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Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “fruit drop”
Florida citrus producers have long used copper as a way to protect against citrus canker. However, it’s time for growers to have other options. That’s a message shared by Ozgur Batuman, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor and citrus pathologist at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. He spoke on this …
Agriculture officials have expanded the areas quarantined for sweet orange scab (SOS) in the Los Angeles and Villa Park areas of Los Angeles and Orange counties in California. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) expanded the quarantine. SOS is a disease caused by …
By Tripti Vashisth and Prudhvi Vulchi Plant growth regulators (PGRs) have become an important management tool for Florida citrus growers facing the challenges of huanglongbing (HLB). HLB disrupts the tree’s hormonal balance by reducing growth-promoting hormones like cytokinin and gibberellins and increasing stress-related hormones. This imbalance weakens carbohydrate transport, reduces sink strength and accelerates canopy decline. PGRs can help restore …
The Feb. 10 forecast for Brazil’s São Paulo and Triângulo/Sudoeste Mineiro region is 292.6 million boxes of oranges. That’s a 0.7% reduction from the Dec. 10 forecast of 294.81 million boxes, and a 7% reduction from the initial forecast of the season on May 9 of 314.6 million boxes. The reduction is due to a decrease in the average size …
Despite declaring there will be no silver bullet for HLB, Ozgur Batuman in a Jan. 21 virtual seminar said growers using integrated pest management (IPM) tools “can stay productive.” However, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor also warned that producing citrus juice in Florida “will not be easy or cheap.” Oranges are by far …
In the recent Highlands County Citrus Growers Association (HCCGA) newsletter, Riley McKenna discussed conditions in groves, shrinking infrastructure and the importance of block grant funding. GROVE OBSERVATIONS McKenna, HCCGA president, stated that “faint hints of March bloom are already beginning to fill the air.” He added that the weather shows little indication of stabilizing or slowing tree growth, “which could …
The first federal forecast of the 2025–26 citrus season, issued Jan. 12, calls for continued decreased production of Florida oranges and grapefruit. The Florida lemon forecast increased and exceeds the state’s tangerine/mandarin forecast, which is flat. Other citrus-producing states are also included in the forecast, which was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). FLORIDA …
By Lauren Diepenbrock Pest management is a year-round challenge in Florida citrus. But with knowledge of insect, mite and snail seasonal biology in relation to tree phenology, plans can be developed to protect fruit and maintain productive citrus trees. Populations of some highly problematic pests (Asian citrus psyllid and citrus leafminer) generally increase with flush/new growth development, so targeting peak …
By Michael Rogers It has now been two decades since huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, was first detected in Florida. That announcement in August 2005 changed everything for the Florida citrus industry. At the time, Florida citrus was still a global powerhouse. Less than a year earlier, HLB had been confirmed in Brazil, and we were aware of its devastating …
Fundecitrus recently held an international seminar dedicated to citrus greening. The event had approximately 150 participants and featured experts from China and Brazil. GENOME EDITING Xuefeng Wang, from China’s Southwest University’s Citrus Research Institute, highlighted his interest in building a solid partnership in the area of genome editing. He said his group has already identified promising genes that can contribute …
Alico, Inc., which completed its last major citrus harvest this year, announced results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended Sept. 30. LESS PRODUCTION For the fiscal year, Alico Citrus harvested 2.3 million boxes of fruit, a decrease of 25.9% from the prior year. It harvested 944,000 boxes of early- and mid-season oranges, down 20.9% from 2024. Its Valencia …
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) convened its November board of directors meeting to take up recommendations from its Research Management Committee. According to Rick Dantzler, CRDF chief operating officer, one of those recommendations was funding a proposal from Swadesh Santra, who is a professor of chemistry with the University of Central Florida. “This funding would allow Dr. Santra …
Florida Farm Bureau has submitted comments supporting the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposal to amend the standard of identity (SOI) for pasteurized orange juice (POJ) by lowering the minimum soluble solids content from 10.5° to 10° Brix. The FDA proposed an amendment earlier this year in response to a 2021 Florida citrus industry petition. Following are some comments from …
In the November Highlands County Citrus Growers Association newsletter, President Riley McKenna and Executive Director Ray Royce reported mostly positive signs they’ve been seeing in groves. MCKENNA “As the month progresses, so have the cooler nighttime temperatures. This cold front marks an important shift moving forward into our early harvest season,” said McKenna. “It brings both anticipation for fruit ripening …
Citrus canker, a federal and state regulated plant disease, has been detected in Mobile County, Alabama. As required by federal law, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) will establish a citrus canker quarantine for the county. The Auburn University Plant Pathology Lab confirmed the first detection from foliage and fruit samples collected during ADAI’s routine citrus survey. The …
Fundecitrus’ annual survey of citrus greening incidence shows that in 2025 the disease affected 47.63% of orange trees in the Citrus Belt of São Paulo and the Triângulo/Southwest Minas Gerais region. This represents a 7.4% increase compared to 2024, when the incidence was 44.35%. SLOWER RATE OF INCREASE However, for the second consecutive year, a slowdown in the rate of …
By Megan Dewdney Sometimes there is an unfortunate coincidence between the timing of fruit changing color and rain events. This can set up a situation where brown rot occurs unexpectedly and growers need to stop the disease after it has begun. CONTROL OPTIONS By this time of year, the traditional brown rot control measures are less effective. These are primarily …
On Sept. 10, Brazil reduced the 2025–26 orange forecast for the São Paulo and Triângulo/Southwest Minas Gerais Citrus Belt by 2.5% from the season’s initial forecast, to 306.74 million boxes. This was the first revised forecast issued by Fundecitrus since May. The reduction was mainly due to the increased projected fruit drop rate, which was a result of the increased …
By Tripti Vashisth, Johann Hiller and Taylor Livingston Poor fruit quality has long been a significant hurdle for sweet orange growers in the HLB era. With high fruit drop rates and challenges in harvest management, many growers find themselves picking fruit earlier than ideal, resulting in subpar Brix levels. To effectively improve the Brix of the fruit, it is essential …
A 2024 survey showed that most Florida citrus growers used oxytetracycline (OTC) trunk injection on most of their acres, resulting in improved yield and reduced fruit drop. Tara Wade, associate professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, presented survey results at the recent Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. OTC …
