Experiences with HLB

HLB Experiences and Thoughts Shared

Ernie NeffCitrus Greening, Grapefruit, Pests

Tom Stopyra, technical crop advisor for The Packers of Indian River, shares experiences with HLB and offers opinions on numerous other topics he addressed at a recent seminar in Immokalee. Regarding the record high populations of HLB-spreading psyllids throughout Florida’s citrus belt this year, Stopyra says: “We’ve never seen populations like we have this year, even though we’ve been spraying …

California Citrus Challenges: Water Tops HLB

Josh McGillCitrus

Asian citrus psyllids are detected sporadically in the San Joaquin Valley — home to most California oranges and mandarins — and are endemic in Southern California lemon country. But as far as anyone knows, the pests that spread HLB in Florida and Texas have not spread the disease into California’s commercial citrus groves. California HLB detections have been limited to 17 …

HLB in Brazil: What’s Working and What Florida Can Use

Kelsey FryCitrus Greening

By Evan G. Johnson and Renato Bassanezi In February 2016, I (Evan Johnson) had the opportunity to tour citrus production areas in Parana and São Paulo states in Brazil as part of collaborations with researchers at Fundecitrus, a grower-supported research foundation. In addition to the fruitful discussions with research colleagues, I also had the opportunity to visit with growers in São …

HLB

Grower: Try Fewer Inputs for HLB Before Quitting

Ernie NeffCitrus Greening, Irrigation, Nutrition

Mid-Florida Citrus Foundation grove’s experience of doubled production while cutting expenses in half is not unusual and should encourage some growers to hang on in the face of HLB. So says foundation President Glenn Beck. “It’s a scenario we’ve seen many times outside of the foundation,” says Beck, a grower and caretaker. “They (HLB-infected trees) seem to be recovering somewhat …

A Look at Brazilian HLB Management

Kelsey FryCitrus

University of Florida citrus Extension agent Steve Futch recently took a trip to Brazil with other Florida citrus industry members. The weeklong trip was spent meeting with large and small growers and learning about HLB management practices. He says that you have to look beyond just your property and see how you can work with neighbors to manage psyllids. Those …

Help Fight HLB, Take the Bactericide Survey

Josh McGillBactericides, Citrus Greening

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) has selected AgNet Media, owner of Citrus Expo and Citrus Industry magazine, to administer a grower survey on bactericide use. CRDF is asking that all Florida citrus growers participate in the survey so that the industry can gain a better understanding of how these products are being used against HLB. Three commercial bactericide …

Citrus Growers Share HLB Tips

Ernie NeffCitrus Greening

Sharing information, conducting field trials, being efficient, replanting, thermotherapy and managing tree stress are some of the practices five growers think might help manage HLB. The growers were panelists discussing possible ways to survive the devastating disease during Florida Citrus Mutual’s recent annual conference in Bonita Springs. Bill Barber of Lykes Brothers started and ended his presentation with a call …

bactericides

Discussion on Bactericides for HLB Summarized

Ernie NeffBactericides, Citrus Greening

Laurie Hurner, Highlands County Extension director and citrus agent, summarizes grower discussions about bactericides for HLB at a roundtable event on June 8 in Sebring. She says most growers seem to be using the products. “Some of them are having to make decisions to cut out or change other production practices, other inputs, to make room in their budgets for …

HLB

Gose Discusses Citrus Bactericides for HLB and Production

Ernie NeffCitrus, Citrus Greening

Citrus grower John Gose with Lykes Brothers joined 30 others discussing the use of bactericides for HLB at a Sebring roundtable event on Wednesday. Gose says his company has made one application of bactericides and is in the process of making a second. “So far we haven’t seen a lot,” he says. “It’ll be probably fall before we start recognizing …

HLB

Citrus Grower Addresses Bactericides for HLB, Production and Pricing

Ernie NeffCitrus, Citrus Greening

Wauchula citrus grower Kenny Sanders discussed on Wednesday the use of bactericides with HLB, production and pricing with more than 40 others at a grower roundtable in Wauchula. Like several other growers, he says his early-mid orange production was down this season (by 30 percent) while his Valencia crop was up 7 to 8 percent. “Pound solids were down everywhere,” …

PFD

PFD, Bactericides for HLB are Top Citrus Grower Concerns

Ernie NeffCitrus, Citrus Greening, Pests

Postbloom fruit drop (PFD), along with the use of bactericides to control HLB, were the big issues for more than 40 participants in a grower roundtable Wednesday in Wauchula. LeAnna Himrod, one of the roundtable hosts, summarizes the issues addressed. Regarding bactericides, she reports: “There were a lot of questions about the bactericides regarding timing: What’s the best time of …

Disrupting Psyllid Mating to Control HLB

Josh McGillCitrus, Citrus Greening

By: R. W. Mankin, B. Rohde and S. McNeill The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is the primary vector of the devastating huanglongbing (HLB) disease of citrus. Efficient monitoring of ACP at low population densities is essential to conduct management programs with timely effectiveness for protection of Florida groves. Extensive research is being conducted to better understand ACP biology and behavior, …

Effect of HLB: Citrus Land Sales Up, Prices Down

Kelsey FryCitrus

Increased citrus land sales in 2015 at substantially lower prices show some citrus growers, especially smaller ones, are capitulating to HLB, says Dean Saunders of Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Real Estate. Saunders’ company released the land sales data at its annual Lay of the Land Conference on Friday. Sponsored ContentTake Advantage of Rising Temperatures to Treat for Fire AntsJune 8, …

Why Florida Citrus Will Survive HLB

Kelsey FryCitrus

Speaking at the Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park on Tuesday, University of Florida genetics researcher Fred Gmitter asked the question, “Will Florida’s citrus industry survive HLB?” In an interview after his presentation, he gave several reasons why he thinks the citrus industry will not only survive HLB, but thrive. Sponsored ContentTake Advantage of Rising Temperatures to Treat for Fire …

Citrus Grower Practices and HLB – What Works?

Kelsey FryCitrus

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) over the next year will try to find a method of determining what individual citrus grower practices have been successful against HLB, CRDF Chief Operations Officer Harold Browning reports. Download Audio

Florida Citrus

Florida Citrus Finds New Momentum

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus

Shannon Shepp, Florida Department of Citrus executive director, recently discussed the renewed sense of optimism being felt in the Florida citrus industry due to recent positive developments. INCREASED CITRUS PRODUCTION One of the reasons for optimism is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s final citrus forecast for the 2025–26 season. Despite weathering another challenging season, including damaging freezes, Florida orange production …

soil health

Leverage NRCS Conservation Practice 336 to Improve Soil Health

Daniel CooperSoil Health, Tip of the Week

By Tripti Vashisth, Taylor Livingston and Abhishek Neupane Florida citrus production occurs predominantly on sandy soils that are inherently low in organic matter and possess limited water- and nutrient-holding capacity. These soil constraints have become increasingly important in the era of huanglongbing (HLB), where compromised root systems reduce the tree’s ability to efficiently acquire water and nutrients. As a result, …

varieties

Take a Closer Look at New Varieties at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Morgan ColeCitrus Expo, Varieties

For the past several years, John Chater, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences assistant professor of horticultural sciences, has been charged with acting as a conduit between citrus breeders and growers seeking information on new varieties and rootstocks to plant. Chater has worked with growers to evaluate new varieties planted in the real world. This has given …

fdoc

FDA Lowers Minimum Pasteurized OJ Brix Level

Frank GilesCitrus, Oranges

Federal officials on July 17 announced a regulatory change lowering the minimum Brix requirement for pasteurized orange juice (OJ) from 10.5% to 10%. The final Food and Drug Administration rule making the change was to be published and take effect July 20. Florida Citrus Processors Association and Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) first petitioned for the change in June 2022.  The …

efforts

Efforts to Control Psyllids in California

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Psyllids

Grove edges, detector dogs and the California Citrus Research and Field Trials (CA-CRaFT) Program were prominent topics in a virtual presentation about California’s efforts to control HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids (ACP). Ivan Milosavljevic, Citrus Research Board (CRB) integrated pest management entomologist, delivered the report. His June 23 presentation was part of the 2026 CRB Webinar Series. GROVE EDGES Conventional human …