Angle

Positive Changes

Daniel CooperHLB Management

By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP Two and a half years ago, Riley McKenna leveled with his dad. Without a tool that made a noticeable difference in the grove soon, it might be time for dad to retire and Riley to seek a new career. So why was he spending an April day with me and his cousin Morgan McKenna …

Grove-First

Grove-First Expands Search for HLB-Fighting Molecules

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Research

By Randall P. Niedz and Michelle Heck Grove-First is a collaborative research initiative developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ARS) scientists and partners to solve citrus greening (HLB) by evaluating potential treatments directly in the field. This direct-to-field strategy is based on the idea that only field testing can determine whether a treatment can rejuvenate HLB-infected trees …

research

Nearly $23 Million Awarded for HLB Research

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) announced May 28 it has invested nearly $23 million in 14 HLB projects in 2025. The projects seek to find solutions to combat and prevent HLB in citrus. The projects are part of the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program. The University of Florida is the only …

Podcast Topics: OTC Survey Results and Snail Research

Tacy CalliesAll In For Citrus Podcast, HLB Management, Pests

Trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) to treat HLB is widely regarded as one of the biggest breakthroughs in the long fight against the disease. After two seasons of treatments, where do Florida citrus growers stand when it comes to the treatment? Tara Wade answers that question in the latest episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. The University of …

month

Injection Month Affects Fruit Size, Juice Quality and OTC Residues

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Tip of the Week

By Ute Albrecht, Gabriel Pugina, Caroline Tardivo, Jasmine de Freitas and Deived de Carvalho The month during which oxytetracycline (OTC) injections are performed can have a considerable impact on fruit size, juice quality and OTC fruit residues. Citrus fruit development can be divided into three overlapping stages: If injections are performed during Stage I, they promote cell division, which increases …

Sneak Peek: June 2025 Citrus Industry

Daniel CooperSneak Peek

The June issue of Specialty Crop Grower magazine honors the winner of the 2025 Citrus Achievement Award. Ben Albritton, this year’s recipient, is a fourth-generation citrus grower and Florida politician. Learn all about his career and accomplishments in the cover story. Don’t miss the digital edition of the magazine to see an exclusive video interview. Albritton and Specialty Crop Grower …

Millennium Block

Millennium Block Research Update

Daniel CooperIndian River, Rootstocks, Varieties

Flavia Zambon, assistant professor with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, recently provided an update about Millennium Block research at the Indian River Research and Education Center. The block, established in 2019–20, is a large-scale, 5,500-tree trial seeking HLB-tolerant citrus varieties. Zambon says some varieties in the trial are showing strong fruit attributes without the need …

june

All In For Citrus Podcast, May 2025

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast

The May All In For Citrus podcast features highlights from a recent OJ Break hosted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Podcast host Frank Giles caught up with Michael Rogers, CREC director, during the event. Rogers summarized some of the information presented at the OJ …

tree

Bridging the Gap to the Tree of the Future

Daniel CooperEvents, HLB Management

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center hosted an OJ Break seminar on May 14. The speakers provided updates on developing a gene-edited citrus tree with resistance to HLB and how growers can use existing tools to mitigate the disease. Nian Wang, UF/IFAS professor, provided an update on the status of …

PGRs

PGRs Can Produce Remarkable Results

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, PGRs

Tripti Vashisth, associate professor of horticultural sciences with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), has been studying the use of plant growth regulators (PGRs) to improve citrus tree health and fruit retention for several years now. Her work has culminated into a systems approach of when to use a particular PGR at a certain time …

citrus seminars

Citrus Seminars Provide Research Updates

Daniel CooperEducation, Florida Citrus Show

Researchers from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delivered several presentations to a standing-room-only audience during the citrus seminars at the Florida Citrus Show in March. VARIETIES AND ROOTSTOCKS The citrus session began with a breeder panel discussing research on varieties and rootstocks. Participants were Manjul Dutt and Jude …

june

All In For Citrus Podcast, April 2025

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, PGRs, Soil Health

April is a busy month for citrus events. The Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute was held in Avon Park early in the month followed by a citrus field day at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SFWREC) in Immokalee. These events are the topic of the April episode of the …

brassinosteroids

Brassinosteroids Improve HLB-Affected Tree Health and Fruit Quality

Daniel CooperPGRs

By Fernando Alferez, Divya Aryal and Saoussen Ben Abdallah In the last few years, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus horticulture team at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) in Immokalee has performed several research trials in commercial farms and at the experimental farm at the SWFREC to elucidate the effect of …

citrus field day

Citrus Field Day Highlights Research

Daniel CooperEvents, Research

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee hosted a citrus field day on April 10. The event showcased the research being conducted at the center. One of the tour stops featured individual protective cover (IPC) research led by Fernando Alferez, UF/IFAS associate professor of citrus horticulture. Thanks in …

encouraged

Florida Citrus Grower Feeling Encouraged

Daniel CooperEvents, Florida, HLB Management

In a time when hope can be hard to find for the Florida citrus industry, one grower left last week’s Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute feeling encouraged. Whether it was meeting with fellow growers or learning about ongoing research that has long-term ramifications, Paul Koukos felt optimistic following the April 8 meeting. “It’s always good to get together with other growers, …

Growers’ Institute

Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute Included Interactive Element

Daniel CooperEvents

Growers gathered in Avon Park for the annual Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute at South Florida Community College in early April. Scientists from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) presented updates on their work and the latest efforts to help in the fight against HLB. New this year, the scientists also hosted learning stations to further …

Florida

Florida Citrus Leader Hopeful Despite Alico’s Departure

Daniel CooperHLB Management

Florida Citrus Mutual Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Joyner’s optimism about the industry’s future comes on the heels of a major citrus grower stepping out of production. Alico’s departure from the citrus industry earlier this year was a body blow to the industry, according to one industry expert. Joyner feels similarly but also believes there are extenuating …

replanting

Strong Interest in CRAFT Foundation Projects

Daniel CooperCRAFT

By Steven Hall The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation received applications in Cycle Six for almost 10,000 acres of New Tree Planting (NTP) proposals and applications for nearly 47,000 acres for inclusion in Cycle Three of the Existing Tree Therapies (ETT) program. WAITLIST ESTABLISHED This demand exceeded the funding available for both programs. The selected applicants have received …

short-term

Florida Citrus: Short-Term Survival vs. Long-Term Sustainability

Daniel CooperHLB Management

The future of Florida’s citrus industry rests on short-term survival while building a future that does not include citrus greening disease. Rick Dantzler, Citrus Research and Development Foundation chief operating officer, spoke at this year’s Georgia Citrus Association annual meeting in Tifton. He emphasized that while tools like oxytetracycline (OTC) provide growers relief, its long-term effectiveness is not guaranteed. Therefore, …

Optimism

OTC Injections Spark Optimism

Daniel CooperHLB Management

It can be hard to have hope if you are a farmer in today’s agricultural climate. It can be even harder to have optimism if you are a Florida citrus grower. Yet, Matt Joyner, Florida Citrus Mutual executive vice president and chief executive officer, has hope that the industry is trending upward even amid HLB and multiple hurricanes in previous …