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Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “cover crops”
Sometimes the most niche plant pathogen packs the greatest punch. Such is the case for the Florida citrus industry, which has seen a 70% decline in its orange production since the introduction of HLB in 2005. HLB is also known as citrus greening disease. The bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus cause this disease, which spreads via a flying insect. When the …
By Ramdas Kanissery, Yiannis Ampatzidis, Mahesh Bashyal and Shea Teems Weed control is vital for profitable citrus production since weeds compete for nutrients and water, can harbor diseases and pests, and get in the way of equipment and workers. Without proper management, weeds lead to reduced crop yield and economic losses. Chemical weed control using herbicides is the most common …
By Mongi Zekri Pruning is an important grove practice that increases sunlight penetration within the tree canopy. Sunlight enhances flowering, fruit quality and color development. Sunlight also allows foliage to dry quickly after a rain shower, which reduces problems of fungal diseases. Pruning trees can improve fruit quality and increase fruit size. However, tree response to pruning depends on scion …
The requirement that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) conduct Best Management Practice (BMP) implementation verification visits has been temporarily suspended for several counties impacted by Hurricane Ian. The action was taken Oct. 31 by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried. The 60-day suspension is effective for the counties of Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, …
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida released details of his request for a $33 billion major disaster supplemental spending measure. Rubio’s Hurricane Ian emergency supplemental appropriations requests include $2.955 billion for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA funding includes $2 billion for the Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program to cover agricultural costs from loss of crops, trees, bushes …
Four federal disaster assistance programs and one Florida program are among those available to growers to assist in recovery after Hurricane Ian. The first four programs listed below are available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). To apply for these programs, contact a local FSA office, or the Florida FSA office at 352-379-4500. EMERGENCY LOAN PROGRAMThe …
“Hurricane Ian has devastated much of Florida’s citrus industry,” said Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center. “The harsh reality is that the 2022–2023 season will be one of the most challenging that any of us has faced.” Several UF/IFAS Extension agents made early assessments of the …
By Christa Court Disaster events, such as extreme weather events (hurricanes, floods, droughts, etc.), have always been and will continue to be a threat for growers. Impacts to a citrus grove might include production losses associated with fruit drop from surviving trees and asset damages to buildings, machinery/equipment, irrigation systems and destroyed trees. Producers might also incur increased costs for …
A bacterial species closely related to citrus greening disease is rapidly evolving its ability to infect insect hosts and possibly plants. The newly identified species belongs to Liberibacter, a family of bacteria known to infect several economically important crops. There are nine known Liberibacter species, including three that are associated with citrus greening. Citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing or …
European Union (EU) orange production is projected at 6.1 million metric tons (MMT), down from 6.5 MMT in 2020–21, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported recently. The decrease is driven by moderate production declines in Spain and Italy, which combined account for nearly 80% of total EU orange output. PLANTED AREA The forecast for total EU …
By Ute Albrecht, Anas Fadli and Chandrika Ramadugu Most commercially available citrus scion cultivars are highly attractive to the Asian citrus psyllid and susceptible to HLB. There are some citrus species, however, that are HLB tolerant or resistant. This may be because they are less attractive to the psyllids and/or because they restrict pathogen proliferation and therefore HLB disease development. …
Florida citrus growers are facing a rising mound of challenges these days. With citrus greening disease (HLB) devastating groves, low supply, soaring fertilizer prices and a substantial increase in overall production costs, the current odds are stacked high against citrus growers. This is an industry in crisis. Fortunately, science is catching up with new solutions to combat these urgent issues. …
The conditions under which citrus fruit may be moved interstate from areas quarantined for sweet orange scab (SOS) when destined for processing or packing in a commercial citrus-producing state without a statewide SOS quarantine have been modified. The modification was made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS). In 2010, APHIS published Federal …
By Amir Rezazadeh Heat stress happens when the body is exposed to extreme heat in a hot environment. Heat-related illnesses include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat rashes. Other signs of heat stress include sweaty palms, fogged-up safety glasses and dizziness. Agricultural workers are at risk of heat stress. Those who are 65 years of age or older, …
By Amir Rezazadeh Every year, hurricanes and tropical storms can occur in Florida from June 1 to Nov. 30. Hurricanes and tropical storms damage citrus trees by blowing fruit off trees or from flooding due to too much rain or high tides. Also, high tides due to wind may cause rising water levels and saltwater flooding. The best practice for …
The 2022–2023 initial orange crop forecast for Brazil’s São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt is 316.95 million boxes. The forecast was published on May 26 by Fundecitrus and its cooperators. The projected volume is 20.53% higher than the previous crop, which totaled 262.97 million boxes. The orange production forecast includes:• 59.48 million boxes of Hamlin, Westin and Rubi• …
By Anirban Guha and Christopher Vincent A quick body temperature test is common these days before entering many workplaces, hospitals and clinics due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose is to screen people for fevers, usually with a non-contact infrared thermometer. Measurement of plant body temperatures also has become common for many field crops, not to screen for infectious …
An event in Lake Placid, Florida, on the potential of bamboo as an alternative commercial crop drew a large turnout of growers. Citrus growers, in particular, are interested in crops that could go on marginal grove land until a more viable solution to HLB comes along. Bamboo might fill that need, according to Phillip Rucks, owner of Phillip Rucks Citrus …
Matt Joyner, Florida Citrus Mutual’s (FCM) new chief executive officer and executive vice president, recently reported that FCM helped achieve substantial citrus industry support in the recent Florida legislative session. Following are citrus-related items that Joyner highlighted in the recently passed state budget: $8 million for the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) to continue basic research into HLB ($3 …
By Megan Dewdney Mid-summer to fall has become algal spot season in my office. The disease is re-emerging in Florida for unknown reasons. While much of the year algal spot is low key and hard to spot, between June and September it is very obvious. So, what is algal spot, should you be concerned, and what can you do about …
