symposium

KeyPlex Citrus Symposium to Address Fruit Drop

Daniel CooperEvents, Fruit Drop

KeyPlex has scheduled a citrus symposium for July 25 at the SEVEN Sebring Raceway Hotel. The meeting will focus on research conducted by Vladimiro Guarnaccia, associate professor of plant pathology at the University of Torino in Italy. He will present evidence on the origins of fruit drop. Research sponsored by the European Union and KeyPlex at the University of Torino …

microbiome

Study Looks at Interaction Between OTC and Soil Microbiome

Daniel CooperHLB Management, soil

A wealth of observations are being recorded by growers and scientists on the effects of trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC). Visually, trees have responded with better canopies. Hopefully, higher yields and quality will continue to follow the applications. But what about below ground? There have been recorded improvements in citrus root mass in treated trees. Sarah Strauss, associate professor of …

research center

Task Force and Credit Line to Assist Brazil with Greening

Daniel CooperBrazil, HLB Management

Fundecitrus recently announced two efforts aimed at assisting Brazilian growers with citrus greening. A São Paulo task force will include a focus on the disease, and a credit line will be available for growers with greening in their orchards. In addition to greening, the public/private task force will address development of biofertilizer and biological research, studies to increase productivity in …

OTC

Seeking a Partner for OTC

Daniel CooperHLB Management

Few would dispute that the approval of oxytetracycline (OTC) for use as a trunk-injection therapy to treat HLB is one of the biggest breakthroughs in the nearly two decades of fighting the disease. Most Florida citrus growers believe the therapy has been a net positive and they are committed to continuing the treatment. However, there’s a stipulation in the labels …

Millennium Block

Millennium Block Research Shows Promising Results

Daniel CooperGrapefruit, Indian River, Research

A recent update of Millennium Block research at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce indicates the 5,500 trees in the project are yielding promising results. The four trials within the Millennium Block aim to unlock the genetic potential of new scion and rootstock hybrids never tested …

hlb

Researchers Discuss Rising HLB Incidence in Brazil

Daniel CooperBrazil, HLB Management

The incidence of citrus greening disease (HLB) in Brazil’s Citrus Belt of São Paulo and Triângulo/Southwest Mineiro rose from 24.42% in 2022 to 38.06% in 2023, according to Fundecitrus. The association’s annual survey indicates the disease increasingly demands more effective and collaborative measures. At a session of Brazil’s Expocitrus in June, Fundecitrus researcher Marcelo Miranda discussed the development of greening …

court

Lawsuit Challenges Farmworker Protection Rule

Daniel CooperLabor, Legal, Regulation

A coalition of states, including Florida and Georgia, recently joined a lawsuit filed by the Southeastern Legal Foundation (SLF) challenging the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Farmworker Protection Rule. DOL announced the final rule in late April, saying it would strengthen protections for farmworkers in the H-2A program. The Farmworker Protection Rule will become effective June 28, 2024. SLF is …

July

Sneak Peek: July 2024 Citrus Industry

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Sneak Peek

The conversation in Florida citrus continues to center around trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC). The July issue of Citrus Industry magazine presents the latest information on the OTC topic. OTC product labels require a one-year pause in application after two years of use. This requirement was put in place to prevent pathogen resistance to the product. Florida growers who have …

HLB-tolerant

Survivor Grapefruit Cultivars Set for HLB Trials

Daniel CooperGrapefruit, HLB Management, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) citrus scion breeding program recently rediscovered several noteworthy grapefruit cultivars at the A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm in Groveland, Florida. Among these are the Florida Red, Red Blush and Henderson varieties. These cultivars were originally selected as long shots from the Whitmore Foundation Farm and were planted in 1986. They have survived …

February

All In For Citrus Podcast, June 2024

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast

The educational seminars at the June Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference covered a wide range of topics intended to give growers hope that progress is being made in the fight against HLB. During the June All In For Citrus podcast, Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, …

cover crops

Cover Crops for Managing HLB

Daniel CooperCover Crops, HLB Management, Tip of the Week

By Davie Kadyampakeni and Miurel Brewer Row middle management is a key area that can improve tree performance. Row middles encompass 80% of citrus orchards, and 70% of the root system of citrus trees was located in row middles before huanglongbing (HLB). Typically, Florida citrus growers manage row middles using physical, chemical and mowing practices, often leaving them free of …

Highlands County

New Highlands County Agent’s Duties Include Citrus

Daniel Cooperextension, Florida

Alissa Hevesh on June 17 became the new Highlands County agriculture production/natural resources Extension agent. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences position includes citrus agent duties. Hevesh received a dual bachelor’s degree in economics and environmental studies and a minor in leadership studies from Eckerd College in 2018. She received a master’s degree in food and …

grapefruit

Some Grapefruit Showing Less HLB Symptoms

Daniel CooperGrapefruit, Rootstocks, Varieties

A recent update of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) Project evaluating multiple grapefruit varieties on different rootstocks reveals that some combinations have less HLB symptoms than others. Jackson has one of the lowest ranks for disease index across the combinations. The healthiest trees in the trial include: At least half of the blocks in the MAC trial …

pros

Interstock Pros and Cons for HLB Management

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Research

The pros of using interstocks for HLB management seemed to outweigh the cons, based on a presentation horticulturist Manjul Dutt made at this spring’s Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute. Dutt is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor. An interstock is a graft of a citrus selection that can be used as a bridge between …

rainy

Herbicide Application During Rainy Weather

Daniel CooperTip of the Week, Weather, weeds

By Ramdas Kanissery Finding the right time to apply post-emergent herbicides for controlling weeds in citrus groves is challenging in the summer months due to frequent rain. Rainy conditions delay grove maintenance, including herbicide spraying, while also impacting the effectiveness of the herbicides. Monitoring weather forecasts and identifying optimal conditions for herbicide applications can help achieve the best results. Below …

science

Supporting Citrus Science

Daniel CooperResearch

By Rob Gilbert, ragilber@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP Let’s start with the most important thing. Citrus science remains a top priority of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Citrus is special. My goal for citrus is sustainability. That means profitability. Here are a few new ways UF/IFAS has demonstrated its support for citrus science during the past five …

herbicide efficiency

How to Improve Herbicide Efficiency

Daniel Cooperweeds

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) weed scientist Ramdas Kanissery offered numerous tips and observations for improving herbicide efficiency at this spring’s Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute. They included: In addition to discussing herbicides, Kanissery reported that cover cropping, an emergent practice in Florida citrus production, may contribute to longer-term weed management in row middles. Read more …

roots

The Relationship Between Roots and OTC Treatments

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Root health

Back in the early days of the HLB fight, it was observed that what is going on underground in citrus tree root systems is just as important as what is happening aboveground. In 2013, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service researchers published that 27% to 40% root loss due …

applications

Moving Beyond Greening

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, Economics

By Tom Spreen When citrus greening was first discovered in Florida, it did not have a profound impact on production. The big news at that time was the multiple hurricanes that had crossed Florida in 2004 and 2005. The hurricanes served to spread citrus canker so sufficiently that the state of Florida was forced to abandon its efforts to eradicate …