The 2017-2018 Florida all-orange forecast released on April 10 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is 45 million boxes, unchanged from the March forecast. The total includes 19 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges and 26 million boxes of Valencia oranges. The Row Count survey, conducted March 27-28, showed 99 percent of the early-midseason rows …
Single Breakthrough Discovery for HLB in Florida Unlikely
A single breakthrough discovery for managing citrus greening in Florida in the future is unlikely, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The committee that wrote the report called for a systems approach to prioritize research on the disease and strategically distribute resources for research to effectively manage the disease, which is the most …
Herbicide Synergy for Citrus Weed Management
By Ramdas Kanissery, Brent Sellers and Steve Futch Weed control is a major component of Florida citrus grove management. A warm, humid climate and frequent rainfall provide a conducive environment for prolific weed emergence and growth in citrus groves. Although there are several pre- and post-emergent herbicide products available for managing a diversity of citrus weeds, there is always an …
International OJ Market Sees Some Positives
By Marcos Fava Neves The third Fundecitrus estimate of the season for the Brazilian orange crop on Feb. 11 was just shy of 400 million boxes. It is 3.13 percent larger than the last estimate in December, and 9 percent larger than the initial estimate published in May. Fruits are bigger and heavier, reaching 247 fruits per box. This is …
Calls Increase for Irma Aid to Flow to Farmers
Pressure is growing from Florida and other states as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to determine how to move forward with a disaster-relief package President Donald Trump signed in early February. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., joined colleagues from Texas, Louisiana and California this week in prodding U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue …
Current Considerations for Citrus Irrigation Management
Growers can use these tips and tools for trees impacted by HLB and Hurricane Irma. By Davie Kadyampakeni, Kelly Morgan, Mongi Zekri, Rhuanito Ferrarezi, Arnold Schumann and Thomas A. Obreza Water is a limiting factor in Florida citrus production during the majority of the year. This is because of the low water-holding capacity of sandy soils resulting from low clay …
Rubio Offers Hope for Farmers Hit by Irma
Federal disaster relief for farmers impacted by Hurricane Irma may be available “as early as next week,” according to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. Monday’s update from Rubio’s office came after the Miami Republican spoke with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who had a similar conversation with Gov. Rick Scott Friday. Florida citrus farmers have expressed increasing frustration as they await …
Sneak Peek: April 2018 Citrus Industry Magazine
Water is a key ingredient in achieving a healthy citrus crop, but too little or too much can be detrimental. Two articles in the April issue of Citrus Industry magazine address irrigation management. In the first article, growers will learn about irrigation scheduling methods and get production pointers for trees impacted by HLB and Hurricane Irma. The second article looks …
Research Reveals a New Direction for Halting HLB
New clues to how the bacteria associated with citrus greening infects the only insect that carries it could lead to a way to block the microbes’ spread from tree to tree, according to a study in Infection and Immunity by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) scientists. Citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing (HLB), is a serious disease dramatically …
Beck Brothers Win 4R Advocate Award
Beck Brothers Citrus of Winter Garden, Florida, is one of five winners of the Fertilizer Institute’s 4R Advocate Award for 2018. The company is the third winner from Florida and the first citrus grower to receive this national award. Beck Brothers was recognized for implementing 4R fertilizer management practices on the farm to increase production and reduce environmental impact. 4R …
Citrus Growers in Waiting Game for Hurricane Aid
Frustration is growing among Florida citrus growers awaiting the distribution of $2.36 billion in federal disaster-relief money for agriculture losses sustained in Hurricane Irma. “We’re still waiting, maybe not as patiently as we were to start with,” Florida Citrus Commission Chairman G. Ellis Hunt said Wednesday. President Donald Trump signed the disaster-relief package in February, five months after Hurricane Irma …
State of the Florida Citrus-Packing Segment
By Peter Chaires Florida’s fresh-packing segment is in a significant period of transition. The freezes of the 1980s caused substantial southward movement of citrus production and the loss of supply to most packinghouses in the northern regions. During this time, urban expansion and construction booms were also depleting acreage that supplied fresh houses. The early battles against citrus canker eliminated …
Commissioner Adam H. Putnam on Updated Citrus Crop Forecast
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its monthly citrus crop forecast for the 2017-2018 season: “Florida’s citrus growers are still recovering from Hurricane Irma’s unprecedented damage, which the March forecast shows is still unfolding in many groves six months later. Thankfully, Congress recently provided more than …
Florida Specialty Citrus Up; California Valencias Down
Mark Hudson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA/NASS), reported the March forecast for Florida oranges is unchanged from last month at 45 million boxes. Non-Valencias are at 19 million boxes and Valencias are at 26 million boxes. The Row Count Survey, conducted on Feb. 26-27, showed 99 percent of the early-midseason rows and 96 percent of …
Foliar Nutrition Research Update
By Rhuanito S. Ferrarezi, Alan L. Wright, Kelly T. Morgan, Philip A. Stansly, Monica Ozores-Hampton and Robert Ebel Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening is endemic in Florida, resulting in billions of dollars of losses since the state’s first detection in 2005. The disease induces visual symptoms in leaves and branches, while severely impacting citrus fruit yield and quality. Fibrous root …
Nurseryman Discusses HLB, Grapefruit and Lemons
The impact of HLB on total citrus tree propagations, including the decline in grapefruit and growth in lemons, is addressed by nurseryman Nate Jameson. Jameson, owner of Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery, discusses some points he made at the annual Florida Citrus Show in January. “A few years ago we were propagating about 4.7 million trees a year,” Jameson says. “We’re …
University of Florida Hosts Citrus Photography Contest
In an effort to showcase the region’s citrus industry heritage, a local University of Florida (UF) research professor is hosting a digital photography contest. Rhuanito “Johnny” Ferrarezi is an assistant professor at UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) near Fort Pierce. Ferrarezi leads the center’s citrus horticulture research program, including the …
HLB Conference to Be Held in California
The sixth International Research Conference on Huanglongbing (IRCHLB VI) will be held in California. The conference has been scheduled for March 12-16, 2019, at the Riverside Convention Center in Riverside. This is the first time the conference will be held in California. Sponsored by the California Citrus Research Board (CRB) with the support of California’s citrus industry partners, the gathering …
Gulf Citrus Growers’ Hamel Announces Retirement
After nearly 30 years of service as executive vice president/general manager of the Gulf Citrus Growers Association, Ron Hamel announced his retirement as the organization’s chief administrator. Hamel began working for the Gulf Citrus Growers Association in May of 1988, opening the association’s office in LaBelle, Florida, to support the development of the citrus industry in Southwest Florida, locally referred …
Living with Yellow Dragon Disease
A grower nutrition survey reveals production practices for successful HLB management. By Tripti Vashisth and Christopher Vincent These days, in nearly every conversation about HLB, mineral nutrition comes up in some way. It seems that in a conversation between three people, there will be about four opinions on what, why, where and how to provide nutrition to citrus trees in …



























