citrus

IPCs Effective Against Psyllids and HLB

Ernie NeffHLB Management, Pests, Psyllids

Long-time multi-county citrus Extension agent Mongi Zekri, who serves Southwest Florida counties, says individual protective covers (IPCs) work well in the fight against citrus greening, also known as HLB. “They have been very effective in controlling or managing citrus greening, because they don’t allow the citrus psyllid, which is the vector of the disease, to get to the tree,” Zekri …

Seeking Future Florida Citrus Growers

Tacy CalliesScholarship

By Tacy Callies The citrus and horticultural science major offered by Florida Southern College made the list in a recent article titled “The Strangest College Majors That Exist Today.” The article, published at cheatsheet.com, included other majors like nautical archeology, cannabis cultivation, pop culture, Canadian studies and comic art. Perhaps the citrus and horticultural science major seems strange to some …

craft

CRAFT Application Period Opening Soon

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release

The Citrus Research and Field Trial Foundation Inc. (CRAFT Foundation) board of directors, technical working group (TWG), staff and a legion of volunteers have been working at top speed throughout the summer finalizing the formation, organization and funding of the CRAFT program. The first priority for the CRAFT Foundation staff and board of directors has been securing all available funding …

nutrition

CRDF and UF Resolve Differences

Ernie NeffCRDF

At the Citrus Research and Development Foundation’s (CRDF) Aug. 27 board of directors meeting, Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler provided information about a resolution of differences between CRDF and the University of Florida (UF). Since its formation in 2009, CRDF has operated as a direct support organization of UF. This spring, UF reportedly indicated that CRDF would have to spend …

Growers Benefit From Citrus Expo Programs

Ernie NeffCitrus Expo

The new Citrus Expo hands-on session hosted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) drew a full house of appreciative growers. “I think it went a lot better than we were expecting,” says Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center. . “We had a full house … They (growers) thought it …

citrus greening

Researchers to Look Deeper Into HLB Management

Tacy CalliesHLB Management, Research

By Karla Arboleda University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers are getting ready to conduct several trials on tools used to protect young citrus trees from HLB. The team of five researchers will receive $665,471 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for experiments at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Lauren …

Manipulating Flowering for Better Grove Management

Tacy CalliesProduction, Research

By Tripti Vashisth, Garima Singh and Megan Dewdney Citrus trees grown in the field undergo various types and levels of stress continuously. The stressors can be several things, including heat, cold, drought, soil pH, chemicals, pests and diseases. The constant presence of huanglongbing (HLB) and psyllid infestation adds stress to the trees, which compromises the plant response and makes the …

Students Learn About Citrus at Youth Day

Ernie NeffCitrus

Jazlyn Sanchez and Alexander Garzon, attendees at the June Citrus Youth Day, talk with Citrus Industry Editor Tacy Callies about their experience. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences event was held at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. “This is actually my third year at the event,” says Sanchez, a 10th grader. “I’m …

FMC Citrus Ag Production Scholarship Program Will Launch at 2019 Citrus Expo

Tacy CalliesAwards, Scholarship

FMC to award five scholarships to Florida students. FMC, in collaboration with AgNet Media, announces a new scholarship program for students interested in citrus and horticultural studies at the University of Florida or Florida Southern College. “FMC understands how important the next generation is to the citrus industry in Florida,” said Eric Johnson, FMC retail marketing manager. “We hope this …

Steven Callaham: Integrity, Intelligence and Innovation

Tacy CalliesCitrus

By Ernie Neff It didn’t take long for senior managers at Dundee Citrus Growers Association (CGA) to recognize they had acquired a special talent when Steven Callaham was hired in 1999. Callaham came from Lake Wales Citrus Growers Association, where he had worked for four years after college. He made the move because the Lake Wales cooperative closed its packinghouse …

benefits

Dundee Growers Have Hope Despite HLB

Tacy CalliesHLB Management

By Ernie Neff Like all Florida citrus packers, “our citrus volume is down substantially because of HLB,” says Dundee Citrus Growers Association (CGA) Chairman and President Lindsay Raley. But unlike many packinghouses that have closed since HLB was discovered in Florida, Dundee CGA’s packinghouse is still thriving. Diversifying beyond citrus and helping its members cope with HLB have been keys …

Growers Should Have a Hurricane Plan

Ernie Neffhurricane

The 2019 hurricane season is well underway. Florida’s citrus industry hasn’t been threatened yet, but several months of the season remain. Multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt suggests that growers be prepared for the possibility of a hurricane. “Have a plan; work that plan,” he says. Oswalt offers several ways growers can be prepared for a severe storm. “If you …

craft

CRAFT Program Update

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release, Research

The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation Board held its initial meeting on July 31 at Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) headquarters in Bartow. FCM President Tom Mitchell as well as FCM board members Glenn Beck and Mark Wheeler serve on the CRAFT board along with Harold Browning, Premier Citrus; John Updike Jr., Florida citrus grower; Phillip Rucks, Phillip Rucks …

Harvest+

More Predictable Market Ahead

Tacy CalliesGlobal Perspectives

By Marcos Fava Neves With the announcement of the 2019–20 crop in Brazil and Florida’s season over, more information is now available to see where the global orange juice market is headed. HIGHER FLORIDA INVENTORIESAs of July, Florida had 71.6 million boxes of oranges, 200,000 boxes more than the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s June estimate. Inventories in Florida are high. …

CAPS

FMC Citrus Ag Production Scholarships AboutFMC is collaborating with AgNet Media, publisher of Citrus Industry magazine, the number one publication in the industry, to create the FMC Citrus Ag Production Scholarships (FMC CAPS) program to support Florida citrus production and to encourage interested youth to pursue careers in citrus. Crop pests and diseases have done serious damage to Florida’s citrus …

fresh

FDOC Response to Cancer Study

Daniel CooperCitrus, Diseases, Industry News Release, Research

A new study suggesting a link between sugary drink consumption, including 100% fruit juice, and increased cancer risk was recently published in a medical journal. The study has spurred a series of news media stories. Researchers of the study, who are based in France, assessed the associations between the consumption of sugary drinks (sugar sweetened beverages and 100% fruit juices), …

planting

CUPS Research in Indian River Area

Ernie NeffCUPS

Research into citrus under protective screen (CUPS) in the Indian River area was discussed by students of Rhuanito (Johnny) Ferrarezi at the Florida State Horticultural Society meeting in June. The project at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) grows grapefruit, the citrus of most economic importance in the Indian River region. Ferrarezi, a University of Florida Institute of …

Update on Grapefruit Nutrition

Ernie NeffGrapefruit, Nutrition

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Rhuanito “Johnny” Ferrarezi reports on research leading to fertilizer recommendations for grapefruit, especially in the Indian River area. Grapefruit has been especially hard hit by HLB, the devastating citrus disease discovered in Florida in 2005. “We are entering the second season (of the research project) and we hope to have …

chemicals

Getting HLB Material Into Phloem

Ernie NeffHLB Management

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant pathologist Ozgur Batuman discusses efforts to get materials that fight HLB into the citrus tree’s phloem, where it might be most effective. Batuman explains that bacteria that cause HLB “live inside the phloem of citrus. That is very difficult to reach to kill … by conventional methods, such as …

citrus greening

Studying Citrus Greening with an Integrated Approach

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, Diseases, HLB Management, Industry News Release, Psyllids, Research

While citrus growers continue to look for best management approaches to deal with the deadly greening disease, scientists will take an integrated look at how to protect young trees by using existing tools growers can use. Five scientists from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will compare insect management tools, including insect-proof netting. Researchers also …