A failed field test has led to a major discovery about Asian citrus psyllids (ACP). According to new research, the bacterium that causes HLB disease can interfere with ACP’s sense of smell, rendering some kinds of insect traps useless. The work is currently available as a preprint. HLB, also known as citrus greening, is caused by the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) bacterium. …
Irrigation Strategy to Enhance Fruit Growth and Retention
By Tripti Vashisth Huanglongbing (HLB) severity is associated with small fruit sizes and lower fruit numbers at harvest. Moreover, small fruit are more likely to drop and drop earlier during preharvest fruit drop. Unfortunately, management practices suggested to increase fruit size or reduce drop have had mixed results. So, before looking for ways to increase fruit size and number, it …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Seeds Aplenty
By Peter Chaires Beginning this month, Citrus Nursery Source (CNS) transitions to Citrus Industry magazine after 14 years in Florida Grower magazine. For those unfamiliar with this column, CNS covers citrus industry issues that are of potential interest to nurseries and the growers they serve. Recognizing that it is difficult for nursery owners and staff to regularly attend meetings, this …
Sticking to a Solid Production Plan
Matthew Machata grew up in Polk County on the family’s citrus farm, Rolling Meadows Ranch Groves in Lake Wales, Florida. After he graduated high school, he joined the Marine Corps and served two tours in Iraq. He then attended Auburn University, where he earned a degree in aerospace engineering. At the time, his plans didn’t include farming, but that changed …
Mulch Suppresses Psyllids in Young Trees
By Jawwad A. Qureshi, Lauren Diepenbrock and Davie Kadyampakeni Protecting citrus trees from the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is critical to reducing the spread and severity of huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The frequent availability of viable shoots in young trees is attractive to psyllid colonization, feeding and oviposition events. UV-metalized reflective mulches reflect ultraviolet light, which is disturbing for some insects …
New Neonicotinoid Regulations in California
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) has adopted new regulations to protect pollinators from the hazards associated with exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides containing the active ingredients clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. The regulations affect the application of these pesticides on certain food and feed crops, including citrus. Product labels will not be updated with these requirements. CDPR suggests that …
All In For Citrus Podcast, December 2023
In the December episode of the 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 (CREC), gave a tip of the hat and congratulations to Ruth Borger who retired this fall. Borger was the CREC communications specialist. She transitioned to this position after eight …
Sneak Peek: January 2024 Citrus Industry
The January issue of Citrus Industry magazine rings in the new year with positive news! Find out how one Florida grower is producing up to 500 boxes per acre. Matt Machata tells how he rehabilitated his family’s groves in Lake Wales. He shares the details of his dry fertilizer and foliar application schedules. Attention to nutrition, irrigation and soil health …
A Tool to Help Assess Tree Health
By Tripti Vashisth, Taylor Livingston and Jamie Burrow Canopy density is one of the most effective measurements to assess tree health of HLB-affected trees. Canopy density accurately distinguished between high and low fruit-producing trees in field trials, whereas CLas Ct value has been found to not be correlated with fruit yield. Many new tools such as nutrient management guidelines, plant …
Finger Lime Interest Expands in Florida
Florida is not a major producer of finger limes — yet. Australia has the most finger lime acreage in the world, and most U.S. finger limes are grown in California and Hawaii. But Florida’s acreage is expanding, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) horticulturist Manjul Dutt reported during a Dec. 20 presentation at the Citrus Research …
Bud Advisories Help Growers Time Psyllid Sprays
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is reminding citrus growers that flower bud advisories are now being issued. The UF/IFAS advisories can help growers determine when to spray for HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids and when to stop spraying in an effort to protect pollinating bees. Tripti Vashisth, a UF/IFAS associate professor of horticultural sciences, will …
New AgTech Expo Looks at Rapidly Moving Sector
The Gulf Citrus Growers Association and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center presented the Florida AgTech and AI Expo in Punta Gorda on Dec. 14. The event showcased emerging trends in technology and how some farms are putting ag technology to work in the real world. In addition to …
New Research on Neonicotinoids for Psyllids
Continuing Brazilian research into the application of neonicotinoids via drench for control of HLB-spreading psyllids shows higher efficacy than earlier results indicated. In September, Fundecitrus released preliminary results on the application of neonicotinoids via drench. At that time, tests carried out on a property in Casa Branca, São Paulo, showed that the efficiency of the molecules for this type of …
Florida Citrus: The Road Back
By Tom Spreen The Florida citrus industry has experienced a difficult stretch of years since the record crop year of 2003–04, when over 240 million 90-pound boxes of oranges were produced. INDUSTRY DECLINEIn 2004, multiple hurricanes crisscrossed the Florida peninsula. They were the first hurricanes to hit the citrus-producing area of Florida since Hurricane Dora in 1964. The hurricanes themselves …
Rootstocks and More Showcased at Field Day
In early December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) hosted its annual A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm field tour and variety display in Groveland, Florida. The event was well attended and showcased the USDA-ARS citrus scion and rootstock breeding program. Attendees loaded up for a hayride and guided tour through the grove. One stop showcased the cooperative work the …
IPCs on More Than a Million Florida Citrus Trees
As recently as five years ago, Florida citrus growers did not routinely put individual protective covers (IPCs) on their trees as part of their grove management. Now, the mesh IPCs cover at least 1 million trees on about 17,000 acres, mostly thanks to experimentation by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher Fernando Alferez. IPCs keep …
Timing Insecticide Applications for Best Effects
By Lukasz Stelinski Here are some basic guidelines that growers can follow to manage pests successfully and economically in their groves: Take-home messages include the following: Lukasz Stelinski is a professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Sponsored ContentTake Advantage of Rising Temperatures to Treat for Fire AntsJuly …
Follow Thresholds for ACP Control
One of the key components of managing HLB is keeping its vector, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), in check. Management recommendations for the pest have evolved over time. The history of that evolution is a subject of discussion in the November episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. Lukasz Stelinksi, an entomologist with the University of Florida Institute of …
Fundecitrus Repudiates Articles About Citrus Greening
Fundecitrus says it repudiates recent articles that claim productivity in Brazil’s São Paulo and Minas Gerais citrus belt will be reduced by 60% in the next five years due to citrus greening disease. Fundecitrus says Chilean and Spanish news portals published such reports on Nov. 14. According to Fundecitrus, this information is not valid, nor was it ever provided by …
Blood Oranges May Be Option for Cold-Hardy Region
Blood oranges could provide citrus growers with another variety to grow in the cold-hardy citrus region. But further research is needed to verify its effectiveness in the Southeast, says Ali Sarkhosh, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor. “We harvested those fruit in Quincy at the North Florida Research and Education Center. We still don’t …