The University of California, Riverside (UCR), which developed the Tango mandarin in 2006, recently reflected on the variety’s success and noted that its patent has expired. Tango has generated more than $70 million in cumulative economic value for UCR. The virtually seedless, easy-peeling fruit has been marketed under brand names like Cuties and Halos. Now that Tango’s plant patent has …
Survey Seeks to Quantify Florida Freeze Damage
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is asking Florida agriculturists to participate in a postfreeze damage assessment survey. The survey seeks information about the cumulative impacts of all freeze events that have impacted an operation in 2026. The survey requests the general location of the operation (county/ZIP code), commodity specific details including total acreage, affected …
Application Period to Open for Florida Disaster Relief Program
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced that beginning Feb. 25, Florida’s agricultural producers can apply for more than $600 million in disaster assistance for impacts from the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons. In addition, Simpson is asking the federal government for approval to use Florida’s disaster block grant program to immediately fund relief for agricultural producers impacted by the …
Micronutrients Mandatory to HLB Recovery
Sponsored Content Question: Now that we have ReMedium TI® as a therapy to treat HLB, what else can a grower do to speed recovery? Answer: Feed the trees. I know that answer is an oversimplification, but it is the correct answer. Your groves have been struggling for years because of the root damage from HLB. While growers can’t make up …
Expected Freeze Effect on Flowering
Tripti Vashisth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor of horticultural sciences and citrus Extension specialist, was part of a question-and-answer session that the UF/IFAS Statewide Citrus Team held for growers last week prior to the weekend’s winter storm. She talked about how low temperatures and high winds could impact citrus flowering. She expressed hope …
Draining Water From Groves Critical After Freeze
Cold-hardy citrus producers are now coping with the aftermath of last weekend’s winter storm. Water was a key tool that growers used in efforts to protect their crop from sub-freezing temperatures and blistering wind chills. Now, they need that water to drain as quickly as possible, says Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association. “You don’t want to …
Impacts of Freeze on Fruit Quality
Florida citrus growers are in the middle of harvest season. That means plenty of fruit was still left on the trees prior to last weekend’s winter storm that brought freezing temperatures and dangerous wind chills to the state’s citrus-producing regions. Growers are assessing the negative impacts following the freeze, but they may not know the extent of damage for a …
When and How To Use Silicon for Freeze Protection and Recovery
By Muhammad A. Shahid and Davie Kadyampakeni Silicon (Si) is getting a lot of attention from citrus growers as a tool to help trees handle stress, especially during cold and freeze conditions. It toughens up plant tissues, strengthens cell walls and helps trees better handle stress when it is applied at the right time. BEFORE FREEZE The most important thing …
OLL Orange Varieties Revisited at Griffin’s Grove
Last September, Jason Griffin hosted a field day in his citrus grove near Lake Alfred in partnership with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The event was well attended, and some growers requested a second field day when the crop was closer to harvest. Griffin and UF/IFAS hosted a second event in late January as …
Ag Groups Plead for Economic Support for Farmers
American farmers “are facing extreme economic pressures that threaten the long-term viability of the U.S. agriculture sector,” 56 agriculture organizations told congressional leaders in a Jan. 15 letter. California Citrus Mutual, Florida Citrus Mutual and Texas Citrus Mutual were among the letter’s signers. The letter went to the U.S. Senate majority and minority leaders and the House of Representatives speaker …
West Indian Fruit Fly in Texas Grapefruit Triggers Quarantine
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on Jan. 16 established a West Indian fruit fly (Anastrepha obliqua) quarantine in Mission, Hidalgo County, Texas. It is designated the Palmview quarantine. This action parallels a quarantine established by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) on Jan. 13. APHIS took the action in response to the confirmed …
Top Florida Varieties and Rootstocks
Valencia SPB 1-14-19 remained the most propagated Florida citrus variety for at least the fourth straight year in 2024–25, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). The FDACS Division of Plant Industry’s Bureau of Citrus Budwood Registration recently released the Citrus Budwood Annual Report 2024–25. The report is a highly detailed 44-page document. US-942 returned as …
Agriculture Freedom Zones Proposed to Protect Farmland
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller recently proposed a plan to protect farm and ranchland from the rapid spread of data centers. His proposal focuses on creating federal or state-designated Agriculture Freedom Zones (AFZs) that would use targeted tax incentives to guide data center development into appropriate areas. The goal is to safeguard food production while still supporting growth in technology …
Chinese Mandarin and Grapefruit Forecast
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) recently projected 2025–26 production and trade volumes for Chinese tangerines/mandarins and pomelos/grapefruit. TANGERINES AND MANDARINS For 2025–26, China’s production of tangerines and mandarins is forecast at 27.1 million metric tons (MMT), a slight increase from 2024–25 largely due to favorable weather conditions. According to USDA FAS, China has 890,100 hectares …
Growers Can Stay Productive in the Face of HLB
Despite declaring there will be no silver bullet for HLB, Ozgur Batuman in a Jan. 21 virtual seminar said growers using integrated pest management (IPM) tools “can stay productive.” However, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor also warned that producing citrus juice in Florida “will not be easy or cheap.” Oranges are by far …
Nutritional Needs of HLB-Affected Trees
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Alisheikh Atta and Edilaine Traspadini Citrus trees require optimal nutrition to be able to maintain high fruit yields, canopy size and good root health. Adequate nutrition supports not only yield and growth, but also tree resilience to disease and environmental stress, which is particularly important in HLB-affected groves. A balanced mix of macronutrients and micronutrients is needed …
Argentina Orange and Tangerine Forecasts Issued
Fresh orange production in Argentina is forecast at 680,000 metric tons (MT) for 2025–26 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). That’s an 80,000 MT increase from the previous year. Argentine tangerine production is expected to reach 240,000 MT in 2025–26, based on favorable weather. That’s up from 180,000 MT the previous year. PLANTED AREA The …
PIECES OF THE PAST: A Legacy and a Launchpad
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette As I look back through my past columns, I realize I’ve unintentionally overlooked an organization that played a pivotal role in shaping both my career and my passion for Florida’s citrus industry — the Dundee Citrus Growers Association (CGA). Dundee CGA generously sponsored me — not once, but twice — in the Florida Citrus Queen Pageant, …
Alico Sells Large Grove in Hendry County
Alico, Inc. on Jan. 15 announced the sale of approximately 2,950 acres of citrus grove in Hendry County for $26.8 million. The company also announced that it has made significant progress in its plans to generate cashflow from its agricultural assets. Those actions have advanced its strategic transformation from traditional citrus operations to a diversified land company. According to Alico, …
Grower Results With ReMedium TI® Mirror Researcher Results
Sponsored Content Question: Are there any updates on the performance of ReMedium TI® and citrus yield improvements? Answer: We are hearing from growers about groves in central and southern Florida where they are observing HLB recovery. I am getting reports from growers that have been steadfast users of ReMedium TI® that seem to be in agreement with much of the …




























