greening

Brazil’s Orange Crop Takes a Downward Turn

Tacy CalliesBrazil, Crop Forecast

Fundecitrus and its cooperators announced on Sept. 10 that Brazil’s 2021-22 orange crop forecast has decreased to 267.87 million boxes. This is a decrease of 8.9% from May’s initial forecast of 294.17 million boxes. While Brazil was initially expecting a larger orange crop this season, the updated forecast is less than the 268.63 million boxes Brazil produced in 2020-2021. The …

Protecting Trees From Phytophthora Disease

Tacy CalliesDiseases, Tip of the Week

By Evan G. Johnson It is time to start thinking about protecting the fall root flush that will start soon and continue through November/December. This is the largest root flush of the year that stores carbohydrate reserves for next spring. Coming out of the rainy season, phytophthora has had the chance to build up plenty of inoculum, especially in groves …

Georgia Growers: Stop Citrus Greening Spread

Tacy CalliesCitrus Greening

Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, is concerned about the potential impact of citrus greening disease in Georgia. That’s why he is encouraging Georgia growers to quickly dispose of infected trees if any are found. “Once greening becomes really widespread and established in a lot of our trees, it’s really hard to stop it,” Oliver …

Alabama Trying to Contain Citrus Canker

Tacy CalliesDiseases

How citrus canker arrived in Alabama is still unknown. What is certain is that it’s an issue the Alabama Department of Agriculture is determined to contain before it becomes a major problem, said Kassie Conner, director of the Auburn University Plant Diagnostic Lab, during a recent webinar. “The first trees that were found infected were in a landscape, and the …

Missed Expo? You Can Catch Up!

Ernie NeffAll In For Citrus Podcast, Citrus Expo

If you missed Citrus Expo Aug. 18-19 and the great production information available at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) booth, you can now access it online. Posters and videos that were available at the booth are now on the UF/IFAS Citrus Research website. Click on “Presentations,” then “Citrus Expo Presentations,” then “2021 Citrus Expo.” …

navel oranges

Navel Oranges: Current Status and Future in Florida

Tacy CalliesVarieties

By Pete Spyke and Bill Castle Navel oranges are fairly tolerant of HLB, are popular and easy to sell, and offer a stable source of income that is only marginally related to worldwide supply and demand. Nevertheless, the Florida navel orange industry has experienced some tough times recently. Growers are questioning whether it is possible to grow navel oranges profitably …

Steger Forecast for 2021-22 Florida Orange Crop

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast

Private consultant Elizabeth Steger on Aug. 16 forecast Florida will produce 52 million boxes of oranges in the 2021-22 season — 1.5% less than the 52.8 million boxes produced in 2020-21. Steger projected 20.8 million boxes of early-midseason oranges; that’s less than the 22.7 million boxes produced last season. Her Valencia projection is 31.2 million boxes; that’s more than the …

Grower: Young Trees Look ‘Outstanding’

Ernie NeffProduction

In the face of production declines, pest issues and other challenges, multi-county Florida citrus grower David Wheeler of Wheeler Farms found something positive to report. “One bright spot is the health of our young trees,” he said. “They look outstanding and have been on a good program with a rotation of insecticides.” Wheeler Farms’ more mature citrus trees aren’t doing …

crop forecast

Help Trees Handle Heat

Tacy CalliesAll In For Citrus Podcast, Weather

Florida citrus production can be significantly impacted during the summertime heat. High temperatures with little to no rainfall can affect trees’ vegetative growth, fruit set and fruit quality, says Amir Rezazadeh, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) multi-county fruit and field crops agent. Heat is a factor that can cause citrus trees to become significantly dehydrated. …

Parson Brown Outperforming Hamlin

Ernie NeffResearch, Varieties

Manjul Dutt recently discussed his research on the Parson Brown (PB) sweet orange, which shows some characteristics that could make it more attractive than Hamlin, Florida’s leading early-season orange. Dutt is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences horticultural sciences researcher at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Dutt’s research, funded by the Citrus …

Expo Focus: ‘What Growers Can Do Now’

Ernie NeffCitrus Expo

Many of the citrus presentations featured on the first day of Citrus Expo, Aug. 18, will focus on “what growers can do now” to keep groves productive, Michael Rogers reports. Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, offers what he calls “a 30,000-foot view” of the citrus seminar …

symposium

Protect Citrus Trees From Heat Stress

Tacy CalliesWeather

By Amir Rezazadeh Heat stress affects the production of different citrus varieties, particularly seedless varieties. The severe effect of heat stress can be seen during the flowering and fruit set stage as well as June drop. High temperature can affect different growth stages of citrus trees, such as vegetative growth, flowering and fruit set. EARLY SIGNSThe following are early signs …

Maximizing Rootstock Seed Production

Tacy CalliesSeed

By Fernando Alferez, Deived Uilian de Carvalho, Daniel Boakye, Tim Gast and Manjul Dutt Endemic HLB in Florida has provoked increased pressure to replant and reset infected groves. This has resulted in concern from citrus growers and nursery operators about seed availability for the most popular rootstocks in the state. In the past, all rootstock fruit (both early and late …

Growers Discuss CRAFT Projects

Ernie NeffResearch

Four Florida growers recently discussed efforts they’ll take to cope with HLB in plantings subsidized by the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program. Their comments were part of a virtual educational session sponsored by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) and Florida Citrus Mutual. CRDF Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler said the projects discussed were among 103 funded …

Fresh Citrus Variety Options for Florida

Ernie NeffVarieties

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant breeder Fred Gmitter discussed potential fresh fruit variety options for Florida growers in a July 14 virtual presentation. Gmitter focused on releases made by breeders at UF/IFAS’ Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. SUGAR BELLEGmitter said the Sugar Belle mandarin hybrid has high tolerance for HLB. This …

sweet orange scab

California Reports Two Citrus Pests

Ernie NeffPests

The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program in California recently detected sweet orange scab (SOS) in new areas of the state. Additionally, an unofficial lime swallowtail butterfly (LSB) sample was identified from Los Angeles County, and several LSB sightings have been reported in Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo counties. SWEET ORANGE SCABSOS is a cosmetic fungal disease that impacts …

2021-22 Orange Crop Forecast Up for Brazil

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast

Brazil released its first orange crop forecast for the 2021-22 season on May 27. According to a report published by Fundecitrus and its cooperators, 294.17 million boxes are expected for the São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt. The projected crop is 9.51% larger than the previous crop of 268.63 million boxes, but is still 10.53% lower than the …

Sneak Peek: June 2021 Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

There is no arguing that citrus greening has been the biggest change to the industry in the past 16 years. The disease is causing growers to do things differently. Researchers are helping growers adapt to change and find new solutions. Some of this research can be found in the June issue of Citrus Industry. FRUIT DROPOne of the problems exacerbated …

Keep Citrus Trees Hydrated

Tacy CalliesIrrigation, Tip of the Week

Frequent irrigation with good quality water can improve fruit growth and development and overall productivity. By Tripti Vashisth HLB-affected citrus trees have small and weak root systems. Though the roots are efficient in taking up water and nutrients, there are not sufficient roots to support the tree’s canopy requirement. Therefore, the trees often experience water and nutrient deficit. Not all …

Principles and Risks of Trunk Injection for Delivery of Crop Protection Materials

Tacy CalliesPesticides, Research

By Ute Albrecht and Leigh Archer Trunk injection is a targeted delivery of materials into the stem or trunk of trees as an alternative to spraying or soil drenching. It is practical for disease and pest management in high-value forest trees and ornamental plants where aerial applications are problematic because of environmental and human health-related concerns. Interest in using the …