Georgia growers

Georgia Growers Tour Brazil’s Citrus Industry

Daniel CooperBrazil, Georgia

A recent tour of Brazilian citrus provided Georgia growers with valuable information on how to capitalize on production amid huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association and owner of JoNina Farm, was one of seven producers who attended the week-long tour this fall. One of the main observations was Brazil’s strong production despite the prevalence …

cold

Preparing Citrus Groves for Cold Fronts

Daniel Cooperfreeze, Tip of the Week

By Muhammad A. Shahid, Shahid Iqbal and Davie Kadyampakeni As temperatures begin to drop across citrus-growing regions, now is the time for growers to prepare their groves for potential freeze events. Citrus trees, especially young plantings, are susceptible to cold temperatures. Damage from a single freeze event can result in canopy dieback, fruit loss and even tree death. Proper planning …

replanting

What to Consider When Replanting a Grove

Daniel Cooperplanting, Tip of the Week

By Edwin Gutierrez-Rodriguez and Bosques Jonael Replanting a citrus grove can be an exciting prospect, but it’s not as simple as swapping trees. New cultivars, for example, may require a different setup. Here are some aspects to consider before jumping in: First steps: Newly released cultivars and rootstocks as wells as the Citrus Research and Field Trial programs are refreshing the …

purity level

Fruit Quality Improvement Takes Time

Tacy CalliesHLB Management, OTC Expert

Sponsored Content Question: Previous questions have been asked about increases in yield and quality of the citrus crop as groves begin to recover from HLB. Why does it take additional time to get quality to improve? Answer: The ability of any crop to produce both high yield and high quality is an agronomic function of a plant’s ability to intake …

citrus rootstock

Agromillora Introduces New Citrus Rootstock

Daniel CooperResearch

Agromillora, in collaboration with the Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research (IVIA), has introduced CIVAC-19, a new citrus rootstock. CIVAC-19 is the result of more than a decade of research between IVIA and Agromillora. It is a hybrid rootstock of Citrus reshni (Cleopatra mandarin) and Poncirus trifoliata (trifoliate orange). Its semi-dwarfing nature provides medium vigor, key for maintaining compact canopies and …

spray drift

Using Pesticides Safely

Daniel CooperCEU, Pesticides

By Mongi Zekri Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. A minimum score of 70% is required to receive credit. Pesticides should not be considered the first line of defense against …

irrigation

Irrigation and Nutrient Management for Improved Tree Productivity

Daniel CooperIrrigation, Nutrition

By Davie Kadyampakeni, Alisheikh Atta, Jonas Pereira de Souza Junior, Christopher Vincent and Tripti Vashisth Typically, citrus water requirements are low in the winter and spring due to cooler temperatures but peak in summer and early fall due to rising temperatures. Thus, improved irrigation management is critical in these times of the year for improved production. Because most citrus trees …

bed system

Bed System Benefits Citrus Production

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Production

A bed system used in citrus groves is still under research at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) in Quincy. But one researcher is already convinced that the system, which includes fabric mulch, is beneficial for growers. “This system is better for them. It’s already being used in …

citrus podcast

All In For Citrus Podcast, September 2025

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast

Varieties and rootstocks are the topics of the September episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. Earlier this month, a field day was held in Jason Griffin’s grove near Lake Alfred, Florida. He is collaborating with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) to evaluate several rootstock/scion combinations developed by UF/IFAS citrus breeders. Griffin has …

Satsuma

Impact of Satsuma Shortage in Cold-Hardy Citrus Region

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Georgia

Minimal satsumas this harvest season will impact cold-hardy producers far beyond the loss of production in the region. MAINTENANCE MANDATORY Growers are now tasked with maintaining their groves when there is little to no fruit on the trees. It is a chore that producers should still follow through on, however, says Jake Price, University of Georgia (UGA) area citrus agent. …

recommendations

Georgia-Based Recommendations for Fertilization

Daniel CooperGeorgia, Nutrition

Georgia citrus growers need fertilizer recommendations that are specific to the state’s production. This would allow growers to make better decisions concerning crop management. That is one of the reasons Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, was hired in August 2024. She is conducting research that will benefit Georgia growers who need to mostly …

Citrus Sustainability

The Five Rs of Citrus Sustainability

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, Irrigation, Nutrition

One of the themes that emerged during the citrus seminars at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo was that integration of multiple strategies is needed to keep HLB-infected trees productive. Davie Kadyampakeni’s talk detailed the five Rs of sustainable citrus production in the era of HLB. Kadyampakeni is an associate professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and …

nutrient

Emerging Trends in Nutrient Rate Studies

Daniel CooperAs Seen On Instagram, Nutrition, Tip of the Week

By Davie Kadyampakeni, Noor Basar, Alisheikh Atta, Muhammad Shahid, Shahid Iqbal and Alan Wright Citrus trees in Florida impacted by HLB have limited nutrient uptake largely due to limited root mass, compromised physiology and extremely sandy soil. The state’s current nutrient management guidelines were developed based on data prior to the spread of HLB, when trees had dense canopies and …

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 …

trunk injection

The Potential of Trunk Injection for Fresh Market Citrus

Daniel CooperFresh, HLB Management

By John M. Chater Citrus tree trunk injection of antibiotics has been recently and widely used in Florida. The success of oxytetracycline (OTC) in sweet orange to mitigate huanglongbing (HLB or citrus greening) disease has been documented by the laboratory of Ute Albrecht, associate professor at the University of Florida. Some results suggest that OTC injection can improve Brix, ratio, …

Millennium Block

Millennium Block Research Update

Daniel CooperIndian River, Rootstocks, Varieties

Flavia Zambon, assistant professor with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, recently provided an update about Millennium Block research at the Indian River Research and Education Center. The block, established in 2019–20, is a large-scale, 5,500-tree trial seeking HLB-tolerant citrus varieties. Zambon says some varieties in the trial are showing strong fruit attributes without the need …

weeds

The Harm Weeds Do

Daniel Cooperweeds

Before HLB, canker and diaprepes root weevils became major problems for Florida citrus growers, weeds were among the constant and major annoyances in groves. Even with the pests and diseases growers have faced over the past five decades, the need for weed control may be as important, and costly, as ever. A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural …

navel

California Navel Production Costs Soar

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Economics

It costs $4,215 per acre to grow navel oranges in California in 2025, California Citrus Mutual (CCM) reported following a recent survey of production costs. That’s up from $3,300 in 2020 (a 35% increase), $2,712 in 2015 (a 75% increase), $2,099 in 2010 (a 125% increase) and $1,555 in 2005 (a 171% increase). Additionally, CCM reported that picking and hauling …

biosolids

Biosolids: The Scoop on Processed Poop

Daniel CooperRegulation, Tip of the Week

By William Mitchell, Taylor O’Bannon and Michelle Danyluk Biosolids, sometimes referred to as sewage sludge, are a primarily organic solid product produced by wastewater treatment processes. These organic solids are often used as an inexpensive soil amendment to enhance soil quality. KNOW THE RULES AND RISKS The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) prohibits the use of …

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 …