injection. Ute Albrecht, associate professor of plant physiology with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural …

Orange Crop

Brazil’s First Forecast for the 2024–25 Citrus Season

Daniel CooperBrazil, Crop Forecast

The 2024–25 orange crop forecast for Brazil’s São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt, published on May 10 by Fundecitrus and its cooperators, is 232.38 million 90-pound boxes. The projected volume represents a significant drop of 24.36% as compared to the previous crop of 307.22 million boxes. VARIETY BREAKDOWN Production by variety is divided as follows (figures in parentheses …

Trunk-Injection

Trunk-Injection Suggestions

Daniel CooperHLB Management

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professors Ute Albrecht, Ozgur Batuman and Megan Dewdney recently wrote Suggested Use Pattern of Injectable Antimicrobials for Huanglongbing (HLB) Management (April 2024). They emphasized that the document is not an official UF/IFAS recommendation but is based on the labels for antimicrobial products ReMedium and Rectify. Some key suggestions in …

grower

Grower Panel: OTC a Net Positive So Far

Daniel CooperEvents, HLB Management

Florida Citrus Mutual recently hosted a roundtable discussion about the performance of trunk-injection therapies as growers are making their second round of applications. The grower participants included Jim Snively, Southern Gardens Citrus; Glenn Beck, Beck Bros. Citrus and Wes Soria, Sorrells Citrus. University of Florida scientist Ute Albrecht also joined the panel to provide a research update. Rick Dantzler, chief …

final

Final Orange Forecast for Brazil’s 2023–24 Season

Daniel CooperBrazil, Crop Forecast

Fundecitrus and its cooperators published the final orange production forecast on April 10 for the 2023–24 crop season in Brazil’s São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt. The forecast calls for 307.22 million 90-pound boxes of oranges, unchanged from the February forecast. The final forecast by variety is: The season’s production was 2.2% lower than the prior year’s crop …

CRAFT

CRAFT Program Promotes New Planting and Knowledge

Daniel CooperCRAFT, planting, Research

Since its founding in 2019, the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program has been responsible for the planting of just under 10,000 acres of new trees. This includes about 6,000 acres of solid-set groves and just shy of 4,000 acres of resets. CRAFT is a first-of-its-kind program and considered an innovation among funding agencies needed to support such efforts. …

lennon

Surviving to Fight Another Day

Daniel CooperFlorida, HLB Management

Bill Lennon is working with researchers to learn more about survivor trees that are standing up to HLB. Bill Lennon is a fifth-generation citrus grower who can recall the industry’s glory days when Central Florida had hundreds of thousands of citrus acres before the 1980s freezes pushed production southward in the state. But he’s remained dedicated to the area, managing …

CRISPR

CRISPR Is Bringing Citrus Closer to HLB Resistance

Daniel CooperBreeding, HLB Management, Research

You’ve probably heard the term CRISPR in recent years. It is a relatively new breakthrough in science that has applications in human health and even in the fight against HLB. Nian Wang, a professor of microbiology and cell science with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), has been on the forefront of CRISPR research. Here …

citrus

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: A Day of Learning About New Rootstocks and Varieties

Daniel CooperCitrus Nursery Source, Rootstocks, Varieties

By Peter Chaires The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory and Florida Citrus Research Foundation (FCRF) jointly held an open house, variety display and field tour at the W.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm between Leesburg and Groveland in early December. This annual event provides a great opportunity for industry members to see the latest innovations in …

HLB-affected trees

PGRs for HLB-Affected Trees: An Update

Daniel CooperHLB Management, PGRs

Using the plant growth regulators (PGRs) cytokinin in spring, gibberellic acid (GA) in summer and 2,4-D in late fall can be helpful for HLB-affected trees, horticulturist Tripti Vashisth reported. Her PGR update came during a Feb. 21 OJ Break. Multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt hosted the event at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus …

orange

Brazil Citrus Season Nears End

Daniel CooperBrazil, Crop Forecast

The Feb. 9 forecast for the 2023–24 orange crop in the São Paulo and West-Southwest of Minas Gerais citrus belt of Brazil is unchanged from December 2023 at 307.22 million boxes of 40.8 kilograms each. This represents a reduction of 0.7% when compared to the initial forecast for the season. Of the total estimated production, approximately 27.76 million boxes are …

pgrs

PGRs: Multipurpose Tools for Citrus Improvement

Daniel CooperPGRs, Tip of the Week

By Tripti Vashisth Canopy health of HLB-affected citrus has been directly related to disease severity, fruit drop and overall fruit production. Some success has been found with the use of certain plant growth regulators (PGRs) such as gibberellic acid (GA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) to achieve healthier trees with reduced fruit drop and increased production. HLB MANAGEMENT Application of these …

Crop Transformation Center

Crop Transformation Center Takes Aim at HLB Resistance

Daniel CooperBreeding, HLB Management, Research

By Frank Giles The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has established itself as a leader in new technological frontiers like artificial intelligence (AI). In fact, the school has the 15th most powerful computer in the world. The HiPerGator, as the computer is called, will assist in AI development and on many other technological fronts. Another …

CRDF

Taking Available Tools to the Grove

Tacy CalliesHLB Management

The quest for long-term solutions to HLB is well underway. Technology like CRISPR is being developed to introduce tolerance or resistance to HLB. Conventional breeding also is seeking rootstocks and varieties that can resist the disease. In the meantime, growers are reminded to utilize available tools that help trees remain productive in an HLB environment. During the August Citrus & …

Studying the Mechanisms for HLB Tolerance

Tacy CalliesAll In For Citrus Podcast, Research, Varieties

John Chater has been on the job now for two years, working with growers to evaluate variety performance in field trials. In the latest All In For Citrus podcast episode, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor discusses his work, including grower collaboration to study new varieties in real-world environments. Chater also talks about …

field

Rootstocks and More Showcased at Field Day

Daniel CooperEvents, Rootstocks, Varieties

In early December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) hosted its annual A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm field tour and variety display in Groveland, Florida. The event was well attended and showcased the USDA-ARS citrus scion and rootstock breeding program. Attendees loaded up for a hayride and guided tour through the grove. One stop showcased the cooperative work the …