By Fernando Alferez and Osbaldo Vasquez As individual protective covers (IPCs) are being adopted as a standard management practice to protect newly planted citrus trees from psyllid infestation, it has become apparent that one of the main effects of this tool is improved tree growth. Trees under IPCs grow larger with thicker canopies. This is probably the result of healthier …
Florida Citrus Leader Hopeful Despite Alico’s Departure
Florida Citrus Mutual Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Joyner’s optimism about the industry’s future comes on the heels of a major citrus grower stepping out of production. Alico’s departure from the citrus industry earlier this year was a body blow to the industry, according to one industry expert. Joyner feels similarly but also believes there are extenuating …
Senate Bill Would Prohibit Fresh Citrus From China
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida on March 31 introduced the United States Citrus Protection Act, which would prohibit the importation of commercially produced fresh citrus fruit from China. Scott stated the bill would further protect American jobs, ensure the integrity of domestic agriculture and reduce reliance on goods produced by regimes that pose a threat to the United States. …
Alico Announces Development Plans
Alico, Inc., which in January announced it will cease citrus operations after this season, declared plans to develop two villages in Collier County. The company reported it is filing a development application for the first of the two villages, Corkscrew Grove East Village. The development ultimately will be a 3,000-acre master-planned community in northwest Collier County. “There will be an …
Options for Dooryard Citrus Trees
Citrus trees used to be a common site around Florida homes, but diseases like canker and greening have diminished residents’ ability to enjoy these iconic trees. Despite the challenges, people from Florida and across the country contact citrus nurseries this time of year, seeking to purchase trees for their yards and/or homes. It’s a passion, say nursery owners and University …
Florida Citrus: Short-Term Survival vs. Long-Term Sustainability
The future of Florida’s citrus industry rests on short-term survival while building a future that does not include citrus greening disease. Rick Dantzler, Citrus Research and Development Foundation chief operating officer, spoke at this year’s Georgia Citrus Association annual meeting in Tifton. He emphasized that while tools like oxytetracycline (OTC) provide growers relief, its long-term effectiveness is not guaranteed. Therefore, …
Separating HLB-Affected and Healthy Fruit
Scientists with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ARS) recently wrote about efforts to identify HLB-affected versus healthy citrus fruit. UF/IFAS scientists are Mark Ritenour, Ketan Shende and Thomas Burks. Michelle Heck is with the USDA/ARS. A slightly edited version of their article follows: Most citrus …
Scout to Stay Ahead of Pest Populations
It is much better for Florida citrus growers to be proactive than reactive when managing pest populations. Scouting and monitoring citrus groves is crucial for growers who hope to thwart off impacts from insects like the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). If growers are not successful, they will be behind the eight ball in minimizing the impact of these annual pests. …
Digging Into Methods to Boost Citrus Soil Health
By Sarah Strauss, Emma Dawson, Gabriel Pugina, Ute Albrecht, Jonas Pereira de Souza Junior and Davie Kadyampakeni While soil health has always been considered critical for Florida citrus production, it has increased in importance with the endemic presence of citrus greening (HLB). Soil health is similar to the concepts of soil quality or soil fertility but with an additional focus …
OTC Injections Spark Optimism
It can be hard to have hope if you are a farmer in today’s agricultural climate. It can be even harder to have optimism if you are a Florida citrus grower. Yet, Matt Joyner, Florida Citrus Mutual executive vice president and chief executive officer, has hope that the industry is trending upward even amid HLB and multiple hurricanes in previous …
HLB Quarantine Area Expanded in California Again
Federal and state officials have expanded the quarantine for huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening disease) in the Mission Viejo area of California’s Orange County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, expanded the quarantine by 13.16 square miles. The expansion was in response …
Citrus Health Forum Brings Together Growers and Researchers
By Maegan Beatty Earlier this month, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) hosted the 2025 Citrus Health Forum. Growers gathered to learn about citrus production and hear regional citrus updates. Muhammad Shahid, UF/IFAS assistant professor, presented information on optimizing nitrogen fertilization to enhance the quality of satsuma mandarins. …
Forecast for Chinese Mandarin and Grapefruit Crops
A U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) report forecasts Chinese mandarin and grapefruit production will both increase slightly in 2024–25. TANGERINES/MANDARINS China’s production of tangerines and mandarins is forecast at 27 million metric tons (MMT), up from 26.9 MMT the prior year. Increasing production in multiple cities is expected to outpace the negative effects of citrus greening …
Now Is the Time to Knock Back Psyllid Populations
Now is the time for Florida citrus growers to implement management tactics to control the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), the insect that vectors citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing (HLB). ACPs are currently in low populations across Florida’s citrus-producing region. That means growers should act now to protect their crop from the insect’s impact, says Chris Oswalt, University of Florida …
Not If Georgia Will Get HLB, But When
Citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing (HLB), is not yet widespread in Georgia. However, there’s no reason to think that it won’t become more of a problem for the state’s citrus growers. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association (GCA), hopes it doesn’t happen but cautions growers about the disease’s potential beyond Florida. “Something we have to …
Highlands Citrus Banquet Highlights Trunk-Injection Research
The Highlands County Citrus Growers Association hosted its annual banquet on March 6 in Sebring. The event drew a good crowd to catch up on the association’s activities. Two of the featured speakers during the event discussed alternative trunk-injection therapies to the current standard of oxytetracycline (OTC). Tanishka Aglave, a sophomore at Strawberry Crest High School, received the H. Robert …
HLB Confirmed in Arizona for First Time
HLB was recently confirmed for the first time in Arizona, first in an Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and then in another ACP and citrus plant tissue. The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) reported the details. On Dec. 16, 2024, agriculture inspectors collected ACP and plant tissue samples from a residential citrus tree in Nogales. The collections were made during a …
Quarantine Updates: HLB in Mississippi; Mexfly in Texas
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) recently announced a quarantine for huanglongbing (HLB) in Mississippi as well as updates to Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantines in Texas. HLB APHIS, in cooperation with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, established a quarantine for the entire state of Mississippi for HLB. The action was taken …
What Georgia’s Citrus Industry Needs To Do To Succeed
One Florida citrus industry leader is impressed with Georgia’s burgeoning industry. Rick Dantzler, Citrus Research and Development Foundation chief operating officer, believes Georgia’s industry can continue to grow as long as it manages citrus greening effectively. He stressed eradication when speaking about citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing (HLB), at the annual meeting on Feb. 25. “Georgia’s potential is bright …
Florida Citrus Mutual’s Legislative Priorities
Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) recently announced its “key advocacy efforts” during the upcoming state legislative session include the following: CITRUS RESEARCH AND FIELD TRIAL (CRAFT) FUNDS The top priority for FCM this legislative session is securing funding to bolster the CRAFT Foundation’s efforts to replant citrus trees. Putting healthier trees in the ground that are apt to be tolerant against …




























