June

Sneak Peek: June 2024 Citrus Industry

Daniel CooperAwards, HLB Management, Sneak Peek

The Citrus Achievement Award has been honoring outstanding industry leaders since 2001. Recipients were previously recognized in Florida Grower magazine. With the consolidation of Florida Grower and Specialty Crop Industry magazines to create Specialty Crop Grower, the award now has a new home in Citrus Industry magazine. The move was made possible by award sponsor TJ BioTech. The June issue …

ReMedium TI®

Rootstocks and OTC

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Rootstocks

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center hosted a May OJ Break educational seminar. Ute Albrecht, UF/IFAS associate professor of plant physiology, spoke during the event and gave an update on oxytetracycline (OTC) therapies being applied in citrus groves over the past two seasons. She gave a summary of research she …

antibiotics

Integrating Antibiotics Into a Broader Management Plan for HLB

Daniel CooperHLB Management

By Lukasz Stelinski, Eric Roldan and Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski Use of antibiotics in fruit production is not a new idea, but it has only recently been applied on a larger scale in Florida citrus. The initial labels for huanglongbing (HLB) treatment with antibiotics in Florida citrus were approved in March 2016 in response to significant economic losses caused by HLB. Antibiotics …

nematodes

Sting Nematodes in the HLB Era

Daniel CooperPests

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center hosted an OJ Break seminar in mid-May. Topics included management of nematodes, results of trunk-injection therapies and the use of cover crops in citrus. Larry Duncan, a UF/IFAS professor of nematology, presented research findings on the impact of sting nematodes in citrus. He provided …

Sectoring

How to Address Sectoring in Trunk-Injected Trees

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Tip of the Week

By Ute Albrecht and Larissa Nunes Citrus growers who injected oxytetracycline (OTC) last year most likely experienced sectoring, which is the appearance of some portions of the canopy looking considerably healthier than the rest of the tree. RECENT RESEARCH In a recent trial in a commercial citrus grove, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers injected …

hurricane

Have a Hurricane Plan in Place

Daniel Cooperhurricane

Florida citrus growers are all too familiar with the fallout from hurricanes in recent history. In 2017, Hurricane Irma came up the spine of the state causing an estimated $760 million in damage to the citrus industry. Then in 2022, Hurricane Ian took an even more direct path over key citrus-production areas causing another $247 million in losses, according to …

alico

Alico Disappointed and Frustrated With Production

Daniel CooperProduction

Alico, Inc. announced financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 and the six months ended March 31, 2024. Revenues of $32.1 million for the six-month period were relatively flat as compared to $31.9 million for the same period last year. BOXES AND POUND SOLIDS Alico harvested approximately 1.2 million boxes (second quarter) and 2.2 million boxes (six-month …

panel

Panel Discussions Highlight Florida Citrus Show Seminars

Daniel CooperBreeding, HLB Management

A pair of panel discussions during the citrus seminars at the Florida Citrus Show gave growers the opportunity to engage with experts on top-of-mind topics. BREEDER RECOMMENDATIONS The citrus seminar program started with a discussion among citrus breeders moderated by Flavia Zambon, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor at the Indian River Research and …

PGR

Podcast Addresses Recent Irrigation Research

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, Irrigation, PGRs

It was a dry April in most of Florida’s citrus-production areas. That means irrigation is vital to keep HLB-infected trees adequately watered. The drier months of the year from February through May are when flowering and fruit set are occurring. If trees are stressed due to water deficit during this time, they are more likely to suffer fruit drop and …

mixing and loading

Proper Mixing and Loading of Pesticides

Daniel CooperCEU

By Amir Rezazadeh Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. The primary pesticide handling tasks are mixing and loading. These are also the most harmful aspects of pesticide application. Because …

otc

CRDF Board Passes Preliminary Budget and Funds Projects

Daniel CooperCRDF

During its April meeting, the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors passed its preliminary budget for the next fiscal year. It allows $1.4 million in new project funding. “This amount should be enough to fund the projects the board wishes to fund from our primary request for proposals, which are aimed at answering practical questions growers have …

may

Sneak Peek: May 2024 Citrus Industry

Daniel CooperHLB Management, hurricane, Sneak Peek

Inside the May issue of Citrus Industry magazine, you’ll find photos and coverage from the Florida Citrus Show. The annual grower-focused event was held in Fort Pierce on April 3. A high point of the day was the outdoor trade show of exhibitors serving an array of tailgate-style foods to attendees. Educational programs included a general session on current agricultural …

Grove First

Grove First Project Seeks More Grower Cooperators

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Research

The Grove First project plans to expand next year and is seeking additional growers as cooperators. The project tests molecules directly in the field for their ability to treat HLB via trunk injection. The Grove First project differs from the common practice of starting HLB research in the laboratory, then moving to the greenhouse to be confirmed before going into …

june

All In For Citrus Podcast, April 2024

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast

April was a busy month for citrus events. The Florida Citrus Show was held April 3 in Fort Pierce followed by the Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park on April 9. These events were a topic of discussion between All In For Citrus podcast host Frank Giles and Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food …

grower

Grower Panel: OTC a Net Positive So Far

Daniel CooperEvents, HLB Management

Florida Citrus Mutual recently hosted a roundtable discussion about the performance of trunk-injection therapies as growers are making their second round of applications. The grower participants included Jim Snively, Southern Gardens Citrus; Glenn Beck, Beck Bros. Citrus and Wes Soria, Sorrells Citrus. University of Florida scientist Ute Albrecht also joined the panel to provide a research update. Rick Dantzler, chief …

research

Evolving Research Priorities for Florida Citrus

Daniel CooperCRDF, Research

Last week, growers convened in Avon Park for the annual Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute. The daylong seminar program provides updates on the latest research in the fight against HLB and other production issues facing growers. Rick Dantzler, chief operating officer of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), presented an update on the organization’s research priorities. He noted that CRDF …

Florida Citrus Show

Don’t Miss the Florida Citrus Show!

Daniel CooperEvents, Tip of the Week

By Robin Koestoyo University of Florida citrus and vegetable researchers will present their latest scientific findings at the 78th Florida Citrus Show on April 3. A lineup of educational seminars will build on the show’s extraordinarily successful 77th show, organized by AgNet Media, an agricultural news communications leader. This year’s event will feature a tailgate-style trade show that includes breakfast …

fresh

A Fresh Approach

Daniel CooperCRAFT, Fresh, Packing

Despite the challenges of the Florida citrus industry, Feek Family Citrus continues to successfully grow, pack and ship fresh fruit. In an effort to discourage his son from working in the citrus business, Doug Feek’s father gave him all the worst jobs to do in the family’s small grove. “He wanted me to save my back and work a desk …

CRAFT

CRAFT Program Promotes New Planting and Knowledge

Daniel CooperCRAFT, planting, Research

Since its founding in 2019, the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program has been responsible for the planting of just under 10,000 acres of new trees. This includes about 6,000 acres of solid-set groves and just shy of 4,000 acres of resets. CRAFT is a first-of-its-kind program and considered an innovation among funding agencies needed to support such efforts. …

april

Sneak Peek: April 2024 Citrus Industry

Daniel CooperSneak Peek

See what’s new in citrus in the April issue of Citrus Industry magazine. In this month’s cover story, an established company gets a new name. As the next generation joins the business, learn how DLF International has transitioned to Feek Family Citrus in Fort Pierce, Florida. Trying new things and carefully monitoring costs are a few of the ways this …