Renewed Effort to Stop Chinese Citrus Imports

Ernie NeffTrade

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida recently urged U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to re-implement a prohibition on the importation of five varieties of citrus from China. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in April 2020 decided to allow the importation of the Chinese varieties. “The USDA’s decision continues to risk an increase in unfair trade competition …

budget

Florida Citrus Funding of $32.6 Million

Ernie NeffLegislative

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on June 2 approved all $32.6 million worth of citrus-related funding in the state budget, Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) Executive Vice President/CEO Mike Sparks reported. The budget had been set earlier by the state Legislature. Sparks detailed the citrus appropriations: Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), $3 million Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program, $5 …

Tradition Meets Innovation

Tacy CalliesProfile

A new generation of leadership at IMG Citrus takes the helm. After serving as chief executive officer of IMG Enterprises for 42 years, Michel Sallin is passing the torch to his three children. Siblings Melanie Ressler, Timothee Sallin and Chloe Gentry have been appointed as co-CEOs of IMG Citrus and Cherrylake. The businesses are both subsidiaries of IMG Enterprises, a …

Michael Woodley: From Firefighter to Lemon Grower

Tacy Callieslemons

Michael Woodley returned to his hometown of Frostproof, Florida, in 2011 at the request of his dying mother to take care of the land and keep it in the family. After a firefighting career of more than 30 years with the Florida Forest Service that took him all over the state, he is now growing lemons on 20 acres on …

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 …

Advances in Therapeutics for HLB Control

Ashley RobinsonHLB Management, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is examining different ways to deliver therapeutics to citrus trees for management of citrus greening disease, also know an huanglongbing (HLB). The hope of the USDA initiative is to establish an HLB-therapeutic molecule and identify the most cost-effective strategy to deliver these molecules to growers. The project is in collaboration with the University of …

Optimizing Irrigation and Young Tree Management

Tacy CalliesIrrigation

By Davie Kadyampakeni and Sandra Guzmán Young citrus trees require optimal irrigation management for vigorous vegetative growth, leaf flushing and the establishment of a dense canopy. Poor practices such as infrequent irrigation or not using irrigation scheduling tools could be costly. Young tree growth also could be impacted by excessive water and nutrient losses. Crop water stress in young trees …

Technology for Early HLB Diagnosis

Ernie NeffTechnology

Penn State and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have used cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas technology to develop a diagnostic test that could enable early diagnosis of huanglongbing (HLB). In a study newly published in the journal Phytopathology, the researchers demonstrated that the new test can detect the presence of the HLB causal agent — the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) — …

Chilean

HLB, Lemons and Oranges

Ernie NeffResearch

A group of scientists working in California, New York and Washington has found that Lisbon lemon trees had less of a molecular response than Washington navel orange trees to the pathogen that causes HLB. That pathogen is Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas). In part, this might be because leaves of infected lemons tended to accumulate micronutrients, which led to less of …

Preserving Beneficial Insects

Tacy CalliesBiologicals, HLB Management

Beneficial insects could be a citrus grower’s best friend. In a time when producers are applying insecticides to control the Asian citrus psyllid, the vector of citrus greening disease, it’s important to preserve the psyllids’ natural enemies, like lady beetles and lacewings. Jawwad Qureshi, University of Florida entomologist, implores growers to scout their groves periodically to see what insects are …

psyllid

Florida’s Aldicarb Decision Challenged

Tacy CalliesPesticides

Amid arguments about the troubled citrus industry and the health of farmworkers, a chemical company is challenging a state decision to block aldicarb, a pesticide that could help fight citrus greening disease. AgLogic Chemical, LLC filed an administrative challenge on May 11, about three weeks after the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) denied an application to use …

Citrus Acreage Increasing in North Florida, South Georgia

Tacy CalliesAcreage

Interest in citrus continues to spike in North Florida and South Georgia. Georgia acreage has doubled over the past year. North Florida acreage has increased by another 300 to 400 this spring, says grower Kim Jones. He owns a citrus packing facility in Monticello, Florida, and is president of the Cold Hardy Citrus Association. “We’re seeing a whole lot of …

How to Stay HLB-Free in North Florida Groves

Tacy CalliesHLB Management

As temperatures increase across Florida, so does the risk for huanglongbing (HLB) disease, known as citrus greening. While the southern and central portions of the state remain vulnerable to HLB and Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) that spread the disease, growers in North Florida and South Georgia have so far been spared. But Xavier Martini, University of Florida entomologist at the …

rules

Aldicarb Denial Disappoints Associations

Ernie NeffPesticides

Two Florida citrus grower associations expressed disappointment over the recent Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) decision to deny the use of the pesticide aldicarb in Florida citrus. “We are frustrated in the decision as we believe aldicarb will provide a powerful tool in the fight against citrus greening and can be used safely,” said Florida Citrus Mutual …

citrus production

Grower Views Differ on Aldicarb Denial

Ernie NeffPesticides

Two growers expressed different views about the recent decision to deny the use of the pesticide aldicarb in Florida citrus. The denial was made by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). One termed the decision “disappointing.” The other referred to it as a “a blessing.” “It is disappointing to lose any tool that would strengthen our existing …

Vaccinating Trees Against CTV and HLB

Ernie NeffDiseases

University of Maryland virologist Anne Simon and the company she founded, Silvec Biologics, have successfully vaccinated laboratory hosts against citrus tristeza virus (CTV). They are now focusing on HLB, also called citrus greening. The vaccination induces trees to produce their own therapeutic agents.   Silvec’s vaccination concept is based on the discovery of a novel infectious RNA that the company calls …

positive

Aldicarb Registration Denied for Florida Citrus

Tacy CalliesIndustry News Release, Pesticides

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) denied AgLogic Chemical LLC’s state pesticide registration application for the pesticide aldicarb on citrus crops in the state of Florida. Aldicarb is an N-methyl carbamate insecticide primarily used as a nematicide. Responsible for the worst known outbreak of pesticide poisoning in North America, aldicarb is one of 28 active pesticide ingredients …

Managing Lebbeck Mealybug

Ashley RobinsonPests

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock provided an update on lebbeck mealybug during the 2021 Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute. The pest, first found in Florida commercial citrus in 2019, feeds on and damages citrus, causing up to 70% fruit drop in heavily infested groves. According to Diepenbrock, damaged fruit will not be marketable for …