About four years ago, Fernando Alferez started to test whether citrus trees grown inside protective mesh covers could be kept safe from the HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllid. New research from Alferez shows that citrus trees grown under individual protective covers (IPCs) show no signs of HLB, also known as citrus greening. Specifically, scientists found that psyllids cannot penetrate the IPCs …
Texas Researchers to Lead HLB Project
Scientists from Texas A&M AgriLife Research will lead a public-private collaboration across Texas, Florida, California and Indiana to advance new, environmentally friendly and commercially viable HLB control strategies. The $7 million, four-year AgriLife Research project is part of an $11 million suite of grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. In addition to Texas …
HLB-Tolerant Tree Among CRDF Topics
Research proposals and a newly discovered tree that shows tolerance to HLB were among the topics discussed at the Dec. 7 Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors meeting. Rick Dantzler, CRDF chief operating officer, provided a summary of actions taken at the meeting. OFFICERS AND DIRECTORSCRDF officers for the next two years were determined. Rob Atchley will …
HLB Quarantines Established in Alabama
Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI), is establishing new quarantines for huanglongbing (HLB; citrus greening disease). The new quarantines are effective in all areas of Baldwin and Mobile counties in Alabama. APHIS is taking this action because of HLB detections in …
Pummelo Interstocks Could Improve Performance of HLB Trees
By Manjul Dutt, Ethan Nielsen, Lamiaa Mahmoud, Maria Quirico and Jude Grosser All commercially cultivated citrus scion varieties are grafted onto rootstocks before being planted in the field. The rootstocks are selected based on specific desirable qualities (abiotic/biotic stress resistance) and the ability to produce a good crop in a specific location. The ideal rootstock confers disease resistance, hardiness, tolerance …
HLB Research Grants Go to UF/IFAS
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) was recently awarded more than $2.2 million in federal grants for HLB research. The funding came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program. UF/IFAS researchers are also serving in leadership roles in two other NIFA-funded …
Combining Multiple Methods to Manage HLB
At the recent Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) field day and open house, Arnold Schumann showed visitors a Jackson grapefruit trial aimed at protecting trees from HLB. Schumann is a professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences CREC in Lake Alfred. The trial combines the use of individual protective covers (also known as IPCs …
New HLB Find Is Likely Farthest North in Florida
What is believed to be the most northern HLB find in Florida was made the first week of November in a backyard Satsuma tree in Tallahassee. A homeowner sent photos of the tree’s symptoms to Leon County Extension horticulture agent Mark Tancig, who collected samples that were confirmed as HLB. “I’ve told the homeowner he should remove it (the tree), …
HLB Research Funded for $11 Million
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment of nearly $11 million for research to combat HLB. “NIFA’s Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension program brings the nation’s top scientists together with citrus industry representatives to find scientifically sound solutions to combat and prevent HLB at the farm-level,” said NIFA Director Carrie …
HLB Changed UF/IFAS Recommendations
Kelly Morgan recently summarized several recommended changes in Florida citrus production practices brought on by the devastating disease HLB. Morgan is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) soil and water science professor. He discussed what growers need to know to follow best management practices (BMPs) at the recent Citrus Nutrition Day at the UF/IFAS Citrus …
Fertilization Splitting Helps With HLB
Researchers at the University of Florida have found a way to manage groves infected with HLB by managing the timing of their fertilization. By splitting the application of nutrients to citrus rootstocks, they have been able to improve plant growth and fruit yields. The research was recently published in Soil Science Society of America Journal. Alisheikh Atta and his colleagues …
Australia to Test UF’s HLB-Tolerant Rootstocks
HLB-tolerant rootstock seeds from the University of Florida (UF) have arrived in Dareton and Bundaberg to be evaluated under Australian conditions. Citrus Australia CEO Nathan Hancock said it’s important that the rootstocks have arrived in Australia well before the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the HLB it spreads. “We need to know if these rootstocks from Florida are going to …
Nutrition and Yield in the Face of HLB
Fertilization frequency, micronutrient management and rootstocks can all impact the yield of HLB-affected sweet oranges, Tripti Vashisth recently told a Citrus Nutrition Day audience in Lake Alfred, Florida. The educational event was held at the Citrus Research and Education Center, where Vashisth is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) horticulturist. FERTILIZATION FREQUENCYHLB-affected trees should be …
Research on Rootstocks: More Than HLB
Plant breeders Fred Gmitter and Jude Grosser report on their efforts to develop rootstocks that perform well in Florida from several perspectives. In addition to seeking tolerance to HLB, they are working on rootstocks that might control tree size, deal with other diseases and pests and perform in a range of soils. Gmitter and Grosser are University of Florida Institute …
Oak Leaf Extract Tested as HLB Tool
In the search for solutions to HLB, a formulation based on oak leaf extract has been developed by citrus growers Travis Murphy and Tom Thayer, the Indian River Citrus League’s October River Ramblings newsletter reported. The formulation was developed following the growers’ observations that citrus trees under oak trees were free of HLB compared to nearby field trees that had …
HLB Research Is Focus of Short Videos
Two short videos about HLB-related research were available at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) booth at Citrus Expo in August. The videos are available online for viewing. UF/IFAS researcher Tripti Vashisth narrated the video, HLB-Associated Preharvest Fruit Drop. She said up to 40% of fruit can drop from mildly HLB-symptomatic trees shortly before harvest, …
Reducing HLB-Associated Preharvest Fruit Drop
By Tripti Vashisth and Christopher Vincent This article summarizes current knowledge about HLB-associated preharvest fruit drop. Unfortunately, exactly how HLB induces preharvest fruit drop is still unknown. Nonetheless, this article links what we do know about HLB-associated fruit drop to fruit drop in HLB-free trees and how strategies, such as managing tree water status and use of gibberellic acid, can …
Stop HLB Vector, Spanish Group Says
The Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-ASAJA) recently stated it is essential that the Spanish government and the European Union (EU) prevent the advance of Trioza erytreae, vector of the citrus disease HLB. The association issued that statement after learning that the insect has reached the Algarve (southern Portugal). The vector’s advance from the north and center of the Portuguese country …
Floridians Discuss HLB on Australia TV
A Florida citrus grower and a Florida citrus researcher were quoted extensively in a recent Australia Broadcasting Corporation TV show about HLB. Grower Kyle Story and University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences plant pathologist Megan Dewdney appeared in an approximately 12-minute segment of the show Landline. The segment’s focus was Australia’s effort to keep HLB out of …
HLB: The Problem for Processors
Many stories have been written about the woes HLB disease has caused Florida’s citrus growers; fewer have been written about the problems HLB causes Florida citrus processors. Kristen Carlson presented the processors’ side of the story during the recent International Citrus & Beverage Conference hosted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Carlson is executive director …