blood oranges

Blood Oranges Could Be Profitable Option for Cold-Hardy Citrus Producers

Daniel CooperCold Hardy

Blood oranges may be an enticing fruit to grow for cold-hardy citrus producers in North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama. Muhammad Shahid, assistant professor of horticulture at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), highlighted his blood orange research during the Cold-Hardy Citrus Field Day and Workshop at the North Florida Research and Education Center …

future

A Bright Future and New Normal for Citrus

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo

Citrus has a brighter future in Florida and surrounding areas, according to one industry expert. Hopefully, there will be enough farmers left standing to profit from it. Rick Dantzler, Citrus Research and Development Foundation chief operating officer, was a featured speaker at this year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. He spoke about the industry’s future as it continues to navigate …

diseases

Phytophthora Root Rot a Concern in the Cold-Hardy Region

Tacy CalliesCold Hardy, Diseases

Phytophthora root rot’s impact on young citrus trees is concerning for groves in the cold-hardy citrus region of North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama. Newly planted trees are more vulnerable to the disease than older, established trees, says Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia assistant professor and small fruits pathologist. He discussed the disease’s impact during the Citrus Grower’s Summer …

summer update

Summer Update Informs Growers on Impactful Issues

Daniel CooperEvents, Georgia

The annual Citrus Grower’s Summer Update meeting on Aug. 14 in Valdosta, Georgia, provided cold-hardy growers with updates on several factors impacting the industry. Information on topics ranging from snails to phytophthora to Asian citrus psyllid trapping were presented to growers who are on the cusp of harvesting another season’s crop. Jake Price, University of Georgia (UGA) area citrus agent …

learning process

Cold-Hardy Citrus Production: A Learning Process

Daniel CooperCold Hardy

Production in the cold-hardy citrus region continues to be a learning process for growers. Producers in North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama are learning this year the price of alternate bearing for their satsuma mandarin crop. After a heavy crop load last season, production is expected to taper off quite a bit this season across the cold-hardy citrus region. …

leaf tissue

Leaf Tissue Analysis for Cold-Hardy Citrus

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Nutrition

Leaf tissue analysis is a key to building a good citrus fertilization program in North Florida and South Georgia, according to University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers. The researchers are Muhammad Shahid, assistant professor of horticulture, and postdoc scholar Shahid Iqbal, both with the North Florida Research and Education Center. “Leaf tissue analysis determines the …

soil sampling

Soil Sampling Is Key to Cold-Hardy Citrus Fertilization

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Nutrition

Soil sampling is one of two keys to building a good citrus fertilization program in North Florida and South Georgia, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers wrote recently. The authors are Muhammad A. Shahid, assistant professor of horticulture, and postdoc scholar Shahid Iqbal, both with the North Florida Research and Education Center. Shahid and Iqbal …

season

Extremely Low Satsuma Supply Expected This Season

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Production

Fruit is scarce this season on satsuma trees in the Southeast. There was an oversupply of satsuma mandarins in the cold-hardy citrus region last season. That will not be the case in 2025. According to Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association and member of the Georgia Citrus Commission, satsuma supply will be extremely low for the upcoming …

dry

Citrus Water Needs Critical Amid Dry Period

Daniel CooperIrrigation, Weather

The current dry period in the Southeast can negatively impact the region’s citrus groves. Trees in the cold-hardy citrus region of North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama need water, especially ahead of the next harvest season. Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, discussed why water is so important this time of year. “Water …

nitrogen

Nitrogen Reduction Needed in Cold-Hardy Citrus Region

Daniel CooperAs Seen On Instagram, Cold Hardy, Nutrition

Growers in the cold-hardy citrus region are applying too much nitrogen to their groves. Muhammad Shahid, assistant professor of horticulture at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), discovered that unfortunate reality while conducting a research project in North Florida. Most citrus growers were following recommendations in the UF/IFAS Florida Citrus Production Guide, which are mostly …

pest populations

Scout to Stay Ahead of Pest Populations

Daniel CooperPests

It is much better for Florida citrus growers to be proactive than reactive when managing pest populations. Scouting and monitoring citrus groves is crucial for growers who hope to thwart off impacts from insects like the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). If growers are not successful, they will be behind the eight ball in minimizing the impact of these annual pests. …

psyllid

Now Is the Time to Knock Back Psyllid Populations

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Psyllids

Now is the time for Florida citrus growers to implement management tactics to control the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), the insect that vectors citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing (HLB). ACPs are currently in low populations across Florida’s citrus-producing region. That means growers should act now to protect their crop from the insect’s impact, says Chris Oswalt, University of Florida …

juice market

Cold-Hardy Growers Eyeing Juice Market

Daniel CooperCold Hardy

A low volume of fruit in the cold-hardy citrus region is being produced for the juice market. With the current market prices for juiced citrus, that number could increase in the near future. This topic was discussed during the recent Georgia Citrus Association annual meeting in Tifton. “With the prices today, there is a future for it,” said grower Kim …

fruit

Where the Research Fruit Goes

Daniel CooperGeorgia, Research

Those involved with the University of Georgia (UGA) citrus research plot in Valdosta are often asked what they do with the fruit once it is harvested. All of the citrus is donated to various groups, reports the team of Jake Price, Mary Sutton, Doug Collins, Jacob Kalina, Josh Dawson, Holly Anderson, Michasia Dowdy, Sara Curry, Ben Reeves, Tucker Price and …

satsuma

Why Some Citrus Growers Are Removing Satsuma Trees

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Mandarins

Satsuma mandarins are easily produced in the cold-hardy citrus region. But their lack of shelf life is causing multiple growers in the region, which includes North Florida and South Georgia, to pull trees in favor of something else. Those growers includes Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association. She’s removing 400 of 1,000 satsuma trees, or about 40% …

cold-hardy citrus

Cold-Hardy Citrus Crop Outlook for 2025

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, freeze

Growers in the cold-hardy citrus region enjoyed a bountiful crop in 2024. Unfortunately, that is not expected to be the case in 2025. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association, said the expected drop in volume is due to multiple factors, including the winter storm last month that brought historic snowfall and sub-freezing temperatures over multiple days. But …

Protect Trees Post-Freeze With Fungicide

Tacy CalliesCold Hardy, Diseases, freeze

Growers in the cold-hardy citrus region should consider fungicide application following snow last week and multiple days of running irrigation for freeze irrigation. That advice comes from Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association, on the heels of historic snowfall recorded across the Southeast. “I’ve heard some people having up to 10 inches of snow where we grow …

snow

Snow and Sub-Freezing Temperatures Hit Cold-Hardy Citrus

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, freeze

Citrus in the cold-hardy region of South Georgia, South Alabama and North Florida encountered below-freezing temperatures and historic snowfall all week. Growers are now taking stock of their groves, surveying damage and preparing for what to do next, which includes managing phytophthora. “Most all of the crop was in, so there was very little exposure there. There’s a little bit …

cold-hardy

Cold-Hardy Citrus Region Continues to Expand

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, Cold Hardy

Muhammad Shahid, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor of horticulture, joined the All In For Citrus podcast recently to discuss the growing citrus industry in the cold-hardy region of North Florida, South Georgia and Southeast Alabama. Production continues to expand in the area with some 7,000 to 8,000 acres of citrus. Shahid is based …

success

CUPS Success Rate a Relief for Researcher

Daniel CooperCUPS

The success of citrus under protective screen (CUPS) in protecting Florida citrus from citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing or HLB, was not surprising to Arnold Schumann. The professor of soil fertility and water quality at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center is thankful research had yielded a temporary solution …