By Robin Koestoyo On Nov. 7, citrus growers will join University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Assistant Professor Flavia Zambon to view new citrus varieties that show tolerance to citrus greening. Zambon will guide visitors at the 2024 Millennium Block Field Day, a walk-through interpreted tour. The Millennium Block is a seminal grapefruit trial on 20 acres …
Hurricane Milton Resources
Hurricane Milton is currently expected to be a major hurricane when it makes landfall on Florida’s west coast late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. It will likely impact a large portion of the state. In anticipation of the hurricane and its aftermath, Florida Citrus Mutual has canceled its crop estimate luncheon that was scheduled for Oct. 11 in Zolfo …
Bournique to Serve Fifth Term on Water Board
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently reappointed Indian River Citrus League (IRCL) Executive Vice President Doug Bournique to a fifth four-year term on the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) Governing Board. According to IRCL, being reappointed to a fifth term is “unprecedented in the history of the water management district.” “There remains so much more to do in supporting …
Florida Ag Eligible for Loans After Hurricane Helene
Florida farmers, ranchers and growers impacted by Hurricane Helene can apply for interest-free loans through the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program. Eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers can use loans to restore, repair or replace essential physical property — including fences, equipment, greenhouses and other buildings — or to remove vegetative debris. The loan availability was announced …
HLB at Center of Florida Citrus Breeding Efforts
Peter Chaires, New Varieties Development and Management Corp. executive director, spoke about citrus breeding at the Cold Hardy Citrus Workshop on Sept. 24 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Perry. Chaires said HLB tolerance “is an essential element of everything that’s being done in the breeding program with a stronger emphasis than …
Protect Against Potential Fungus Post-Hurricane
Citrus growers impacted by Hurricane Helene now must decide the best management strategy to protect trees from potential disease issues prior to harvest. Kim Jones, a citrus grower and packer with operations in Monticello, Florida, and Tifton, Georgia, weighed in on what to consider to protect trees. “Fungus is the biggest risk at this point,” said Jones. “The sunshine is …
Spanish Citrus Production to See Ups and Downs This Season
Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food projected total Spanish citrus production of 5,842 million tons for the 2024–25 season that began Sept. 1. That’s 60,500 tons, or 1%, less than preliminary figures for the previous season and 8.6% less than the average of the last five seasons. A continued drought and excessive heat in key periods of citrus development …
Update on Efforts to Lower Required OJ Brix Level
Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) and federal lawmakers from Florida are pushing legislation that would direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lower the required Brix level of not-from-concentrate pasteurized orange juice (OJ) from 10.5% to 10%. The change has been requested because many Florida oranges no longer produce juice that meets the 10.5% Brix requirement. FCM Chief …
CRDF Funds OTC and Other Research Projects
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors had a busy meeting in September. The board approved several research proposals for funding. And one researcher was asked to revise and resubmit a proposal. “A complicating factor was several of the proposals were put together before the ‘off-year’ of oxytetracycline (OTC) usage was repealed, but we concluded that it …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Get Out and About at Variety Displays and Field Days
By Peter Chaires Each year, citrus breeding and research teams go to great lengths to host variety displays, research reviews, tours and field days. These events not only showcase the collective pursuit of industry needs and priorities, but they afford stakeholders an opportunity to monitor the progress and interact directly with scientists and support staff. This is an investment of …
Research Aims to Diversify Georgia’s Citrus Crop
Satsuma mandarins helped establish the citrus crop in Georgia. Alternate varieties will help the state’s industry continue to grow. Mary Sutton’s appointment as the new University of Georgia (UGA) citrus Extension specialist should help growers implement varieties that have been tested and are suitable for Georgia growers. Part of her role will be to research alternatives to satsumas to see …
Cold-Hardy Citrus Concerns Prior to Harvest
Cold-hardy citrus growers are on the cusp of starting another harvest season. Management options need to continue up until the first crops are plucked from the trees, according to Certified Crop Adviser Bill Barber with Ag Services LLC. Barber spoke at a citrus workshop on Sept. 24 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office …
All In For Citrus Podcast, September 2024
Mark Ritenour, professor of postharvest technology with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), joined the September episode of the All In For Citrus podcast to provide a recap of Packinghouse Day. The event was held Sept. 12 at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Based at the Indian River Research and …
Sneak Peek: October 2024 Citrus Industry
With the news that oxytetracycline (OTC) has been approved for a third consecutive year of trunk injection in Florida citrus, growers are looking to optimize their applications for the coming season. The October cover story in Citrus Industry magazine aims to help growers make the most of their OTC injections. University of Florida researchers tell the good, the bad and …
Transforming Organic Citrus Production
Organic citrus growing presents unique hurdles in Florida, Texas and other southern states. Poor soil quality, nutrient deficiencies and a limited range of pest control options plague organic production. But the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Davie Kadyampakeni is poised to transform the future of organic citrus growing. He aims to do that with a …
Research Funded for Citrus-Harvesting Robot
California’s Citrus Research Board (CRB) has signed a $900,000 funding agreement with Nanovel that includes delivery of a citrus-harvesting robot after a series of field trials in California, Nanovel reported. The field trials are set to start in the spring of 2025 and will be conducted in cooperation with citrus growers. Nanovel, an Israeli company established in 2018 by Chief …
Georgia Citrus Breeder Says New Varieties Will Take Time
The University of Georgia’s new citrus breeder is preaching patience for South Georgia growers wanting new varieties to work with. Dario Chavez emphasized during the Citrus Grower’s Summer Update meeting in Valdosta that it could take a decade or longer to research and find new citrus varieties that will help Georgia’s blossoming industry. “I think some of the growers are …
Psyllid Control Discussed at South African Citrus Symposium
Researchers Marcelo Miranda and Haroldo Volpe with Brazil’s Fundecitrus discussed control of the HLB-spreading psyllid during a recent visit to a South African research symposium and accompanying events. During the Citrus Research Symposium in Drakensberg, Miranda discussed studies developed at Fundecitrus on the management of the HLB-spreading psyllid (Diaphorina citri). In South Africa, HLB is caused by a bacteria different …
Citrus Executive Named Chair of Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association
The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) has named Steven Callaham, chief executive officer of Dundee Citrus Growers Association, as its chair for 2024–26. “Steven Callaham has long been a driving force in Florida’s citrus industry. His leadership, vision and dedication have strengthened the resilience and future success of the agricultural community,” said FFVA President Mike Joyner. “With his commitment …
Big Year Expected for Diverse Georgia Citrus Crop
Georgia’s citrus industry is growing and so are the diverse varieties producers are planting every year. Jake Price, University of Georgia citrus agent, said at the Citrus Grower’s Summer Update meeting last week in Valdosta that there were 4,400 citrus acres planted in South Georgia. At approximately 145 trees per acre, this equates to about 638,000 trees. What started out …