Injecting Citrus Tree Trunks with Bactericide May Help Stem Greening

Josh McGillCitrus

By: Brad Buck GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A chemical treatment known as a bactericide could help preserve citrus trees from the potentially deadly and costly greening disease, a new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) study shows. Citrus is estimated as a $10.9 billion-a-year industry in Florida and the finding could be key to helping the state’s …

Florida Citrus

Florida Citrus Grower Cautiously Optimistic

Daniel CooperEvents, Florida Citrus Show

It can be challenging to be a Florida citrus grower and find optimism in today’s economic and production climates. After more than 20 years of dealing with citrus greening disease, it is understandable for growers to be downtrodden. But one grower sees some positivity. Daniel Hunt, with Hunt Bros. in Lake Wales, was cautiously optimistic when discussing the future of …

CRAFT

CRAFT Discussed at Florida Citrus Show

Daniel CooperCRAFT, Events, Florida Citrus Show

The Florida Citrus Show provided an opportunity for Citrus Research and Field Trial Foundation (CRAFT) Executive Director Steven Hall to share the organization’s accomplishments and future plans. Hall moderated a panel discussion and spoke about the organization’s work. “Thanks to Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Senate President Ben Albritton, the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis, we’ve been able to …

psyllids

Kaolin Works Against Psyllids, Greening and Canker

Daniel CooperDiseases, Psyllids, Research

Brazilian research organization Fundecitrus has for several years studied the use of kaolin for psyllids and the citrus greening they spread, as well as for citrus canker. Kaolin is a natural mineral composed mainly of aluminum silicate. In the kaolin experiments conducted by Fundecitrus, the commercial product Surround WP was used. PSYLLIDS AND GREENING The Fundecitrus studies show that spraying …

citrus canker

Alternatives to Copper Needed for Citrus Canker Management

Daniel CooperDiseases

Florida citrus producers have long used copper as a way to protect against citrus canker. However, it’s time for growers to have other options. That’s a message shared by Ozgur Batuman, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor and citrus pathologist at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. He spoke on this …

dieback

Dieback a Concern in Citrus Trees Following Freeze

Daniel Cooperfreeze, Georgia

The Georgia citrus industry now has a better grasp on the extent of damage to the state’s crop following the recent freeze events in February and January. Dieback is present in both younger and older trees, says Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist. “For most of the older, established trees that have gotten some …

irrigation

Postfreeze Irrigation and Fertilization for Citrus Trees

Daniel Cooperfreeze, Irrigation, Nutrition

Irrigation and fertilizer applications are important management tools for Florida citrus growers following the recent freeze event in late January/early February. Davie Kadyampakeni, associate professor in soil, water and ecosystem sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), discussed both facets of tree maintenance during a postfreeze webinar hosted by the UF/IFAS Citrus Team. Key …

HLB

Invaio and Fundecitrus Collaborate on HLB Solutions

Daniel CooperHLB Management

Invaio Sciences, Inc. recently announced a collaboration with Fundecitrus (Fund for Citrus Protection), a research organization based in Araraquara, Brazil. The partnership aims to accelerate the development and evaluation of novel solutions — particularly peptide-based technologies — for controlling huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. The collaboration combines Invaio’s Biologicals by Design™ platform and Fundecitrus’ expertise in grove …

HLB

HLB Quarantine Expansions Impact California Commercial Citrus

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Diseases, Regulation

Agriculture officials have expanded the areas quarantined for citrus greening disease (known as huanglongbing or HLB) in California. The quarantined area in the Corona area of Riverside County was expanded by 37 square miles. The San Juan Capistrano quarantined area of Orange County was expanded by 18 square miles. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal …

triazine

Support for Citrus Access to Triazine Herbicides

Daniel Cooperweeds

The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) recently filed comments with federal agencies supporting continued access to the triazine herbicides simazine and atrazine for citrus and other specialty crops. The comments were submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and Environmental Protection Agency regarding FWS’ draft Biological Opinion (BiOp) for Atrazine and Simazine Herbicides. FFVA submitted the comments …

purchase

USDA to Purchase $30 Million of Fresh Citrus

Daniel CooperFresh

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Nov. 24 announced its intent to purchase up to $30 million in fresh citrus from American farmers. Under Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935, the USDA has the authority to purchase commodities from American farmers and producers and distribute the products to food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the country.  “These …

NVDMC

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: NVDMC’s Research Initiatives for 2025–26

Daniel CooperCitrus Nursery Source, Research

By Peter Chaires Last month’s Citrus Nursery Source article promised additional details on New Varieties Development & Management Corp.’s (NVDMC) 2025–26 sponsored projects. While there is only space for general summaries, it is important to highlight the areas of focus for each research team, and the emphasis on short-term benefits while continuing to build a foundation for the future. NVDMC …

NuCitrus

NuCitrus Shows Strong HLB Tolerance

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Varieties

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are putting genes from a non-citrus plant into Hamlin oranges to develop citrus plants that fight huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. The newly developed plant is called NuCitrus. It’s based on a protein called Arabidopsis NPR1 (AtNPR1). The new citrus shows strong tolerance to HLB, but not …

Florida citrus

Florida Citrus Budget Adopted; Issues Updated

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on Oct. 22 adopted a revised $23.4 million 2025–26 budget for the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). The FDOC budget is funded in part by a tax on each box of fruit growers produce. That tax will remain unchanged from last year, as follows: The FCC also received updates on several issues affecting the Florida …

standards

Florida Processed Citrus Standards Relaxed

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus, Processing

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on Oct. 22 temporarily eased maturity standards for processed oranges and processed grapefruit. The Florida Citrus Processors Association and Florida Citrus Mutual requested the changes, which were enacted by emergency rulemaking. The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), which the FCC governs, reported the maturity standard changes and the dates they are in effect. ORANGES For …

Callaham

Dundee Citrus Growers Association’s Callaham Honored

Daniel CooperAwards

Steven Callaham, executive vice president and chief executive officer of Florida’s Dundee Citrus Growers Association (Dundee CGA) for the last 22 years, was recently honored by The Packer. He was recognized as one of the 25 fresh produce industry innovators and agents of change. Callaham graduated from the University of Florida College of Agriculture and joined Dundee in 1999. He …

irrigation management

Irrigation Management for Improved Citrus Production

Daniel CooperIrrigation, Tip of the Week

By Davie M. Kadyampakeni and Alisheikh A. Atta The conventional four Rs for nutrient management are right source, right place, right rate and right time. This approach allows growers to synchronize nutrient supply with crop demand, enhance tree health and fruit yield, and abate economic costs and environmental losses.  In contemporary farming systems in Florida citrus production, considering a fifth R …

benefits

Silicon Benefits Citrus

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, Nutrition

A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher recently highlighted a number of benefits from using silicon as a nutrient for citrus. Muhammad Shahid, assistant professor at the North Florida Research and Education Center, presented silicon research findings at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo in August.   According to Shahid, silicon is categorized as a plant …

planting method

Video Shows Citrus Planting Method Has Many Benefits

Daniel Cooperplanting, Texas

Texas A&M University citrus scientists who developed a successful planting method to combat diaprepes root weevil found that the method also offers numerous other benefits. In 2013, researchers Mamoudou Setamou and Olufemi Alabi were looking for an effective non-chemical method to physically block the circular foliage-to-underground lifecycle of diaprepes. The pest was attacking citrus roots and killing trees. Their solution …

diagnostic

Plant Diagnostic Facilities for Georgia Citrus Growers

Daniel CooperDiseases, Georgia

The University of Georgia (UGA) has disease labs and clinics to help citrus producers determine what diseases are impacting their trees. Jonathan Oliver, UGA assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, highlights the diagnostic facilities that growers can take advantage of. “We have a lab in Tifton, the Plant Disease Clinic, that can accept samples from commercial citrus,” Oliver said. “We …