China Tangerine and Mandarin Forecast

Ernie NeffChina

China is forecast to produce 23.1 million metric tons of tangerines and mandarins in 2020-21, a slight increase from 2019-20, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service reported recently. Looking further ahead, some industry insiders predict the overall growth rate of tangerine and mandarin production will slow in coming years. They expect local governments may become more conservative in …

States See Changes in U.S. Citrus Forecast

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) dropped another 2 million boxes from the January forecast for Florida’s orange crop but added 200,000 boxes to the state’s grapefruit projection. ORANGESFlorida’s total orange crop is now forecast at 54 million boxes, down 4 percent from 56 million boxes in December. The orange reduction was in the non-Valencia …

The State of the Florida Citrus Processing Industry

Tacy CalliesProcessing

Kristen Carlson, executive director of the Florida Citrus Processors Association, answers questions from Tacy Callies, Citrus Industry editor. Q: What are the current opportunities in Florida citrus processing?  A: There is some excess capacity in Florida should the citrus greening situation improve, and Florida increases its box production. Greening has decreased the yield of boxes per tree. With less impact …

Third Packer for Cold-Hardy Citrus

Ernie NeffPacking

A third packinghouse started packing fresh South Georgia and North Florida citrus in 2020. The newest packer, The Satsuma Company, is in Tifton, Georgia. The others, Corbett Brothers in Lake Park, Georgia, and Florida Georgia Citrus in Monticello, Florida, have been packing citrus since 2016. “I have visited all three facilities in South Georgia and North Florida,” said Lindy Savelle, …

orange juice

New Dietary Guidelines Include Role for Juice

Ernie NeffOrange Juice

The newly released 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) continue to reinforce that nutrient-dense 100 percent fruit juices, such as orange juice (OJ), count as a fruit serving. They also continue to include 100 percent fruit juice as a part of a healthy dietary pattern. The guidelines support the incorporation of beverages such as 100 percent OJ into the daily …

La Niña and Florida Citrus

Ernie NeffWeather

A moderate La Niña climate phase is expected through spring 2021. This indicates that slightly above average temperatures and slightly less rainfall than normal can be expected in Florida’s citrus belt. Multi-county citrus Extension agent Ajia Paolillo made that announcement during a virtual Dec. 22 OJ Break presented by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). …

Breeding Hybrids With HLB Resistance

Len WilcoxBreeding, California Corner

UC Riverside scientists are working to breed new fruits that are naturally resistant to huanglongbing (HLB). The hybrid fruits will ideally share the best of their parents’ attributes: the tastiness of citrus and the HLB resistance displayed by some Australian relatives of citrus. HLB, also called citrus greening disease, has been detected in California, where 80 percent of the country’s …

Irrigation Management With Artificial Intelligence

Tacy CalliesIrrigation

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be an overwhelming topic, but Sandra Guzmán says it is easier to swallow when it helps growers. Guzmán, an agricultural engineering assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center, has been working directly with growers to integrate the benefits of in-field technology. The influx …

Organic Acid, HLB Link Found

Ernie NeffResearch

One obvious symptom of HLB is leaf chlorosis — yellow blotches appearing on otherwise dark green citrus leaves. Although chlorosis can indicate other health issues, in trees affected by HLB, it’s thought to be triggered by the underlying bacterial infection causing the disease. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant pathologist Nabil Killiny conducted a study …

Grapefruit Juice Demand Is Strong

Ernie NeffGrapefruit

There were numerous reports in 2020 about the significant increase in consumer demand for orange juice (OJ) at the retail level during the COVID-19 pandemic. But Florida Department of Citrus economist Marisa Zansler recently reported that “the same can be said about the significant increases in sales volumes of other citrus products … Notably, within the retail fruit juice category, …

Flowering Intensity, Shoot Dieback and HLB

Tacy CalliesHLB Management

Citrus trees grown in Florida continuously undergo various types and levels of stress. Stressors can include severe weather conditions, soil pH, chemicals, pests and diseases. The constant presence of HLB and psyllid infestation adds further stress to the tree, compromising overall tree health. Off-season flowering and prolonged flowering are common responses of trees when undergoing various stress conditions. Off-season and …

Growing Citrus Trees With Oak Mulch

Ernie NeffHLB Management

Lukas Hallman, a graduate student at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), is doing research to find what is in oak trees that apparently helps citrus cope with HLB. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences operates the IRREC. “Anecdotal reports from Florida growers claim that citrus trees growing within the drip line of large …

Update on CRISPR Research for Citrus Improvement

Tacy CalliesBreeding

By Nian Wang, Fred Gmitter and Manjul Dutt Nearly all commercially important citrus types — oranges, grapefruits etc. — have originated by mutations that have accumulated over several hundreds to thousands of years, from what once was an original, individual sweet orange tree and a single grapefruit tree. The many different cultivars that we know today are descended from those …

Freeze-Dried Fruit Market to Surge

Ernie NeffMarket

A new study by a market research and consulting firm has projected the freeze-dried fruits (FDF) market will rise at a positive rate through 2030. Some of the key takeaways from the Future Market Insights report are: Increasing demand for whole FDF is expected to propel growth in the coming years. Orchard and citrus fruits such as kiwi, pear, peach …

Training Veterans for Agriculture Jobs

Ernie NeffEducation, Industry News Release

Veterans Florida is working with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) to prepare former military personnel for jobs in agriculture. The organization has received a three-year, $745,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund the Veterans Florida Agriculture Program (VFAP) in partnership with UF/IFAS. The program is a six-month paid fellowship designed to …

emergency program

ACP/HLB Management Survey for California

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, HLB Management

Researchers from Sacramento State and the University of California, Riverside are requesting input from citrus industry members to help examine the economics of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and huanglongbing (HLB) management in California citrus groves. The research team is looking for growers, advisors and other citrus industry members in California to provide input on overall knowledge of ACP and HLB, …

Rogers on Fruit Drop, Meetings and More

Ernie NeffAll In For Citrus Podcast, Fruit Drop

Add Michael Rogers to the list of those seeing early-season fruit drop in Florida this fall. Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, saw the drop while visiting groves. In the December All In For Citrus podcast, he also addresses flower bud induction advisories and upcoming UF/IFAS presentations. …

growers

Freeze Protection Measures for Citrus

Ernie Nefffreeze

Multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt discussed historical and current freeze protection measures in a virtual Dec. 22 OJ Break. PASSIVE MEASURESSome cold-protection measures are taken well in advance of freezes; Oswalt referred to them as passive measures. They include grove site selection, crop selection and cultural practices. One site selection consideration is planting groves at higher elevations, which are …

Orange You Glad to Meet Miss Florida Citrus?

Tacy CalliesCitrus

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Leila Sabet, Miss Florida Citrus 2020, virtually started her year of service in June by competing in the very first virtual Miss America preliminary pageant in Florida. Due to COVID-19, Miss Florida Citrus appearances have not been as prolific as in past years. However, as restrictions have eased, Sabet has been invited to several industry events.  …

Recommendations for Managing Fruit Drop

Tacy CalliesFruit Drop

This fall, many Florida citrus growers are experiencing heavy fruit drop, some even up to 50 percent. Tripti Vashisth, assistant professor of horticulture at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, recently spoke on this topic. She discussed fruit drop during the first presentation of the new UF/IFAS OJ Break meeting …