Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “fruit drop”
Compost-amended plots (left) had more weeds than those with no compost. A new study published in Scientific Reports examines whether repeated compost applications could improve the health and productivity of young citrus trees growing under endemic huanglongbing (HLB) conditions in Florida. Gabriel Pugina, Caroline Tardivo, Brittney Monus, Emma Dawson, Sarah Strauss and Ute Albrecht of the University of Florida Institute …
University of California Riverside Extension subtropical horticulturist Mary Lu Arpaia recently discussed the uses of the plant growth regulators 2,4-D, NAA and ethylene in California citrus. Her June 9 presentation was part of the Citrus Research Board Webinar Series. 2,4-D One use of 2,4-D in California is to increase fruit size of navel oranges, grapefruit, mandarins and mandarin hybrids. For …
There are numerous preharvest and postharvest uses of gibberellic acid (GA) in California citrus, a University of California Riverside Extension subtropical horticulturist reported during a June 9 webinar. Mary Lu Arpaia’s GA discussion was a major portion of her broader topic of plant growth regulators in California citrus. Her presentation was part of the Citrus Research Board Webinar Series. WHAT …
Rabobank recently forecast a challenging 2026–27 harvest year for the global orange juice (OJ) industry. It reported that while global supply is forecast to contract, the ongoing decline in OJ demand is likely to continue. As a result, global frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) prices are expected to struggle to recover sustainably. This article, focusing on OJ supply, consists of …
By Lauren Fessler Mathews, Ana Redondo and Ozgur Batuman Citrus canker continues to impact Florida citrus, increasing premature fruit drop and decreasing yield and fruit quality. While copper sprays have long been relied upon to control this disease, concerns about environmental impact and possible resistance development have led to efforts to find sustainable alternatives. Previous studies have shown that plant …
Brazil’s Fundecitrus on May 8 forecast 2026–27 orange crop production for the Citrus Belt of São Paulo and the Triângulo/Southwest Minas Gerais region at 255.2 million 40.8-kilogram boxes. That’s a 12.9% reduction from the previous crop of 292.94 million boxes and a 14.7% decline relative to the average of the last decade. REASONS FOR LESS ORANGES The projection for lower …
April and May are typically the driest months in Florida. But South Florida crop consultant Gene McAvoy said conditions are dire even for this time of the year. “We haven’t had a drought like this in 20 years, at least,” McAvoy said. “We didn’t have much of a rainy season. It’s really impacting citrus. You do irrigate trees, but you’re …
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently provided additional information about the UF-1424 mandarin variety previously known as Greenie. “UF Citrus Selection 1424: A Promising Early-Season Mandarin for Cold-Hardy Regions,” an article by Alaiha Asif, Muhammad Shahid, John Chater and Fred Gmitter, appeared in the April Cold Hardy Citrus Connection. FRESH MARKET SUITABILITY UF-1424 is …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) have expanded the area quarantined for citrus greening in California. APHIS established a new quarantined area in the Ramona area of San Diego County of 93 square miles. The agency also expanded the quarantined area in …
Fundecitrus on April 10 reported the final forecast for the 2025–26 orange crop for Brazil’s São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais Citrus Belt. The forecast is for 292.94 million 90-pound boxes. Of the total, about 25.69 million boxes were produced in the Triângulo Mineiro region. Production this season was 26.9% higher than the previous crop, which reached 230.87 million boxes. …
University of Georgia (UGA) Assistant Professor and Citrus Extension Specialist Mary Sutton reported on the impact of this winter’s freeze on fruit quality and trees in Georgia: FRUIT QUALITY A Tango trial was harvested at the end of January as a winter storm was hitting. A subsample was taken prior to that on Jan. 15 and sampled again after the …
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 …
