individual protective covers

Water Use Under Individual Protective Covers

Daniel CooperIPCs, Water

By Fernando Alferez and Osbaldo Vasquez During the last seven years, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) in Immokalee has been performing comprehensive studies on the use of individual protective covers (IPCs). This tool is now adopted by most growers planting new citrus trees in Florida both in …

soil sampling

Soil Sampling Is Key to Cold-Hardy Citrus Fertilization

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Nutrition

Soil sampling is one of two keys to building a good citrus fertilization program in North Florida and South Georgia, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers wrote recently. The authors are Muhammad A. Shahid, assistant professor of horticulture, and postdoc scholar Shahid Iqbal, both with the North Florida Research and Education Center. Shahid and Iqbal …

trunk injection

The Potential of Trunk Injection for Fresh Market Citrus

Daniel CooperFresh, HLB Management

By John M. Chater Citrus tree trunk injection of antibiotics has been recently and widely used in Florida. The success of oxytetracycline (OTC) in sweet orange to mitigate huanglongbing (HLB or citrus greening) disease has been documented by the laboratory of Ute Albrecht, associate professor at the University of Florida. Some results suggest that OTC injection can improve Brix, ratio, …

citrus crop forecast

Final 2025 U.S. Citrus Crop Forecast Issued

Daniel CooperCitrus, Crop Forecast, Oranges, USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA/NASS) released its last citrus crop forecast update of the 2024-25 season on July 11. The Florida Valencia orange forecast increased 2%, from 7.4 million boxes in June to 7.55 million boxes. That increased the Florida all-orange forecast from 12 million boxes in June to 12.15 million boxes. Florida’s all-grapefruit forecast …

pollinators

BeSure! To Protect Pollinators

Daniel CooperGrowing Matters, Pollination

Growing Matters recently launched its annual BeSure! stewardship awareness campaign. Pollinators play a vital role within ecosystems and the food supply. Applicators and growers alike play a crucial role in utilizing proper stewardship practices during the growing season and beyond. Here are a few best practices to protect pollinators: USE NEONICOTINOIDS PROPERLY Neonicotinoid insecticides are used because of their selective …

genome-edited

Two Genome-Edited Trees Are Approved

Daniel CooperHLB Management

Two non-transgenic genome-edited orange plants — a Hamlin and a Valencia that may resist HLB — have been federally approved and are ready for Florida growers. Nian Wang, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences eminent scholar endowed chair in biotechnology, reported this news in a June 17 virtual presentation. The plants, which Wang termed “Eds1-edited,” have received …

CRAFT

CRAFT to Put $104.5 Million to Work

Daniel CooperAs Seen On Instagram, CRAFT

The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation recently announced that the Florida Legislature allocated an historic amount of funding to citrus research in the 2025–26 state budget. CRAFT is expected to receive $104.5 million of the allocated funding to continue applied research through large-scale field trials. The CRAFT Foundation is designing new programs with this investment. Information about the upcoming …

market

Orange Juice Market Share Declines

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

One hundred percent orange juice (OJ) fell from 67% beverage market share in 2022 to 62% in 2024, a Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) economist told the Florida Citrus Commission recently. The economist, Director of Economic and Market Research Marisa Zansler, added that orange-flavored drinks gained overall share in volume sold during the same period. The FCC is the FDOC’s …

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 …

brown garden snail

Best Bets for Brown Garden Snail Management

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests

Brown garden snails (Cornu aspersum) can reach incredible population densities in California citrus orchards if left unmanaged. More than 1,000 snails per tree have been documented in some cases, according to Mark Hoddle, University of California, Riverside biological control specialist. To help growers deal with this problem, Hoddle recently participated in a Citrus Research Board webinar. He presented information on …

MASC program

Florida Legislature Invests Record-Breaking $140 Million in Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesAs Seen On Instagram, Legislative

Matt Joyner, Florida Citrus Mutual executive vice president and chief executive officer, issued the following statement in reaction to the Florida Legislature’s approval of nearly $140 million ($139,673,565) for the citrus industry in the state’s 2025–26 fiscal year budget: “Florida’s citrus growers applaud the Florida Legislature’s record-breaking investment of nearly $140 million to shepherd the state’s iconic citrus industry back to …

funding

Citrus Funding Appears Promising

Daniel Cooperfinancial

Recent reports from Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) and California Citrus Mutual (CCM) indicate that major support is likely forthcoming for the U.S. citrus industry. RECORD FLORIDA FUNDING FCM reports that the Florida Legislature continues to finalize a budget for the 2025–26 state fiscal year with a vote expected in both the Senate and House chambers on June 18. Senate President Ben Albritton, has advocated for record citrus …

managing aggressive weeds

Managing Aggressive Weeds in Citrus

Daniel Cooperweeds

Ramdas Kanissery gave advice for growers in a May 20 virtual presentation about managing aggressive weeds in citrus. Kanissery is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor of horticultural sciences at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. A summary of his recommendations follows. CULTURAL PRACTICES PRACTICAL APPROACHES As part of his presentation, …

HLB

Georgia Student Honored for HLB Research

Daniel CooperAwards, Georgia, HLB Management

Carlton Collins recently was named top master’s researcher in the E. Broadus Browne Research Awards for Outstanding Graduate Student Research competition at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He was recognized for his research on huanglongbing (HLB) disease, also known as citrus greening. Collins, born in Jamaica, was introduced to citrus production on a small …

pest

CUPS: Pest Monitoring and Management

Daniel CooperCUPS, Pests, Tip of the Week

By Jawwad A. Qureshi Several insect pests and mites colonize citrus crops in traditional open orchards. Most pests are localized and are suppressed by predators, parasitoids and entomopathogens to levels that are not economically damaging to the crops. The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is the primary vector of huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Despite biological and chemical control of ACP, growing a …

oj

New Insights Into OJ Demand

Daniel CooperEconomics, Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

By Marisa L. Zansler One-hundred percent orange juice (OJ) has long been a favorite in American households, but supply challenges, changing consumer behaviors, a crowded beverage category and higher prices have impacted how much OJ consumers buy. Recent research conducted by Sungeun Yoon sheds light on consumer price sensitivity and substitution behaviors within the category, offering actionable insights for growers, …

programs

Update on CRAFT Programs

Daniel CooperCRAFT

The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation recently provided an update about its programs: EXPEDITED PROPAGATION The supplemental Program for Expedited Propagation application period closed April 30. Contracts should be issued to the selected projects in May.  EXISTING TREE THERAPY The CRAFT board of directors approved amendments to all Existing Tree Therapy (ETT) Round 1, 2 and 3 contracts …

alternative crops

Bill Seeks Citrus Alternative Crops

Daniel CooperAlternative Crops, Legislative

A bill passed unanimously by the Florida Senate and awaiting House approval would fund a $1 million Florida A&M University (FAMU) research project to identify alternative crops for former citrus lands. While the legislation authorizes the study, it is contingent on funding approval. The $1 million budget allocation for the FAMU project is part of a larger agricultural relief effort …

HLB-tolerant varieties

HLB-Tolerant Varieties Available

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Varieties

Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. (FFSP) has signed a licensing agreement with New Varieties Development and Management Corp. (NVDMC) to introduce new citrus varieties showing tolerance to HLB. The HLB-tolerant varieties covered by the agreement are: The collaboration also includes the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and the Florida Department of Citrus. It aims to …

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 …