(UF/IFAS) — A recent program encouraging Florida citrus growers to learn more about the nutrient management of their groves is yielding promising results. Nearly 200 growers and industry representatives attended four workshops in late 2019 to learn about the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Nutrition Box program. UF/IFAS faculty distributed 117 free boxes of …
Updates From the Citrus Research and Education Center Director
Michael Rogers provided updates on the Citrus Nutrition Box program initiated last fall and on the search for a new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) vice president. He also announced the hiring of a new citrus Extension agent. Rogers is director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). NUTRITION BOX PROGRAMRogers said 75 …
Algal Spot: A Re-emerging Disease
By Megan M. Dewdney Algal spot has not been seen frequently for many years, but in the last few years I have been getting more questions about identification and management. The disease is caused by a green alga, Cephaleuros virescens. The alga is not considered a parasite, as it grows superficially, but it does cause damage to trees if left …
Freezing Temperatures Have Little Impact on Georgia Citrus
By Clint Thompson Last weekend’s freezing temperatures in parts of South Georgia had no effect on the state’s satsuma crop, according to Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association. The bulk of Georgia’s citrus crop — 80 to 90 percent — is satsuma oranges, a cold-tolerant citrus that can withstand temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Savelle said …
Some Scions Incompatible With US-1283 Rootstock
By Kim D. Bowman and Ute Albrecht The US-1283 rootstock was released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2014, based on field performance with Hamlin 1-4-1 sweet orange in trials at two different locations in Florida severely affected by huanglongbing disease. One of these trials was in St. Lucie County and of 14 years duration, while the second …
Nutrition Questions in Need of Answers
A sheet of “Nutrient Management Concept Questions” was passed out at the January Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board meeting in Fort Pierce. It included questions that growers and researchers have agreed need to be answered in future nutrition-related research funded by CRDF. Rick Dantzler, CRDF chief operating officer, explains how the questions were developed. “We had a Nutrition …
Working Toward Better Juice Oranges
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) geneticist and plant breeder Jude Grosser discusses the need for new juice oranges and some new cultivar choices. Grosser says one reason for new varieties is the decline in orange juice sales. “In my opinion, the best way to combat that is to have a higher quality orange juice that’s …
New UF/IFAS Citrus Extension Agent
(UF/IFAS) — When you meet Ajia Paolillo, you might think that everything old is new again. That’s because Paolillo, the new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension (UF/IFAS) citrus agent for DeSoto, Hardee and Manatee counties, leans heavily on the experience of faculty colleagues from previous experiences. “I learned so much working with Stephen Futch, Bill …
Keeping Citrus Greening out of Georgia Groves
By Clint Thompson Citrus greening disease is not yet a problem in Georgia. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, wants to keep it that way. The disease that has impacted citrus production in Florida for more than a decade has only been observed in backyard plantings in Georgia. However, since the state is expected …
PIECES OF THE PAST: Paying Tribute to Pioneers
Recently, I came across an old letter A.F. Camp wrote to John T. Lesley in 1979. I thought it was so interesting that I shared it with the members of the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Selection Committee. I wanted them to think about how hard things were “back in the day” in considering the contributions of some of the …
Citrus Leprosis Poses a Threat to Florida
By Amit Levy, Ozgur Batuman, Peggy Sieburth and Lauren Diepenbrock Citrus leprosis is an exotic viral disease not currently present in Florida. This disease is of interest since it was reported in citrus in Florida and Brazil in the early 1900s, where it caused great crop and tree losses, but it was eliminated from Florida in the early 1960s. Currently, …
Root Health Update
Evan Johnson, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant pathologist at the Citrus Research and Education Center, updates efforts to help citrus tree roots cope with HLB. He starts by noting that around 10 years ago he and former UF/IFAS researcher Jim Graham discovered “that HLB causes severe damage to the root system.” They hoped …
Tim Hurner Receives Recognition
Tim Hurner will be inducted into the Florida Association of County Agricultural Agents (FACAA) Hall of Fame at the annual Extension Professional Associations of Florida meeting in Panama City in September. Hurner served Highlands County as the citrus Extension agent and county director for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 2019. …
Keeping Fresh Citrus Safe
Michelle Danyluk describes training that was provided Feb. 11 to help fresh citrus growers comply with the federal Produce Safety Rule. Danyluk is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor and Extension specialist at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). She and several other UF/IFAS faculty conducted the training at the CREC. The Produce …
Planning for Foliar Disease Management in 2020
By Megan Dewdney and Evan Johnson In 2019, the trend of fewer problems with foliar fungal diseases for Florida citrus continued, which was good news for the industry. Despite the El Niño conditions during the spring, little postbloom fruit drop (PFD) was observed because the temperatures were low (< 75 F) when it rained during bloom. The southern parts of …
Senate Wants Orange Juice to Flow Again
(NSF) — Travelers might again get a free cup of Florida’s homegrown beverage when they cross the state line, through funding tucked in the Senate’s proposed budget. But helping the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) bring back free orange juice could hinge on a bigger debate, as the operations of state welcome centers remain locked in a legislative battle about …
Managing Orange Production Costs
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension economist Ariel Singerman discusses a recent article he wrote titled “How Much Can Florida Growers Afford to Spend on Caretaking Processed Orange Groves?” The article addresses the grove management decisions growers must make in the face of recent orange price declines. It points out that an average grower would …
Research Addressing Industrial Hemp Production Challenges
Future growers of industrial hemp in Florida will have the advantage of research being conducted now by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Zach Brym, agronomist at the Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead and research coordinator of the UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Project, summarizes the work being done. “We’ve taken the last couple …
Pests in CUPS and IPCs
Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) and young trees covered with individual protective covers (IPCs) have generally been well protected from HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids, but not from all other pests. Entomologist Jawwad Qureshi says the psyllids only get to trees when a CUPS structure or IPC is damaged, as happened to CUPS during Hurricane Irma in 2017. “Otherwise they do …
Citrus Industry Magazine CEU 2020 Article #1
Scouting: The tip of the IPM spear By Matt Smith Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. Why would you scout? Despite what we were all promised by Tomorrowland and …