By Peter Chaires There has been a good bit of talk recently about an anticipated shift in Florida citrus utilization. Some growers, who for many years saw their fruit utilized in processing, are looking for ways to get more of their crop in a fresh market carton for 2026–27. While grapefruit has always been grown with the fresh market in …
Combining PGRs and OTC Is Beneficial
The June All In For Citrus podcast features Tripti Vashisth, associate center director and professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center. She discusses the benefits of combining plant growth regulators (PGRs) with trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC). For most Florida citrus growers, application of OTC has …
Panel Discussion on Optimizing OTC Performance at Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo
Growers received welcomed news in June when trunk-injection therapy of oxytetracycline (OTC) was cleared for continued applications next season. Some growers have said the treatment has helped save groves from loss due to HLB. Ute Albrecht, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor, has been one of the lead researchers on OTC applications and its effectiveness. …
ReMedium TI Receives Full Section 3 Label
TJ BioTech LLC has announced that, as of June 11, 2026, ReMedium TI has received a full Section 3 label and registration from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with state approval from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The approved label allows for two consecutive years of treatment, starting with the 2026–27 season, followed by a one-year …
Reducing Trunk Injury From OTC Injections
By Ute Albrecht, Larissa Nunes and Igor Silva Trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) requires drilling a hole into the trunk and injecting a foreign substance into the tree. Not only does the physical damage from drilling cause injury, but the application of chemicals can exacerbate both the external and internal damage. BARK CRACKING Externally, aside from the drill hole, bark …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: NVDMC Research Focus for 2026–27
By Peter Chaires Spring is planning season for most Florida citrus organizations. New Varieties Development & Management Corp. (NVDMC) is no exception. The board recently met with all breeding teams to review 2025–26 sponsored projects and establish research priorities for 2026–27. Though some aspects of these projects will be covered in greater depth in future articles, this month’s column is …
Three Years of OTC Trunk Injection Provide Cumulative Benefits
By Ute Albrecht, Gabriel Pugina and Larissa Nunes According to a recent industry survey, 64% of Florida citrus growers have injected their trees for three consecutive years with oxytetracycline (OTC). This article reports the results from three research trials conducted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Plant Physiology Team at the Southwest Florida Research …
Sneak Peek: June 2026 Citrus Industry
The Citrus Industry section of the June 2026 issue of Specialty Crop Grower focuses on leadership and research. On the cover of the magazine is Ned Hancock, winner of the 2026 Citrus Achievement Award. He is being recognized for his decades-long leadership and dedication to serving Florida’s citrus industry. Don’t miss the accompanying video in the digital issue of the …
Plant Defense Inducers Could Help Reduce Copper Use for Canker Control
By Lauren Fessler Mathews, Ana Redondo and Ozgur Batuman Citrus canker continues to impact Florida citrus, increasing premature fruit drop and decreasing yield and fruit quality. While copper sprays have long been relied upon to control this disease, concerns about environmental impact and possible resistance development have led to efforts to find sustainable alternatives. Previous studies have shown that plant …
Florida Citrus Mutual Hosts Spring Grower Meeting
Florida Citrus Mutual hosted its spring informational meeting for growers at Golden Ridge Groves in Alturas on May 13. Golden Ridge Groves is growing fresh fruit in citrus under protective screen and recently added you-pick and agritourism options for the public. Steven Hall, executive director of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation, gave an update and recounted the …
How Trunk Injection Is Affecting Psyllid Populations
Research and field trials have been fairly consistent in showing that trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) will reduce the HLB-causing bacteria in citrus trees, resulting in improved yield and quality. But what happens to the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) when it feeds on treated trees? The answer to that question is becoming clearer now from research conducted by the University …
Trunk-Injection Takeaways Presented
Researcher Ute Albrecht on April 21 shared lessons learned from three years of oxytetracycline (OTC) trunk injection for HLB management in Florida. Albrecht is an associate professor with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) specializing in citrus plant physiology. She works at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. Albrecht reported on results of a …
Research Confirms OTC Improvements in Groves
The Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute was held at South Florida College in Avon Park last week to share the latest research from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Besides hearing presentations, attendees had an opportunity to interact one-on-one with scientists at 21 learning stations covering topics like entomology, citrus breeding, weed control and soil nutrition. …
All In For Citrus Podcast, April 2026
In April, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted its annual Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park. The event is the subject of discussion in the April All In For Citrus podcast episode. Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), says the Institute is among the big three citrus …
Florida Citrus Show: A Day of Education and Enjoyment
The Florida Citrus Show marked another successful event in March in Fort Pierce. The show provided attendees with a fun, informative day to learn about citrus and specialty crops while engaging with exhibitors during the tailgate-style trade show. CRAFT UPDATE Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) programs have been very popular with growers and have incentivized new citrus plantings across …
Sneak Peek: April 2026 Citrus Industry
The Citrus Industry section of the April 2026 issue of Specialty Crop Grower highlights ongoing efforts to strengthen Florida’s citrus sector amid challenges. Articles this month showcase education, nutrient management and variety development. A recap of the Florida Citrus Show details a successful March event in Fort Pierce that combined education with a lively tailgate-style trade show. Growers Daniel Hunt, …
Summary of 2025 Florida Citrus Land Transactions
According to Saunders Land’s annual Lay of the Land Market Report, there were 79 Florida citrus land transactions in 2025 totaling 20,352 acres. Pricing ranged from $3,936 to $56,003 per acre. The average price per acre was $13,788. Sales ranged in size from 9.81 acres to 4,633.47 acres. Notable large transactions included a 4,633.47-acre sale in Charlotte County for $41.9 …
Study Sheds Light on the Use of Ascorbic Acid With OTC
Growers have always been innovators, testing new production practices in their groves. When you add a disease like HLB, those experiments get ramped up in the effort to seek solutions. A good example of this was a discussion that began last year among growers that ascorbic acid (vitamin C) might be helpful in extending the effectiveness of the oxytetracycline (OTC) …
A Pure Product Pays Dividends
Sponsored Content Question: Does the purity level of ReMedium TI® help aid the therapeutic response to citrus greening with trees that are under environmental stress? Answer: During the research and development phase of ReMedium TI®, several things were observed that pertain to this question. First, trees that have been under relatively severe stress do have slower uptake of ReMedium TI®. …
Sneak Peek: March 2026 Citrus Industry
Citrus and other specialty crops suffered large losses from the late January/early February freeze that walloped Florida. Get the details in the cover story of the March issue of Specialty Crop Grower magazine. The article provides the early estimates of damage by crop according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It also discusses efforts to secure financial …





























