Psyllid Management Alert for Brazil

Josh McGillBrazil, HLB Management, Psyllids

The onset of rains in several regions of Brazil’s citrus belt has made it necessary for growers to pay added attention to citrus greening, Fundecitrus reported. The association of citrus growers and juice manufacturers from the state of São Paulo said the extra attention is needed due to the increase in greening-spreading psyllid populations in this period. Fundectirus reported that …

What to Do About Three Florida Citrus Pests

Josh McGillCitrus Expo, Pests

Entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock discussed control of three pests — lebbeck mealybug, Bulimulus sporadicus snails and diaprepes root weevils — at the recent Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher described the mealybug and snails as “new pest challenges” and diaprepes as the resurgence of an old pest. LEBBECK MEALYBUGLebbeck mealybug was …

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All In For Citrus Podcast, August 2022

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast, Fruit Drop, HLB Management

The August episode of the All In For Citrus podcast takes listeners on a deep dive into the use of plant growth regulators like gibberellic acid (GA) to help fight fruit drop. The episode features an in-depth conversation between Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, and …

Using Technology to Support Citrus Management Decisions

Josh McGillTechnology

By Yiannis Ampatzidis and Sandra M. Guzmán Pests and diseases, nutrient deficiencies, tree stress from environmental conditions and other factors can be overwhelming. The arrival of sensors and small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) make it possible to gather large amounts of data to assess risk factors and estimate possible crop performance scenarios based on the availability of resources. At the …

Australia Tests Psyllid Monitoring System

Josh McGillInternational, Psyllids

A new airborne insect monitoring system that has been tested in a field trial at Midura, Australia, should assist in monitoring for African and Asian citrus psyllids, which transmit HLB. The trial was conducted by Agriculture Victoria in conjunction with Citrus Australia and had two main purposes. One purpose was to test the sampling ability of the monitoring system against …

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Liberibacter Relative Mutating Rapidly

Josh McGillBrazil, Diseases

A bacterial species closely related to citrus greening disease is rapidly evolving its ability to infect insect hosts and possibly plants. The newly identified species belongs to Liberibacter, a family of bacteria known to infect several economically important crops. There are nine known Liberibacter species, including three that are associated with citrus greening.  Citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing or …

New Finger Lime Cultivars for the Specialty Citrus Market

Josh McGillLimes, Tip of the Week, Varieties

By Manjul Dutt The finger lime is an HLB-tolerant Australian native citrus that has been gaining popularity and importance in the last few years. Finger lime has several unique fruit qualities that set it apart from conventional sweet oranges and mandarins. The primary characteristic of this fruit is the round to teardrop-shaped juice vesicles, known as “citrus caviar,” that burst …

Citrus Industry Weighs In on Oxytetracycline Trunk Injection

Josh McGillHLB Management, Pesticides

Trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) has been proposed as a means to manage HLB in citrus. University of Florida research shows OTC injections increase yield and fruit quality but cause tree injury. TJ BioTech expects to receive EPA registration in late fall of this year for an OTC product that could be injected into trees. Florida citrus industry growers and …

Coordinated Psyllid Treatment Recommended in California

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Pesticides, Psyllids

The San Joaquin Valley ACP (Asian citrus psyllid)/HLB Area-Wide Task Force in California is recommending growers participate in a coordinated treatment application in commercial citrus orchards. This recommendation is for orchards located east and south of Bakersfield and includes young, non-bearing trees. The recommendation comes as a result of higher than normal HLB-spreading ACP finds in traps earlier this summer. …

Focused on Finding Solutions

Josh McGillResearch

By Michael Rogers As we approach a new citrus-growing season, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers and Extension agents working throughout the state renew their focus on finding solutions that growers can use in the short term to sustain their operations. While we value our longer-term research projects, efforts that provide tangible applications that …

What’s Next for the Donaldson Citrus Variety?

Josh McGillHLB Management, Research

During this summer’s Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference, Matthew Mattia, a post-doctoral associate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), discussed his work to identify the origins of the Donaldson citrus variety. The variety is a single tree on the USDA A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm near Groveland, Florida. Mattia was the first to discover the tree on the farm in …

Protect Against Psyllids in Early Shoot Development

Josh McGillBrazil, HLB Management, Research

A Fundecitrus study found that the first four stages of orange tree shoot development are the ones that should be most protected against HLB-spreading psyllids. The Brazilian association reported that among the six stages of shoot development, the first four (V1 to V4) are the most attractive to the psyllid and favorable for its feeding and reproduction. Therefore, those are …

Advantages and History of Trunk Injection

Josh McGillHLB Management, Pesticides

Plant physiologist Ute Albrecht recently gave a presentation on increased fruit yield and other apparent benefits of injecting the antibiotic oxytetracycline into citrus tree trunks. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher also discussed other advantages that trunk injection provides. These advantages include: Precise delivery of materials Elimination of spray drift Reduced risk for worker exposure …

Non-Certified Donaldson Trees: Limited Availability for Growers

Josh McGillFlorida Department of Citrus, HLB Management

The Florida Department of Citrus’ Program for Expedited Propagation (PEP) of HLB-tolerant and resistant trees was conceived during the 2022 Florida legislative session following the discovery of the Donaldson tree among the collection at Whitmore Farms. The goal is to provide the resources needed to ramp up availability of Donaldson trees and others like it, so that growers interested in …

Microbiology and Microbes: The Key to Boosting Citrus Productivity

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast, Sponsored Content

Whether a citrus grove is thriving or not is often based on what is observed above the ground. However, the best measurement of fertility comes from what’s happening below ground—in the soil microbiology. There is a complex community of living organisms, everything from worms and insects to tree roots. One of the most important elements is soil microbes. Soil microbes …

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CRDF Board Acts on Research Recommendations

Josh McGillCRDF, Research

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors spent much of its monthly meeting in July considering recommendations from the foundation’s research management committee (RMC). TRACKING TREESThe RMC recommended that a request for proposals be put forth to create an inventory of all germplasm existing in field trials from the plant breeding programs CRDF has helped to fund. …

Sneak Peek: August 2022 Citrus Industry

Josh McGillCitrus Expo, Sneak Peek

As growers prepare for the 2022–23 season, August is the perfect time to review what’s new in the citrus industry. The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo on Aug. 17–18 in North Fort Myers is the ideal venue to get the latest research updates while learning about new products and services. There’s no better place for industry leaders, growers, researchers and …

Expedited Tree Propagation Program Approved

Josh McGillFlorida Department of Citrus, HLB Management, nurseries

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on July 20 approved the Florida Department of Citrus’ (FDOC) plan for implementation of the Program for Expedited Propagation of HLB Tolerant and Resistant Trees (PEP). The program’s goal is to provide resources needed to ramp up the availability of the apparently HLB-tolerant Donaldson tree and others like it. The FDOC received $1 million in …