florida citrus

Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Inductees Chosen for 2019

Daniel CooperCitrus, Industry News Release

Three distinguished leaders will be inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame at the 57th Citrus Celebration Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on March 8 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. Tim Hurner of Sebring, Richard J. Kinney (deceased), formerly of Lakeland, and Peter McClure of Port Saint Lucie will be honored at the luncheon. Hurner Tim Hurner is a fourth-generation Florida …

Kaolin Clay May Be Viable Option to Protect Citrus Trees from ACP

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, Industry News Release, Psyllids, Research

Florida citrus growers have begun taking notice of kaolin clay, a powdery white compound, because it can cause Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) to “not take notice” of their groves. Long used to protect other fruit and vegetable crops, kaolin can also conceal citrus trees from hungry psyllids by confusing their visual sensory system, said Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus …

Research Update: Citrus Under Protective Screen

Tacy CalliesCUPS

By Arnold Schumann, Timothy Ebert, Laura Waldo, Danny Holmes, Napoleon Mariner, Gary Test, Chris Oswalt, Rhuanito Ferrarezi and Ricardo Lesmes Two studies with citrus under protective screen (CUPS) were established at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) and Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in 2013–14. The goal …

Increasing Yield Through High-Density Plantings

Tacy Calliesplanting

By Rhuanito Ferrarezi, Alan Wright and Arnold Schumann High-density plantings have been tested worldwide in advanced citrus production systems (ACPS) to increase efficiency of water, fertilizer and light, and to maximize yield per area. After the onset of huanglongbing (HLB) in Florida, canopy growth reduced drastically due to negative impacts on plant health, creating the need for new plant spacing …

European Union

Orange Imports Increase as Domestic Juice Supply Remains Squeezed

Tacy CalliesIndustry News Release

Until a solution for citrus greening is found, imports will be key to keeping Florida’s citrus industry afloat. Domestic orange production has been declining steadily over the last two decades, with citrus greening disease being the leading cause of decreased acres and productivity. As the gap between domestic production and consumption has widened, imports have increased to boost dwindling domestic …

citrus crop

Commissioner Putnam on the Citrus Crop Forecast

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, Industry News Release

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its second citrus crop forecast for the 2018–19 season, projecting 77 million boxes of oranges and 84.6 million boxes of citrus in total. Compared to the October 2018 USDA forecast, this estimate represents a 3 percent decrease in orange production and a 4 percent decrease in grapefruit production. However, the overall production remains …

florida

Decline in Florida Citrus Forecast Figures

Daniel CooperCitrus, Crop Forecast

The 2018–19 Florida orange forecast released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Nov. 8 is 77 million boxes, down 3 percent from the October forecast. If realized, this forecast will be 71 percent more than last season’s final production. The orange forecast consists of 32 million boxes of the non-Valencia oranges (early, midseason, and Navel varieties) and 45 million …

citrus forecast

USDA Grant Could Help Florida’s Grapefruit Industry

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, Grapefruit, HLB Management, Industry News Release

Florida’s grapefruit industry, devastated by citrus greening, may find hope in four ½-acre white-mesh screenhouses in a research field in Fort Pierce. The project will be funded by a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded to the University of Florida. Studies for the grant will take place inside and outside these structures, where 512 young …

High-Density Planting of Dwarf Citrus

Tacy CalliesCalifornia Corner

By Len Wilcox Research into high-density citrus plantings is gaining momentum at both ends of the country. In a study funded by the California Citrus Research Board, scientists are evaluating the consumption of water and other inputs used by high-density dwarf citrus trees. The scientists want to determine costs while the trees are maintaining high production levels. In Florida, researchers …

orange juice

Looking Beyond 79 Million Boxes of Oranges

Abbey TaylorCitrus, Crop Forecast

Overall, the Florida citrus industry was delighted to hear the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s forecast of 79 million boxes of oranges for the state. After battling citrus greening for over a decade and then devastation from Hurricane Irma in 2017, 79 million boxes gave the industry a glimmer of hope. One industry member, Allen Morris, owner of Morris Agribusiness Services, …

citrus

Florida Department of Citrus Gets Boost from Bigger Crop

Daniel CooperCitrus, Crop Forecast, financial, Florida Citrus Commission, Industry News Release

With projections that more oranges and grapefruits will be produced in Florida over the next nine months, the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) got a slightly bigger budget Wednesday. With a relatively optimistic forecast for the growing season, the Florida Citrus Commission approved a staff request to increase the department’s budget for the recently started fiscal year by nearly 4 …

CRAFT program

Young Citrus Trees May Benefit from Full Irrigation

Daniel CooperCitrus, Citrus Greening, HLB Management, Industry News Release, Irrigation, Research

Mature citrus trees affected by the bacterial disease huanglongbing (HLB) typically need about 25 percent less irrigation than their healthy counterparts However, that doesn’t necessarily mean young trees with the disease will benefit from water deficits, according to a preliminary greenhouse study by researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Experiments on 1-year-old orange …

Effects of Homobrassinolides on HLB-Affected Trees in Florida

Tacy CalliesHLB Management, Research

By Fernando Alferez, Christopher Vincent and Tripti Vashisth In the current scenario of widespread infection and severe symptoms of HLB in Florida, horticultural practices that improve plant health in the presence of the disease are needed. For this reason, we sought to follow up on reports of positive effects of a brassinosteroid on infected plants. Brassinosteroids are a relatively newly …

Two Species of Ambrosia Beetles Found in Florida Citrus

Tacy CalliesPests

Earlier this month, Citrus Industry reported in an article that University of Florida (UF) Extension entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock discovered a pest not previously found in Florida citrus. The pest was thought to be an ambrosia beetle. It has now been determined that two different species of ambrosia beetles (Euplatypus compositus and Xyleborus affinis) have been found. The related fungus is …

long-horned beetle

New UF/IFAS Entomologist: From a Kid’s ‘Lab’ to Helping Citrus Growers

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

As a girl in her garage in Palm Bay, Florida, Lauren Diepenbrock, already a budding scientist, peered through the lens of her microscope and marveled at the magnification. “As a kid, I played in the woods and brought back all sorts of ‘finds,’ including a snake skeleton, none of which my mom allowed in the house,” said Diepenbrock, an assistant …

orange juice

World Orange Juice Consumption Falls Again

Tacy CalliesGlobal Perspectives

By Marcos Fava Neves The annual compilation of data on the world’s orange juice consumption recently became available for 2017. Markestrat researchers analyzed 40 countries that represent almost 100 percent of the world’s processed juice market. The information was first compiled in 2003. At that time, in frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) equivalent, world consumption was 2,390,000 tons. In 2017, …

HLB Early Detection Methods Available Now; More Coming Soon

Tacy CalliesCalifornia Corner, HLB Management

By Len Wilcox Early detection has become a vital line of defense in the California citrus grower’s war with huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Without careful monitoring, any tree in the grove can become a ticking time bomb that could lead to destruction of the entire orchard. The disease starts unnoticed. Many months can pass before a tree displays any visible evidence …

Putting Florida Citrus in the Public Spotlight

Tacy CalliesPublic Relations

The Edison & Ford Winter Estates Citrus Project will promote the value of the Florida citrus industry. By Jim Gravley The citrus industry has endured many setbacks this year and needs an across-the-board evaluation. As a grower first, I devote my extra time to helping assist the industry with current issues affecting production, research and the marketing of our product. …

grapefruit

Lemons: What’s Available and What’s Coming

Ernie Nefflemons

Lemon varieties now available for planting in Florida and varieties that may be available in the future were discussed at a recent lemon workshop in Lake Alfred. Fred Gmitter, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher, summarizes his presentation. “The currently available varieties are Bearss and Eureka,” Gmitter says. “Bearss is a heavy-bearing tree; it produces …

citrus

CUPS Protects Citrus from HLB and Storms

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, CUPS, Research

A system designed to protect citrus trees from the deadly greening disease withstood the ravaging winds of Hurricane Irma last year, University of Florida scientists say. With reinforcements installed after the storm, they’ll likely withstand even more dangerous storms. Using citrus under protective screening (CUPS), growers can keep the Asian citrus psyllids away from their trees, said Arnold Schumann, a …