crop load

Understanding Crop Load and Alternate Bearing

Daniel CooperProduction

By Fernando Alferez and Muhammad A. Shahid Citrus trees bloom profusely. It is estimated that a healthy adult tree can produce more than 200,000 flowers every year. This number is much higher than that of fruits the tree can maintain and develop. Normally only between 1% to 5% of flowers set fruit that develops, matures and can ultimately be harvested. …

rust mite

Managing Citrus Rust Mite Populations in Peak Season

Daniel CooperPests, Texas

Citrus rust mite (CRM) populations in Texas often reach peak levels from late spring through early fall, researchers with Texas A&M University-Kingsville Citrus Center reported. The researchers, Tolulope Agunbiade and Mamoudou Sétamou, offered background on CRM and management practices in “Citrus Rust Mite, Tiny but Mighty for the Texas Citrus Industry,” an article in the first edition of the university’s …

phytophthora

Managing Phytophthora in Cold-Hardy Citrus

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Diseases

In Florida, the soilborne phytophthora pathogens — primarily Phytophthora nicotianae and Phytophthora palmivora — are the leading causes of root rot, crown rot and foot rot. Two University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers recently wrote about phytophthora management in cold-hardy citrus. The authors are Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist Muhammad Shahid and postdoc Carlos Aucique-Perez, …

grower

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: A Grower Wish List

Daniel CooperCitrus Nursery Source

By Peter Chaires There has been a good bit of talk recently about an anticipated shift in Florida citrus utilization. Some growers, who for many years saw their fruit utilized in processing, are looking for ways to get more of their crop in a fresh market carton for 2026–27. While grapefruit has always been grown with the fresh market in …

Spanish Lemon Production on the Decline

Spanish Lemon Production on the Decline

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, International, lemons

Spanish production of lemons for 2025–26 is projected at 828,000 tons, a decrease of 9.6% from the 915,000 tons of the previous season. That comes on top of a production decline registered in 2024–25, when the crop was 20% lower than in 2023–24.  The fall in production is not explained by a significant reduction in area. The 47,996 hectares in …

Scab

California Sweet Orange Scab Quarantine Expanded

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Diseases, Regulation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) have expanded the area quarantined for sweet orange scab (SOS). The expansion is in the Irvine area of Orange County and in the La Puente area of Los Angeles County in California. QUARANTINE ACTIONS APHIS is expanding …

irrigation

Irrigation and Nutrition Critical During Citrus Flush

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, Irrigation, Nutrition

In the March episode of the All In For Citrus podcast, Tripti Vashisth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center assistant director, discusses demands that the recent freeze and ongoing drought have been putting on trees. Both factors heighten the importance of irrigation and fertilization. Vashisth notes the freeze knocked a lot …

Forecast Projects Increased Florida Citrus Crops

Tacy CalliesCrop Forecast

Despite a winter freeze in Florida that many thought would reduce the citrus crop, the April 9 federal citrus forecast increased production estimates for all Florida varieties. The forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS) also included forecasts for other U.S. citrus-producing states. FLORIDAThe new orange forecast for Florida is 12.2 million boxes, up …

Florida’s

Florida’s Replanting Era: What it Means for OJ Demand

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice, planting

By Marisa Zansler Over the past year, there has been a discreet change occurring in the orange juice (OJ) aisle amid supply shortages. Some of the familiar OJ cartons have changed, not in name but in composition. With Florida’s smaller crop and limited global OJ supplies, Florida’s processors have stretched that limited supply by offering more products that blend OJ …

silicon

When and How To Use Silicon for Freeze Protection and Recovery

Daniel Cooperfreeze, Nutrition, Tip of the Week

By Muhammad A. Shahid and Davie Kadyampakeni Silicon (Si) is getting a lot of attention from citrus growers as a tool to help trees handle stress, especially during cold and freeze conditions. It toughens up plant tissues, strengthens cell walls and helps trees better handle stress when it is applied at the right time. BEFORE FREEZE The most important thing …

cold-hardy

Cold-Hardy Citrus Damage Expected From Incoming Freeze

Daniel CooperCold Hardy

Trees in the cold-hardy citrus region have already experienced severe cold weather in 2026. If forecasts come to fruition this weekend, freezing temperatures will make things worse. Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, discussed the impact of recent sub-freezing temperatures that citrus in North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama has been subjected to. …

post-freeze

Postfreeze Citrus Management

Daniel Cooperfreeze

By Muhammad A. Shahid, KeAndre Leaks and Davie M. Kadyampakeni Right after a freeze, you may notice new growth turning black and leaves hardening, yellowing or looking water-soaked. About a week after a severe freeze, leaves may start to curl and turn brown. Leaves and fruits may begin to drop. Do not attempt any recovery treatments immediately after a freeze. …

cold-hardy

Cold-Hardy Citrus Update Following December Freeze

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, freeze

Cold-hardy citrus in the Southeast endured sub-freezing temperatures in mid-December, the second major freeze to impact the region this season. Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, discussed how this freeze impacted citrus trees and fruit in North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama. “We’re seeing some damage on younger trees that were probably planted …

boron deficiency

Unraveling Sweet Orange Response to Boron Deficiency

Daniel CooperNutrition, Research

Chinese researchers have delved into the complex interactions between transcription processes and metabolism in sweet orange plants deficient in boron. Boron deficiency can lead to reduced yields and compromised fruit quality. Authors of the research are Xiuyao Yang, Ke Wen, Xiujia Yang, Mengjie Zhang, Ling Zhu, Yinqiang Zi, Tuo Yin, Xulin Li, Xiaozhen Liu and Hanyao Zhang, all with the …

magnesium

Fixing Magnesium Deficiency

Daniel CooperNutrition

Noting that magnesium (Mg) deficiency is a problem in Florida citrus, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) offers the following information about its symptoms, cause and solutions. SYMPTOMS AND CAUSE Trees with inadequate Mg supply have no symptoms in the new spring flush, but leaf symptoms will develop as the leaves age and the fruit …

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 …

temperatures

Cold-Hardy Citrus Spared From Sub-Freezing Temperatures

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, freeze

The short timeframe when temperatures dipped below freezing this week in the cold-hardy citrus region appears to have not been problematic for trees. That’s the preliminary assessment shared by Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist. Sutton emphasized that the few hours that temperatures dropped into the 20s early Tuesday morning was a lot better …

Georgia

Cold-Hardy Citrus Producers Should Prepare for Potential Freeze

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, freeze, Weather

Cold-hardy citrus producers need to be prepared for a potential freeze event next week. Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, cautioned growers on the UGA Citrus Blog that temperatures are expected to drop in the low 30s across the region next Monday and Tuesday, and perhaps in the upper 20s in some areas. The …

improve

Two Practices to Improve Citrus Production

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Production

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers recently explained the benefits of raised bed planting and mulching to improve citrus tree establishment, productivity and resilience against environmental stress. Assistant Professor Muhmmad Shahid and Postdoc Scholar Shahid Iqbal, both of the North Florida Research and Education Center, and Associate Professor Davie Kadyampakeni of the Citrus Research and …

export

Early-Season Export Report for Brazil

Daniel CooperBrazil, Export

The first 90 days of the 2025–26 Brazilian citrus season confirmed adjustments in the export market for orange juice (OJ) and citrus byproducts. LOWER VOLUME AND REVENUE In spite of the tariff exemption on Brazilian OJ in the United States, the performance of exports from July to September was below that verified in the same period last season. According to …