The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) will soon hire another top administrator to ensure potential HLB solutions make it to the grove. The application period for a senior project manager ends May 24. Rick Kress, CRDF vice president and Governance Committee chairman, discusses the need for the position and the manager’s duties. “Right now, the entire citrus industry, specifically …
Grower Discusses Many HLB-Related Issues
Wauchula citrus grower and orange grove salesman Kenny Sanders was one of the growers sharing experiences at a recent grower roundtable meeting in Wauchula. Sanders tells why he attends the meetings and discusses several practices aimed at coping with HLB. “This is very interesting,” Sanders says of the roundtable meetings. “We hear from the growers ourselves, and today we learned …
Tree Assistance Program Aids Florida Citrus Growers
By Lauren Moore, FSA Public Affairs Specialist Adversity isn’t a stranger to Florida citrus growers. Throughout Florida’s history of citrus production, producers have dealt with damages left in the wake of multiple hurricanes and freezes. Larry Black is a fifth-generation citrus grower and general manager of Peace River Packing Company in Polk County, Florida. His family has been a part …
Dual Treatment Tested for HLB Trees
Severe pruning combined with enhanced foliar nutrition did not prove cost-effective. By Monica Ozores-Hampton, Fritz Roka, Robert Rouse and Pamela Roberts Citrus trees affected by huanglongbing (HLB) become diminished, weak and develop dieback resulting in reduced production. Decline in fruit yield ultimately prevents economically acceptable commercial citrus production. Pruning and spraying foliar nutritionals are two practices being considered to restore …
Citrus Expo Season Has Started
Online pre-registration is now open for the 2017 Citrus Expo. The 26th annual event will take place August 16-17 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. The theme of this year’s Citrus Expo seminar program will be Challenge, Change and Opportunity. By attending the seminars, growers will be able to earn continuing education units toward a Florida …
UF-Developed Mandarin Shows Increased HLB Tolerance
by Brad Buck, University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences While citrus greening disease has blemished the Florida industry, University of Florida scientists have developed a mandarin hybrid that seems to be winning the battle. Now, researchers are learning what makes this fruit a fighter. University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers have discovered that a mandarin …
Growers Discuss Bactericides and Psyllid Control
The value of bactericides and Asian citrus psyllid control were some of the major issues that growers discussed at a forum in Sebring on May 11. Laurie Hurner, Highlands County Extension director and citrus agent, summarizes the discussions. Hurner reports that one grower will say the bactericides seem to be working against HLB, while another says they see no tree …
May Citrus Crop Forecast Has Small Changes
Mark Hudson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service issued the May 2017 citrus crop forecast. Florida forecast: United States forecast: Florida Oranges All Oranges The 2016-2017 Florida all-orange forecast is up 1 million boxes to 68 million boxes. The total includes 33 million boxes of the non-Valencia oranges (early, midseason, and Navel varieties) and 35 …
An Update on UF/IFAS-Grower Citrus Nutrition Trials
By Tripti Vashisth Mineral nutrition plays an essential role in a plant’s life cycle and is critical for its growth and development. Since the early 19th century, the importance of mineral nutrition for plants has been recognized, and fertilization has become an important aspect of crop production. At least 17 mineral nutrients are considered essential for plants. These include carbon, …
USDA Citrus Crop Forecast
The first USDA citrus forecast for the 2025-26 season will be released at 12 p.m. on Oct. 9, 2025. You will be able to tune in and hear the numbers as they are given by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service. AgNet Media is on Mixlr Please click on the player above for the internet audio stream …
Growers Share HLB Frustrations and Experiences
Growers shared their frustrations and experiences with HLB at a May 4 grower roundtable meeting in Wauchula. Event co-host Steve Smith, executive director of Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association, summarizes the discussions. “A lot of the growers were talking about fertigation and how much, and what’s working for them on the short-term basis as far as tree health goes,” …
European Union Trade Breakthrough for U.S. Citrus
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Acting U.S. Trade Representative Stephen Vaughn announced that the European Union (EU) has amended its requirements for imports of U.S. citrus. Specifically, the EU has dropped its requirement that U.S. groves be surveyed for citrus canker, which eases entry of U.S. citrus into the EU market and saves growers millions of dollars in …
Controlled-Release Fertilizer Boosts Health of HLB Trees (Part 2)
By Pete Spyke, Joby Sherrod and Jude Grosser Part 1 of this article, published in the April 2017 issue of Citrus Industry magazine, provided some background information on controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) along with a discussion of practical applications in citrus production. This article, part 2, includes summaries of observations from several case studies in which CRF has been applied for …
Putnam, Graham Gear Up for Governor’s Race
By Dara Kam and Lloyd Dunkelberger The News Service of Florida Ending months of speculation, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam filed papers Monday to run for governor in 2018. The Republican’s entree into the race to succeed Gov. Rick Scott, forced to leave office next year because of term limits, was little more than a formality. Putnam, a former congressman …
Summer Citrus from South Africa Hosts 2017 Planning Session
This year’s Annual Planning Meeting, hosted by Summer Citrus from South Africa (SCSA) brought members from across the United States and Western Cape together to review sales and marketing plans, production volumes, shipping schedules and category trends to support the 2017 season. Seald Sweet International’s Mayda Sotomayor opened the planning sessions by introducing the growers, importers, retailers, marketing team and …
Drought Remains Top Concern Despite Recent Floods
By Len Wilcox The wettest year in recent history is bringing relief to California growers. The relief may be short-lived, however, unless state water officials make permanent changes in water management and address the supply shortfall during drought years. A new executive order has been issued by the state to improve conservation measures and water-management procedures. The short-term outlook is …
Insight on Improved Management of HLB-Affected Trees
Recent studies shed light on foliar nutrient and irrigation practices. By Kelly T. Morgan and Said Hamido Most citrus growers are well aware that citrus greening (HLB) is one of the most devastating citrus diseases in many parts of the world. The disease is widespread in Florida, Texas, Brazil, Mexico and other major production areas, causing significant concerns about the …
Citrus Outlook from Price Perspective
Are lower production estimates for citrus impacting prices growers are expected to receive for oranges, grapefruits, and other crops? Rod Bain has that story. Sponsored ContentGrower Results With ReMedium TI® Mirror Researcher ResultsJanuary 21, 2026Take Advantage of Rising Temperatures to Treat for Fire AntsJuly 1, 2025Take the Sting Out of Fire AntsJune 1, 2025
Why Bicarbonates Matter for HLB Management
By Jim Graham and Kelly Morgan Huanglongbing (HLB), greening and yellow shoot are names for the most devastating citrus disease in the world. Symptoms of HLB include a distinctive chlorotic mottle on fully expanded leaves. Infected shoots are stunted, and branches gradually die back as the symptoms appear in other sectors of the tree canopy. HLB reduces fruit size, weight …
Controlled-Release Fertilizer Boosts Health of HLB Trees (Part 1)
By Pete Spyke, Joby Sherrod and Jude Grosser Editor’s note: Look for part 2 of this article in the May 2017 issue of Citrus Industry magazine. Part 2 will present case studies using controlled-release fertilizer. Until now, most growers have considered controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) to be primarily for use on young trees, especially resets in existing groves. There is increasing …





























