By William Mitchell, Taylor O’Bannon and Michelle Danyluk Biosolids, sometimes referred to as sewage sludge, are a primarily organic solid product produced by wastewater treatment processes. These organic solids are often used as an inexpensive soil amendment to enhance soil quality. KNOW THE RULES AND RISKS The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) prohibits the use of …
AccuWeather Issues Hurricane Season Forecast
The AccuWeather 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season forecast predicts 13 to 18 named storms this year. Seven to 10 of those storms are expected to strengthen into hurricanes. Three to five of the storms are predicted to strengthen into major hurricanes (Category 3 hurricane or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale). Category 3 hurricanes have maximum sustained winds of 111 …
Another Above-Average Hurricane Season Expected
Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane researchers are predicting an above-average Atlantic hurricane season in their initial 2025 forecast report. The CSU team is predicting 17 named storms during the season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Of those, researchers forecast nine to become hurricanes and four to reach major hurricane strength (Category 3, 4 or 5) with sustained …
University of Georgia Honors Jake Price
Jake Price, who has helped introduce cold-hardy citrus to Georgia, was recently honored by the University of Georgia (UGA). He is one of five UGA faculty and staff members recognized for their commitment to public service and outreach. Price won a Walter Barnard Hill Award, named for UGA Chancellor Walter B. Hill. Each award recipient receives a medallion, a permanent …
Brazilian Psyllid Population Drops
The population of HLB-transmitting psyllids in Brazil dropped a significant 40% in 2024 from the prior year. Despite that drop, the psyllid population remains above the average recorded between 2014 and 2019, a period before the insect’s resistance to some insecticides was identified. This data reinforces the need for effective control strategies to prevent new psyllid population increases, according to …
Improving Diaprepes Root Weevil Management
By Maegan Beatty During a recent citrus insect management workshop at the Citrus Research and Education Center, Larry Duncan, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences professor, addressed diaprepes root weevil management. This Caribbean pest was introduced to Florida in the 1960s. The adult pests feed and lay eggs in citrus tree canopies. The larvae feed on roots …
Alternate Bearing of Georgia Satsumas
Jake Price and Mary Sutton of University of Georgia Extension recently wrote an article about alternate bearing of satsumas in Georgia. Edited excerpts follow. Satsumas tend to alternate bear, which can be a problem in commercial production. The freeze at the end of 2022 contributed to the majority of satsuma trees in Georgia having a light crop in 2023. This …
Irrigation Comparison for Young HLB Trees
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Kondwani Kamsikiri and Alisheikh Atta Water scarcity is one of the major constraints in Florida citrus production systems, primarily due to erratic rainfall patterns and the low water- and nutrient-holding capacity of the predominantly sandy soils. The state’s soils contain more than 95% sand and have low organic matter (<1%) and very low water-holding capacity. These challenges …
Branch Rot Hits Brazilian Orchards
The disease branch rot is worrying Brazilian citrus growers because of its recent increased occurrence in orchards. Branch rot is also called peduncular rot, branch gummosis or bot gummosis. The main reason for the disease’s occurrence is stress caused to citrus plants by high temperatures, severe periods of drought and attacks from other diseases, such as greening. Fungi of the …
Suicide Strategy Found for Weeds
Parasitic weeds are ruthless freeloaders, stealing nutrients from crops and devastating harvests. But what if growers could trick these invaders into self-destructing? Scientists at University of California, Riverside (UCR) think they’ve found a way to turn the weeds’ own biology against them. This trick is detailed in the journal Science. At its heart lies a class of hormones called …
HLB-Tolerant Varieties Available
Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. (FFSP) has signed a licensing agreement with New Varieties Development and Management Corp. (NVDMC) to introduce new citrus varieties showing tolerance to HLB. The HLB-tolerant varieties covered by the agreement are: The collaboration also includes the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and the Florida Department of Citrus. It aims to …
Florida Southern College’s Malcolm Manners to Retire
Malcolm Manners, Florida Southern College (FSC) professor of citrus science and coordinator of the citrus and horticultural science program, will soon retire after 44 years at the college. Manners’ fascination with plants and horticulture started at a young age. “My parents were always gardeners, and I’ve had an interest in plants my whole life,” he said. After earning a bachelor’s degree …
Where Is the Farm Labor Funding?
The National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) recently urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to investigate a halt in federal funds to farmers to help address critical labor shortages and reduce irregular migration from Northern Central American countries. The request was in a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. Last year, USDA’s Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot …
Brassinosteroids Improve HLB-Affected Tree Health and Fruit Quality
By Fernando Alferez, Divya Aryal and Saoussen Ben Abdallah In the last few years, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus horticulture team at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) in Immokalee has performed several research trials in commercial farms and at the experimental farm at the SWFREC to elucidate the effect of …
Growing More Than Grapefruit in CUPS
Growers use the citrus under protective screen (CUPS) production system to protect trees from the Asian citrus psyllid, the insect vector of HLB disease. While grapefruit is most commonly grown in CUPS, statistics support the belief that CUPS can be conducive to other types of citrus. “There’s a need to establish the growing requirements and the needs of other varieties. …
HLB Quarantine Expands in California
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) declared a citrus quarantine expansion in San Diego County’s Valley Center on March 26. The expansion occurred after detection of HLB disease in two citrus trees in residential neighborhoods in the Valley Center area during regular inspections. HLB is a major threat to San Diego County’s $144 million annual citrus crop …
Know When to Spray for Weeds
By Ramdas Kanissery Managing weeds in citrus groves isn’t just about what you spray; it’s about when you spray. The effectiveness of your weed control program largely depends on the growth stage of both the weeds and the citrus trees in your grove. Getting the timing right can make a big difference in how well your weed control program works …
Two Texas Mexfly Quarantines Expanded
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) recently expanded two Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantines in Texas. This includes the Harlingen-Sebastian Mexfly quarantine in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties, and the Brownsville Mexfly quarantine in Cameron County. HARLINGEN-SEBASTIAN QUARANTINE The Harlingen-Sebastian quarantine has been increased by 68 square …
Brix Bill Introduced in Senate
U.S. Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, both from Florida, recently introduced the Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act. They said the act supports American growers by changing the standard of sugar levels for pasteurized orange juice from a 10.5% Brix standard to 10%. The bill would have the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) make the Brix change. Currently, …
Final Forecast for Brazil’s Orange Season
Fundecitrus and its cooperators released the final orange forecast of the 2024–25 season for Brazil on April 10. Final production in the São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais Citrus Belt was 230.87 million 90-pound boxes of oranges, a 1% increase from the last forecast in February. The 2024–25 crop was confirmed as the second smallest in the last 37 years. …





























