What the Georgia Citrus Association Learned in California

Daniel CooperAs Seen On Instagram, California Corner, Georgia

By Clint Thompson and Nick Papagni The Georgia Citrus Association’s trip to California last week allowed industry leaders to look for opportunities to advance citrus in the cold-hardy region. One of the focuses was learning about the different varieties produced in California that could have a potential future in the Southeast. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association …

Jake Price

University of Georgia Honors Jake Price

Daniel CooperAwards, Cold Hardy, Georgia

Jake Price, who has helped introduce cold-hardy citrus to Georgia, was recently honored by the University of Georgia (UGA). He is one of five UGA faculty and staff members recognized for their commitment to public service and outreach. Price won a Walter Barnard Hill Award, named for UGA Chancellor Walter B. Hill. Each award recipient receives a medallion, a permanent …

alternate bearing

Alternate Bearing of Georgia Satsumas

Daniel CooperGeorgia, Mandarins, Production

Jake Price and Mary Sutton of University of Georgia Extension recently wrote an article about alternate bearing of satsumas in Georgia. Edited excerpts follow. Satsumas tend to alternate bear, which can be a problem in commercial production. The freeze at the end of 2022 contributed to the majority of satsuma trees in Georgia having a light crop in 2023. This …

satsuma

Georgia Citrus Grower Discusses Satsuma Situation

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Mandarins, Varieties

Georgia’s citrus industry has found its footing more than a decade into production. Whether growers can thrive for the next 10 years may depend largely on their ability to expand production beyond satsuma mandarins. “It is a work in progress. Anybody getting into it will need to consider that,” Georgia grower Buck Paulk said. “There’s a lot of unknowns with …

fdoc

Juice Market Brings Questions for Georgia Citrus Growers

Tacy CalliesCold Hardy, Georgia, Orange Juice

Expansion into the juice market may unlock a profitable marketing opportunity for Georgia citrus growers. But questions remain before growers can start planning this new course of action, says Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association. “Hamlins and perhaps some early-season Valencias would work here in Georgia,” Savelle said. One question Georgia growers have about entering the juice …

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. …

Citrus Health Forum

Citrus Health Forum Brings Together Growers and Researchers

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Events

By Maegan Beatty Earlier this month, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) hosted the 2025 Citrus Health Forum. Growers gathered to learn about citrus production and hear regional citrus updates. Muhammad Shahid, UF/IFAS assistant professor, presented information on optimizing nitrogen fertilization to enhance the quality of satsuma mandarins. …

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 …

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% …

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 …

citrus

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Citrus Researchers Coming Together

Daniel CooperCitrus Nursery Source, Research

By Peter Chaires Florida’s citrus industry is well supported by two phenomenal research institutions: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). UF/IFAS provides research and Extension support from its main campus in Gainesville, as well as from its research and education centers and county Extension offices across the state. …

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 …

june

All In For Citrus Podcast, November 2024

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast

In November, academia from around the world gathered in Jeju, Korea, for the 2024 International Citrus Congress. A contingent of researchers from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) attended the event. Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center, was among the attendees. He discusses the trip in the November episode of …

cups

CUPS Expensive but Beneficial

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, CUPS

The benefits of implementing citrus under protective screen (CUPS) could be major for growers in the cold-hardy region. But they first must overcome the major limiting factor associated with the system — its cost. Arnold Schumann, a professor of soil fertility and water quality at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education …

Lindy Savelle

Lindy Savelle: A Voice for Georgia Citrus Growers

Daniel CooperGeorgia

Lindy Savelle took an unconventional route to becoming a leader for Georgia citrus. Turns out, her path was paved with success. The former federal law enforcement investigator decided to pursue a second career as a Georgia citrus grower and became a voice for the state’s blossoming industry. Almost 10 years after planting her first trees, Savelle has emerged as a …

disease concerns

Disease Concerns for Georgia Growers

Daniel CooperDiseases, Georgia

Not all citrus disease concerns center around huanglongbing (HLB). While HLB disease garners much of the headlines because of its devastation to Florida’s citrus crop, growers in the cold-hardy citrus region should be mindful of other diseases that can devastate a crop if left untreated. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, highlighted some of …

managing

Immediate Response Required When Managing HLB

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, HLB Management

The first chore for growers in the cold-hardy citrus region when managing citrus greening is scouting for the disease and its vector, the Asian citrus psyllid. The next step is prompt removal of any trees infected with the disease, says Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist. “At this point, we think greening is still …

plan

Marketing Plan Essential for Growers

Daniel CooperMarketing

Crop production is only half the battle for citrus growers in the cold-hardy citrus region of North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama. The other half is knowing where that crop is headed once it is harvested. Bill Barber, Ag Services LLC and Certified Crop Adviser, stressed to growers during a recent citrus meeting that they should have a marketing …

breeding

HLB at Center of Florida Citrus Breeding Efforts

Daniel CooperBreeding, Varieties

Peter Chaires, New Varieties Development and Management Corp. executive director, spoke about citrus breeding at the Cold Hardy Citrus Workshop on Sept. 24 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Perry. Chaires said HLB tolerance “is an essential element of everything that’s being done in the breeding program with a stronger emphasis than …

protect

Protect Against Potential Fungus Post-Hurricane

Daniel CooperDiseases, hurricane

Citrus growers impacted by Hurricane Helene now must decide the best management strategy to protect trees from potential disease issues prior to harvest. Kim Jones, a citrus grower and packer with operations in Monticello, Florida, and Tifton, Georgia, weighed in on what to consider to protect trees. “Fungus is the biggest risk at this point,” said Jones. “The sunshine is …