University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) recently issued an Extension advisory regarding citrus mealybug. Citrus mealybug feeds on plant sap and is commonly found in protected areas of the tree, including under the calyx of fruit, in clusters of leaves and within dense canopy growth. Mealybug infestations can reduce tree vigor, contaminate fruit with honeydew and sooty mold, …
Rootstocks May Hold Key to Boosting Citrus Fruit Nutrition
When citrus growers select a rootstock, they typically focus on traits such as tree vigor, yield potential, disease tolerance and adaptation to soil conditions. New research suggests there may be another important factor to consider: the nutritional quality of the fruit. A recent study in India found that rootstocks can significantly influence the mineral nutrient content of citrus fruit. The …
Climate Change Is Changing Citrus Nutrition
Climate change is creating new challenges for citrus growers, and one of the biggest impacts is on tree nutrition. According to a recent article in Frontiers in Plant Science authored by an international team of researchers, rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, drought, flooding, salinity and elevated carbon dioxide levels are all affecting how citrus trees take up and use nutrients. …
Update on the Highlands County Citrus Growers Association
Highlands County Citrus Growers Association (HCCGA) Executive Director Ray Royce recently provided an update on the area’s current grove conditions and freeze recovery as well as the association’s status and priorities. GROVE CONDITIONS “For most groves in Highlands County, it is very clear now whether they are under active management and engaged in advanced production practices,” Royce said. “Those that …
Florida Citrus Payment Details for Specialty Crop Assistance Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on May 29 announced payment rates and the enrollment period for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program. The USDA will issue $1.625 billion in payments to eligible specialty crop producers in response to elevated input costs and market disruptions resulting from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impeded specialty crop …
Florida Allocates Almost $200 Million for Citrus Recovery
The Florida Legislature on May 29 approved nearly $196 million as part of the 2026–27 fiscal year budget to accelerate the recovery of Florida’s citrus industry. The expenditure includes $160 million for the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation to expand field trials and support new plantings. It also provides $4.5 million to advance basic research through the Citrus Research and …
HLB Drives Brazilian Citrus Expansion to New Regions
Brazil’s Fundecitrus on May 28 participated in the Expocitros 2026 lecture session “Focus, Efficiency and Control.” The session focused on the primary phytosanitary challenges facing the Brazilian citrus industry. A session highlight was a lecture by agronomist Ivaldo Sala, coordinator of Fundecitrus’ Technology Transfer Department. Sala’s lecture title was “HLB: How to Proceed in New Citrus-Growing Regions.” Sala said the …
The Search for Salt-Tolerant Citrus
Scientists with Tunisian and Swedish universities recently wrote “Salinity–Chloride Interaction Effects on Novel Citrus Combinations Under Various Field Conditions,” which was published in Horticulturae. The authors are Hend Askri, Sywar Haffani, Hager Snoussi, Rim Zitouna-Chebbi, Tarek Fezzani and Asma Najar — all with Université de Carthage in Tunisia — and Ronny Berndtsson with Lund University in Sweden. A brief summary …
Sneak Peek: June 2026 Citrus Industry
The Citrus Industry section of the June 2026 issue of Specialty Crop Grower focuses on leadership and research. On the cover of the magazine is Ned Hancock, winner of the 2026 Citrus Achievement Award. He is being recognized for his decades-long leadership and dedication to serving Florida’s citrus industry. Don’t miss the accompanying video in the digital issue of the …
Flooding Damages South Africa Citrus
Heavy rainfall in South Africa’s Eastern and Western Cape provinces earlier this month — during early mandarin harvesting — caused widespread flooding that is expected to impact production. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) reported that the floods destroyed export-quality fruit and wiped out entire crops for some growers at the peak of the season. The …
Pressures Impacting the Brazilian Citrus Industry
Shifts in the international geopolitical landscape, rising logistics costs, sanitary barriers and currency fluctuations are directly impacting Brazil’s fruit industry, including citrus. The effects of these transformations were discussed during a recent edition of the Socioeconomics Debates series, hosted by Embrapa, under the theme, Brazil’s Fruit Industry: How Global Crises Impact What Reaches Your Table. Researchers, economists and production representatives …
Minimal Citrus Production Remains in South Alabama
South Alabama’s citrus production is nearly non-existent. The 2025 snow event made sure of that. One of the few remaining producers is Craig Goolsby, with Silverhill Satsumas in Baldwin County. Goolsby recently added trees to his citrus operation, but that is far from the norm for Alabama citrus growers. According to Goolsby, state plant protection inspectors were recently making the …
Florida Citrus Marketing Plans Presented for 2026–27
The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) presented marketing plans for the 2026–27 season at the May 20 meeting of the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC). The FCC serves as the FDOC’s governing board. ORANGE JUICE Florida orange juice will continue to be positioned as the original wellness drink. The marketing effort will be aimed at juice consumers and health professionals. The …
All In For Citrus Podcast, May 2026
After significant drought in many parts of Florida, some much-needed rainfall began in May as the rainy season approaches. That seasonal transition, from a grove management perspective, is the focus of the May episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education …
How Citrus May Inspire Improved Navy Ships
The grapefruit-like pomelo, the world’s biggest citrus fruit, has a hefty peel that protects the delicate flesh inside. That peel could help inspire more shock-absorbent naval ships. Boston University (BU) College of Engineering researchers are studying the pomelo’s ability to fall from up to 50 feet without smashing into pieces. (Watch the video!) With a U.S. Navy grant, they’re combining …
June Drop Underway in Cold-Hardy Citrus Region
It may not be June, but growers in the cold-hardy citrus region are experiencing June drop, a natural thinning process in which trees lose a lot of their fruit. Growers should not be alarmed about excess pieces of fruit that may be on the ground, says Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist. “We are …
New Findings on the Effects of Cover Crops in Citrus
Cover crops in orchards are recognized as a sustainable practice that enhances multiple ecosystem services, yet systematic evaluations of different cover crops used in citrus orchards remain limited. A recent study in China investigated the effects of cover crops on soil properties, soil carbon dioxide (CO2) flux, leaf physiological traits, fruit quality and yield in a citrus orchard, using clean …
Florida Citrus Mutual Hosts Spring Grower Meeting
Florida Citrus Mutual hosted its spring informational meeting for growers at Golden Ridge Groves in Alturas on May 13. Golden Ridge Groves is growing fresh fruit in citrus under protective screen and recently added you-pick and agritourism options for the public. Steven Hall, executive director of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation, gave an update and recounted the …
New 2,4-D Formulation Can Reduce Citrus Splitting
Researchers have demonstrated how an early application of the plant hormone 2,4-D can significantly reduce fruit cracking (also known as fruit splitting) in citrus crops — a major economic challenge worldwide. The researchers are from the Mediterranean Agroforestry Institute at the Polytechnic University of Valencia and Valencian Institute of Agrarian Research in Spain. Their work complements pioneering studies conducted in …
Packers Propose Using More FDOC Money To Market Fresh Citrus
The Florida Citrus Packers (Packers) trade association has asked the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) to consider utilizing more of its Florida general revenue marketing dollars to promote fresh citrus from Florida. The request was made in an April 17 letter. The association, which represents packers of fresh Florida citrus, asked the FDOC to recognize that a greater percentage of …





























