By Ute Albrecht, Gabriel Pugina, Antonio Castellano-Hinojosa and Sarah Strauss Root health is important for tree growth and directly affects a tree’s ability to cope with adverse biotic and abiotic stresses. Most citrus production in Florida occurs on natural infertile sands with very little organic matter and a low cation exchange capacity (CEC), resulting in minimal amounts of soluble nutrients …
Tips to Keep Citrus Fruit on Trees
By Frank Giles During the May All In For Citrus podcast, Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center, discussed research on how applications of gibberellic acid (GA) can improve tree health and reduce fruit drop. The research is being conducted by Tripti Vashisth, an associate professor of horticultural sciences with the University of Florida Institute of Food …
Inflation Impacts OJ Consumers
Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) economist Marisa Zansler discussed orange juice (OJ) volume movement and the potential impacts inflation may have on the category at the May 18 Florida Citrus Commission meeting. She also addressed the importance of ongoing marketing activities to support sales even as supply constraints continue. Inflation is persistently up across all goods, with shelter, food, airline …
Maintaining Demand for OJ Amid Supply-Shortage Concerns
By Marisa L. Zansler Over the last 20 years, the Florida citrus industry has faced many challenges, from destructive diseases, hurricanes, production cost increases, and, now in 2022, the devastation of a winter freeze. As a result, Florida citrus production has declined considerably. During the 2021–22 season, there is a 26% decline in volume movement compared to the prior season. …
Rootstocks and Fertilization for Finger Limes
Rootstock selection and fertilization are important for those considering growing finger limes in Florida. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences horticulturist Tripti Vashisth addressed both of those topics in a recent virtual Finger Lime Symposium. Vashisth concluded that Volkamer lemon, UFR-5 and US-802 rootstocks appear promising for finger limes. She noted that a vigorous rootstock influences tree …
Forum for Growers Sparks Conversations
By Ajia Paolillo Florida citrus growers are undoubtedly under pressure while they work daily to maintain tree health and produce quality fruit that is profitable. Growers are constantly switching gears to budget increasing production costs, address labor issues and, of course, fight HLB and other problems in the grove. Growers are fighting HLB from many different directions, including enhanced nutrition, …
An Update on Oak Mulch to Increase Soil Health
By Lukas M. Hallman, John M. Santiago and Lorenzo Rossi At first glance, one may not see how oak trees relate to citrus production. But in the early 2010s, growers and scientists reported seeing little to no HLB symptoms on citrus growing underneath the dripline of oak trees compared to citrus trees nearby but not directly under oak trees. These …
Impact of Herbicides on Fruit Drop
Growers know the negative impacts of any kind stress on trees infected by HLB. That raised a question: Can injury from herbicides make fruit drop worse? Ramdas Kanissery, an assistant professor of weed science with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), conducted a research project to help answer that question. Kanissery discusses the research in …
Progress With SuperSour Rootstock Trials
By Kim D. Bowman The breeding of new citrus rootstocks is not an endeavor for the impatient. Two of the most popular rootstocks in Florida, US-942 and US-812, each were included in field evaluation for more than 20 years before the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released them for commercial use. In these cases, the time invested in thorough testing …
Oak Leaves and Turnpike Signs
Citrus growers Travis Murphy and Tom Thayer developed a formulation based on oak leaf extract that was observed to rejuvenate trees back to economic productivity. But the rejuvenation effects observed in the growers’ trials were not observed in field trials using a modified version of the formulation. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research geneticist Randall Niedz reported that result in …
Finger Limes Introduced for Florida
Two recently released University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) varieties of finger limes were introduced at a virtual Finger Lime Symposium held in March. Manjul Dutt of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center hosted the symposium; he also introduced the new varieties. Lourdes Pérez Cordero, UF/IFAS Extension agent in Highlands County, reported on the new …
Important Clarifications on the Florida Citrus Research Order Referendum
As the voting period for the Florida Citrus Research Order winds down, it is important that growers have a clear understanding what the vote is for and the role the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) plays in the process. Rick Dantzler, chief operating officer of CRDF, says this clarification is important to be sure growers have the correct information, …
Sneak Peek: June 2022 Citrus Industry
In the quest to keep HLB-infected citrus trees productive, many growers are turning to techniques to improve soil health. That’s the focus of the June issue of Citrus Industry magazine. The hope is that better soil health will lead to better tree health. Methods under study include compost, cover crops and oak mulch. Citrus grower and consultant Brad Turner makes …
Use Physical Barriers for Root Health
By Larry Duncan Citrus trees in Florida soils infested with diaprepes root weevil (Diaprepes abbreviatus) or sting nematode (Belonolaimus longicaudatus) frequently contend with devastating damage to their root systems. This is made even worse by root loss due to huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Where soil conditions are conducive to the insect or nematode, it is very difficult to prevent major economic …
Update on CRDF Research Projects
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) Research Management Committee and board of directors recently approved projects for funding. The first CRDF research project has approval for funding of a final year of research by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) to study the lebbeck mealybug and its management. “The Research Management Committee debated this …
High Summer Temperatures Take a Toll on Trees
By Anirban Guha and Christopher Vincent A quick body temperature test is common these days before entering many workplaces, hospitals and clinics due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose is to screen people for fevers, usually with a non-contact infrared thermometer. Measurement of plant body temperatures also has become common for many field crops, not to screen for infectious …
ACP Found at Packinghouse and Juice Plant in California
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently urged all citrus industry members to be extra vigilant in their Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) mitigation steps and adherence to regulatory practices. The request is in response to ACP detections in the Central Valley over the last few weeks. ACP is the vector of HLB disease. Multiple ACP were detected on …
Keeping Soil pH at the Optimal Level
By Brandon White This time of year is the end of the peak nutrient demand for citrus trees. Regardless of the types of fertilizer or inputs applied in the groves, trees have been taking up nutrients while growing in full tilt during the spring season. One of the greatest factors determining how well trees take up nutrients is soil pH. …
Protecting Citrus During Prolonged Dry Periods
Hot and dry conditions are being seen in citrus groves across the Southeast. Growers are reminded to keep their trees — young and old — supplied with an ample amount of water. Citrus grower Kim Jones, who owns a citrus packing facility in Monticello, Florida, and is part-owner of a similar facility in Tifton, Georgia, discusses the importance of keeping …
Keep CTV Under Control
By Amit Levy Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) infects the citrus phloem. CTV infects almost all citrus varieties, but it causes different disease symptoms depending on the virus isolate, the citrus variety and scion-rootstock combination. Florida has three dominant strains of CTV: T36, a decline-causing strain T30, which normally does not cause severe disease VT, a stem-pitting causing strain CTV is …