tree age

Tree Age and Yields: Implications for Trunk Injection

Daniel CooperEconomics, HLB Management

By Ariel Singerman This article examines the impact of HLB and other factors on yield by tree age group in Florida using U.S. Department of Agriculture statewide average data from 1994 to 2021. To focus on the impact of HLB and other relevant lasting factors, seasons in which there were hurricanes or freezes are excluded. YIELD REDUCTIONS Figures 1 and …

Perricone

Perricone Farms Acquires Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release

Perricone Farms, a craft juice company headquartered in California, announced its acquisition of Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company, based in Fort Pierce, Florida. Perricone Farms stated that the merger “strengthens both brands and enhances the ability to serve customers with excellence in quality and customer service coast-to-coast.” It added that the combined company will be able to take advantage of …

root recovery

Maximizing the Value of a Trunk-Injection Product

Daniel CooperHLB Management, OTC Expert

Sponsored Content In this special series, Tom Johnson, owner of TJ BioTech, tackles questions about optimizing trunk-injection applications to treat HLB. Q: What is the proper way to handle and inject ReMedium TI® to get the most value from the product? Tom Johnson: Because purity matters, it is important to purchase a trunk-injection product for HLB control in citrus that …

new grove

Factors to Consider When Planting a New Grove

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, planting

Growers have numerous things to think about when planting a new grove. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus genetic improvement specialist John Chater discussed this topic during a recent Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo presentation. Following are highlights from his talk on establishing new varieties in a new citrus grove. PESTS AND DISEASES Soilborne pests …

orange

Brazil’s Orange Forecast Falls Further

Daniel CooperBrazil, Crop Forecast

Fundecitrus and its cooperators issued the first update to Brazil’s 2024–25 orange crop forecast on Sept. 10. The forecast of 215.78 million boxes for the São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais Citrus Belt is down 7.1% from the initial May forecast of 232.38 million boxes. With a total reduction of 16.6 million boxes, all varieties are expected to have lower …

proposed rule

Industry Input Needed for Proposed Rule on Heat Protection

Daniel CooperRegulation

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced the opening of the public comment period for its proposed rule intended to protect millions of workers from the significant health risks of extreme heat. The proposed rule, Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings, was published in the Federal Register.   Announced in July by the department’s Occupational …

greasy spot

Symptoms and Management of Brown Rot and Greasy Spot

Daniel CooperDiseases

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) presenters on Aug. 30 discussed symptoms and management of the fungal citrus diseases brown rot and greasy spot. Plant pathologist and associate professor Megan Dewdney, the featured speaker, focused on management. Multi-county citrus Extension agent Mongi Zekri, who hosted Dewdney’s talk, described disease symptoms. BROWN ROT Brown rot is usually …

preharvest fruit drop

The Best Defense for Mitigating Preharvest Fruit Drop

Daniel CooperFruit Drop, PGRs, Tip of the Week

By Tripti Vashisth Over the past decade, HLB-associated fruit drop has become a significant problem in Florida groves. Many growers opt to harvest the fruit before the peak fruit drop begins. However, the downside to this strategy is that the fruit does not get enough time for optimal Brix accumulation. Plant growth regulators, when applied at the right time, can …

Packinghouse Day

Packinghouse Day in Florida Is Sept. 12

Daniel CooperEvents, Packing

Fresh fruit growers, packers and researchers will meet for the 2024 Packinghouse Day on Sept. 12 in Lake Alfred, Florida. The annual event will be held at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m., and the event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event …

Brazil’s

Heat and HLB Hurting Brazil’s Production

Daniel CooperBrazil, Production

Brazil’s citrus crop is suffering this season, according to Franklin Behlau, a senior researcher for Fundecitrus. That was the focus of a recent presentation he provided at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. “Things have changed in Brazil this season,” Behlau said. “We are a little behind …

sweet orange scab

Sweet Orange Scab Requirements Revised

Daniel CooperDiseases, Regulation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) recently revised sweet orange scab (SOS) requirements. APHIS revised the conditions for the interstate movement of citrus nursery stock (CNS) and updated the inspection requirements for CNS to be eligible for shipment. The federal order also updates the APHIS-Approved Packinghouse Procedures for Elsinoë australis, Causal Agent of Sweet …

early-season

Seeking Early-Season Sweet Oranges

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, Varieties

HLB has reduced citrus production across the board, but early varieties like Hamlin have taken an even bigger hit. Hamlin has been plagued by the disease and fruit drop, which has left a void in the juice-processing segment in the early season. Growers who have been replanting have mostly relied on later-season varieties like Valencia because it seems to be …

breast cancer

Sunkist Partners With National Breast Cancer Foundation

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release, Marketing

Sunkist Growers, Inc. recently announced a partnership with National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (NBCF) to raise awareness about breast cancer and provide resources to those impacted by the disease. “Through their (Sunkist) support, they will help us provide early detection, education and support services to women affected by breast cancer across the country,” said Candice Hensley, NBCF senior manager of …

assistance

H-2A Workers Blocked From Joining Unions in 17 States

Daniel CooperLabor, Legal

A federal judge in Georgia on Aug. 26 blocked a federal rule allowing migrant farmworkers to join unions in 17 states. The ruling prevents the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) from enforcing the new rule. The rule would have prevented agricultural employers from retaliating against migrant workers with H-2A temporary work visas for joining labor unions and organizing against wage …

algal spot

Algal Spot an Increasing Problem in Florida Groves

Daniel CooperDiseases

Algal spot, not frequently seen in Florida citrus groves before 2015, has become more severe in recent years, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences speakers reported Aug. 30. And the disease is likely to intensify as a problem with average temperatures increasing, said Megan Dewdney, associate professor of plant pathology at the Citrus Research and Education Center …

Final Herbicide Strategy

EPA Releases Final Herbicide Strategy

Daniel CooperPesticides, Regulation, weeds

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Aug. 20 released its Final Herbicide Strategy to protect more than 900 federally endangered and threatened species from the potential impacts of herbicide. EPA will use the strategy to identify measures to reduce the amount of herbicide exposure to these species when it registers new herbicides and when it reevaluates registered herbicides. For …

IPCs

IPCs Aid Trees and Fruit After Removal

Daniel CooperIPCs

Individual protective covers (IPCs), used primarily to protect young citrus trees from HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids, have become ubiquitous in Florida citrus groves in recent years. New University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research shows the trees grown under the IPCs also grow well for a few years after growers remove the bags. Growers typically remove …

registration

HLB Product Advancing in Registration Process

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Regulation

Silvec Biologics announced that an RNA vector delivery product to combat HLB has progressed to the Full Science Review Phase of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pesticide Regulation Improvement Act registration process. The product was developed in collaboration with Southern Gardens Citrus (a subsidiary of U. S. Sugar), the University of Florida (UF) and Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Silvec is …

rule

Assistance Available for Compliance With Revised Ag Water Rule

Daniel CooperRegulation, Water

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a final rule that revises pre-harvest agricultural water provisions in the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule. It replaces the previous microbial quality criteria and testing requirements with systems-based, pre-harvest agricultural water assessments. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is committed to providing support for farms that …

Owari

Owari Satsuma Pruning Project Update

Daniel CooperGeorgia, Mandarins, Pruning

By Jake Price The University of Georgia Owari satsuma pruning project is going to be very interesting. With extremely heavy fruit loads this year, I feel sure next year will be an “off” year for satsumas. It will be interesting to see what the fruit yields will be on the pruned trees compared to the unpruned trees. The six trees in this …