Dundee Citrus Growers Association has struggled with the same major setbacks as the rest of Florida’s citrus industry, including multiple freezes in the 1980s and HLB in this century. But Dundee, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, has not only survived but has become the state’s largest citrus cooperative. A recent video recounts the association’s history, focusing on the growth, …
Soilcea Modified Sweet Orange Receives Favorable Decision
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) has determined that Soilcea’s modified sweet orange, which reportedly has resistance to HLB, is not a plant pest or a plant that requires regulation under 7 CFR part 340. USDA APHIS regulates the “Movement of Organisms Modified or Produced through Genetic Engineering” as described in 7 CFR …
Disease Concerns for Georgia Growers
Not all citrus disease concerns center around huanglongbing (HLB). While HLB disease garners much of the headlines because of its devastation to Florida’s citrus crop, growers in the cold-hardy citrus region should be mindful of other diseases that can devastate a crop if left untreated. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, highlighted some of …
CRAFT’s New Director Discusses Program Progress
Recently, Steven Hall joined the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation as its new executive director. The CRAFT Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) direct support organization of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry. It was incorporated in June 2019 to act as mechanism to direct and manage a broad-scale field-trial program to determine …
Clemson to Host Southeast Citrus Expo
With citrus crops gaining popularity in South Carolina, Clemson University announced that the 2024 Southeast Citrus Expo will be held Nov. 22–23 in Charleston. The event will feature drop-in tours, a banquet and a full day of educational sessions. Zack Snipes, horticulture agent with Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, is the event coordinator. “More and more people are asking for …
Post-Hurricane Disease Concerns
Phytophthora, citrus black spot and HLB are among diseases that could be spread in Florida groves as a direct or indirect result of Hurricane Milton, researcher Megan Dewdney cautioned. Dewdney, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor of plant pathology, offered suggestions for dealing with those diseases during a recent hurricane recovery webinar. PHYTOPHTHORA Phytophthora …
The Real Reason Behind Citrus Decline
Sponsored Content In this special series, Tom Johnson, owner of TJ BioTech, answers questions related to trunk-injection applications to treat HLB. Q: What is the biggest problem for Florida’s citrus growers to overcome? Tom Johnson: In the general news media, you can read all manner of uninformed reasons as to why citrus production has declined so dramatically in the past …
CRAFT Extends New Tree Planting Application Deadline
The application deadline for Cycle Six of the traditional Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) New Tree Planting Program has been extended until 5 p.m. on Nov. 15. The extension will give growers impacted by recent storms the opportunity to evaluate their new tree planting plans and consider submitting applications for the CRAFT program. The application deadline for Round Three …
The Florida Citrus Perfect Storm: Disease, Weather and Market Swings
By Ariel Singerman Orange yield in Florida has decreased by more than 80% since HLB was first found in the state in 2005. It is hard to find another example in recent history of an industry as iconic as Florida citrus that has declined so significantly as a consequence of a plant disease. As a comparison, at the global level, …
Post-Hurricane Damage Assessment and Fruit Drop
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) on Oct. 16 presented a hurricane recovery webinar less than a week after Hurricane Milton crossed the state. Among the topics addressed were damage assessment and fruit drop. DAMAGE ASSESSMENT Multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt recommended that growers check trees for damage in multiple locations within groves, starting …
Mind Your Melon Campaign Needs Your Input
If you are a Florida grower, you might have heard about the Mind Your Melon mental health awareness campaign. We’ve written about it before here at AgNet Media. Marshal Sewell and his wife Taylor officially launched Mind Your Melon in May of 2022 during Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health has been a passion for Sewell since 2007 when his …
Grove Recovery After Milton
Sponsored Content In this special series, Tom Johnson, owner of TJ BioTech, tackles questions about optimizing trunk-injection applications to treat HLB. Q: After a series of weather challenges, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton, what are you hearing from Florida citrus growers about the continued health and recovery of groves going forward? Tom Johnson: I am certainly not suggesting that I …
Update on Orange Juice Processing in São Paulo
Orange juice processing for the 2024–25 season was moving at a good pace in Brazil’s São Paulo state at the end of September, the Center for Advanced Studies on Applied Economics (CEPEA) at the University of São Paulo reported. The Pera orange has been the most processed variety so far, but the harvesting and processing pace of late fruit such …
More SuperSour Rootstocks Under Study
“Superior New Rootstocks Can Make Citrus Profitable Again” is the headline of a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) article. Kim Bowman, research geneticist at the USDA Horticultural Research Laboratory in Ft. Pierce, Florida, write the article. A slightly edited version follows: The rootstock and root system are what make trees strong enough to survive and …
Reduce Post-Hurricane Fruit Drop With PGRs
By Tripti Vashisth and Taylor Livingston Hurricane Milton passed over many citrus-producing counties in Florida, resulting in canopy and fruit loss (especially in early varieties). HLB-affected trees undergo a lot of stress, and now the hurricane has added more abiotic stress to trees. High-speed winds caused significant fruit and leaf drop. The fruit and leaves that escaped the drop during the …
Marketing Plan Essential for Growers
Crop production is only half the battle for citrus growers in the cold-hardy citrus region of North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama. The other half is knowing where that crop is headed once it is harvested. Bill Barber, Ag Services LLC and Certified Crop Adviser, stressed to growers during a recent citrus meeting that they should have a marketing …
UF/IFAS Researcher and Ph.D. Candidate Honored
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus researcher Lorenzo Rossi and his Ph.D. candidate Lukas Hallman have been invited to join Sigma Xi, an international honor society of scientists and engineers. Rossi is an associate professor at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce. Sigma Xi lists more than 200 Nobel …
Scouting Critical for Georgia’s Citrus Industry
Regular scouting for Asian citrus psyllids and citrus greening disease is critical for Georgia’s citrus industry to remain healthy. That advice applies to both commercial growers and homeowners, Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, said during the recent Citrus Grower’s Summer Update meeting in Valdosta. Oliver encouraged all growers to scout for the disease …
Plan to Attend the Millennium Block Field Day
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 …
Brassinosteroids Help Trees After IPC Removal
Associate Professor Fernando Alferez and his team at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) learned several years ago that individual protective covers (IPCs) protect newly planted trees from HLB. They do that by excluding the Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) that spread the devastating citrus disease. But multi-county citrus Extension agent Mongi Zekri noted that IPCs …