Grapefruit is an unpopular citrus fruit in the South African domestic market, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) reported recently. Consequently, only 5,000 metric tons (MT) of an expected 400,000 MT grapefruit crop in 2023–24 is forecast to be consumed in the country. The majority of South Africa’s grapefruit is expected to be exported. The production …
PGRs: Multipurpose Tools for Citrus Improvement
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 …
Morocco’s Citrus Crops to Rise
Morocco’s tangerine/mandarin and lemon/lime production are both forecast to climb in 2023–24 compared to the prior season, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) report. TANGERINES AND MANDARINS Production in 2023–24 is forecast to reach 950,000 metric tons (MT), up 3% from the previous season. The increase is largely due to intensified irrigation efforts aimed …
Crop Transformation Center Takes Aim at HLB Resistance
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 …
California’s CRaFT Accepting Cycle 2 Applications
California’s Citrus Research and Field Trials (CA-CRaFT) program is now accepting Cycle 2 applications from commercial growers. This initiative aims to showcase the efficacy of additional control measures against the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). ACP is the carrier of the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus bacterium causing huanglongbing (HLB) disease in citrus. For Cycle 2, applications will be accepted until program capacity …
Update on Florida’s CRAFT Program
Florida’s Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) board of directors recently approved a slate of Cycle 5 solid set Program for Expedited Propagation (PEP) projects following recommendations from the Technical Working Group. Eleven projects totaling 455 acres were approved. Projects will focus on comparisons of five scions (Parson Brown, Roble, Carney 2, Carney 3 and Donaldson) on the same rootstock. …
Brazil’s Orange Crop and Juice Production
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS), Brazilian orange and orange juice production are both forecast to decline in 2023–24 compared to the prior year. ORANGE CROP The total Brazilian 2023–24 orange crop is forecast at 408 million 40.8-kilogram boxes, equivalent to 16.5 million metric tons (MMT). This is a decrease of 1.03% from the …
How to Enhance Pre-emergent Herbicide Performance
By Ramdas Kanissery and Robert Riefer Pre-emergent herbicides, also known as residual herbicides, are highly effective in the long-term suppression of weeds in citrus tree rows. These herbicides remain in the soil and prevent susceptible weeds from germinating. In order to achieve the best weed control results, pre-emergent herbicides need to stay within approximately the top 5 inches of soil, …
Florida Juice Prices and Marketing Focus
At the Jan. 17 Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) meeting, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) Director of Economic and Market Research Marisa Zansler reported on price increases for orange juice (OJ) and grapefruit juice. Nielsen data for the period ending Dec. 2, 2023 showed: Zansler reported that the average increase in grapefruit juice price year-over-year is 4.27%, somewhat in line with …
CRDF Off to a Busy Start in 2024
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) kicked off the new year with a full agenda for its monthly board meeting. New members were welcomed to the board. Growers Matt Machata, Sarah Spinosa and Trevor Murphy joined the group. On the research front, the board funded continued work by Ping Duan, a plant pathologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. …
Chile Mandarin and Orange Production Forecast
Tangerine/mandarin production in Chile is forecast to increase in 2023–24 while orange production is expected to decline, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) reported. TANGERINES/MANDARINSProduction of tangerines and mandarins is projected to increase by 7.1% and total 287,000 metric tons (MT). Mandarin planted area is expected to increase nearly 1,000 hectares and reach 12,000 hectares …
Citrus Weathers Subfreezing Nights in Cold-Hardy Region
By Clint Thompson Trees in the cold-hardy citrus region weathered last week’s multiple nights of sub-freezing temperatures, according to one industry expert. “I had somebody here at the house and they asked, ‘Are you still running sprinklers?’ I was like, ‘Heavens no, but it’s all that ice thawing out and running out into the road.’ It’s a pond out there …
Ups and Downs Expected for EU Citrus Crops
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) recently projected the European Union (EU) tangerine and mandarin crop will decline in 2023–24. The EU grapefruit crop is expected to rise compared to the prior season. TANGERINES AND MANDARINS EU tangerine and mandarin production in 2023–24 is forecast at 2.7 million metric tons (MMT), down from 2.8 MMT in …
Legislators Seek H-2A Wage Freeze
Seventy-five U.S. House of Representatives members have asked House and Senate appropriations leaders for an H-2A visa guestworker wage freeze in an upcoming spending package. The text of the representatives’ letter to appropriations leaders follows: “We write with shared concerns regarding the annual adjustment to the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR). Now in 2024, the H-2A labor rates paid by …
Brassinosteroid and Weed Management Research Updated
Brassinosteroids for HLB-infected trees and the latest on year-round weed management were discussed at a Jan. 17 OJ Break at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, Florida. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt hosted the event. UF/IFAS assistant professors Fernando Alferez and Ramdas Kanissery made the presentations …
Korea’s Mandarin Production
Korea’s production of tangerines and mandarins — virtually the country’s only commercial citrus — is forecast at 570,000 metric tons by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). That’s a 2.1% decline from the previous year’s 582,000 MT. The decline is driven by lower yield for open-field tangerines, decreased fruit set per tree and a slight reduction …
Aging Farmers Contribute to Japan’s Citrus Downtrend
Japan’s citrus planted area and production are on a long-term downward trend. Reasons cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) are aging farmers, labor shortages and a lack of successors for running farms. In a December annual report, USDA FAS summarized production, planted area and trade for each of Japan’s citrus varieties. TANGERINES/MANDARINS After a …
Irrigation Strategy to Enhance Fruit Growth and Retention
By Tripti Vashisth Huanglongbing (HLB) severity is associated with small fruit sizes and lower fruit numbers at harvest. Moreover, small fruit are more likely to drop and drop earlier during preharvest fruit drop. Unfortunately, management practices suggested to increase fruit size or reduce drop have had mixed results. So, before looking for ways to increase fruit size and number, it …
Record Lemon Production in Spain
European Union (EU) lemon production is forecast at just over 1.6 million metric tons (MT) in 2023–24, up from the 1.5 million MT in 2022–23, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) recently reported. The increase can be entirely attributed to an all-time-record production level in Spain, following the historically low lemon production there in 2022–23. Conversely, …
Florida Citrus Marketing Order Amended
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is amending the Florida Citrus Marketing Order for fresh citrus to reduce membership of the Florida Citrus Administrative Committee (CAC) and to update quorum requirements. Other amendments to the marketing order include: CAC recommended these changes to help fulfill membership and quorum requirements and ensure a more efficient and orderly flow of business. Authority …





























