By Jude Grosser, Manjul Dutt and Fred Gmitter The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus improvement team at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) has developed a broad citrus germplasm base. This provides opportunities to generate diverse, interesting and possibly lucrative selections with niche market and dooryard potential. Several such selections are showing reasonable …
Hurricane Preparedness for Citrus Groves
By Mongi Zekri, Robert E. Rouse, and Jonathan H. Crane Each year, growers look forward to the rainy season because it helps their young trees grow fast and their mature trees produce good crops. Growers hope for good distribution of rains following the usual dry spring season. However, along with the anticipation of the rainy season, there is also the …
Sneak Peek: August 2019 Citrus Industry Magazine
The August issue of Citrus Industry magazine has everything you need to make the most of your time at Citrus Expo. The complete guide to the event includes a seminar schedule, exhibitor directory, details about the new hands-on citrus session and more. The Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo is once again being held jointly with Citrus Expo. The general session …
Israel’s Dynamic Citrus Industry
By Stephen H. Futch and Ariel Singerman As home to three of the world’s major religions, Israel is one of the most diverse countries in the world. Besides its cultural diversity and historical importance, Israel is also a major citrus producer and exporter. Israel’s citrus industry began in 1882. As new immigrants moved to the country, they established many very …
PIECES OF THE PAST: Citrus Cultivation a Century Ago
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette I found the first issue (January 1920) of Citrus Industry, courtesy of Jen Dawson at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, Florida. As I looked through the issue, I came across an article on soil tillage. Unfortunately, the pages had stuck together and only the last part was readable, but I wanted to …
Strategies for Stronger Roots
Citrus growers discuss production practices to improve root health. By Tacy Callies What began as an experiment in Ben Krupski’s 10-acre grove in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida, is now a common practice he uses as production manager for Lennon Grove Service. Four years ago, Krupski started testing the use of compost in his small leased block of Hamlin trees. In the first …
How to Handle Glyphosate-Related Fruit Drop
By Ramdas Kanissery, Fernando Alferez and Ozgur Batuman Herbicides are one of the key inputs necessary for effective management of a wide diversity of weed infestations in citrus crop production. Most weeds in citrus could be controlled by adopting a weed management program that utilizes a combination of herbicides based on their selectivity and compatibility with the crop. This would …
The Sweet Spot
Moderate spacing and medium tree size could be the quickest way Florida growers can return to producing 100 million boxes of oranges per year. By Pete Spyke, Bill Castle and Ed Stover The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) recently released the results of a study originally titled “Restoring Florida’s Commercial Orange Tree Inventory: Economic Impacts of APS vs. Traditional Plantings.” …
Inside Spain’s Citrus Industry
By Steve Futch and Ariel Singerman Editor’s note: The authors share what they learned while touring Spain’s citrus industry in March of 2017. Spain is the leading citrus producer in the European Union (EU) with approximately 300,000 acres that yield about 21 million boxes. FOCUS ON FRESH Production is primarily focused on the fresh market, with much fruit exported to …
The Complex Path for New Citrus in California
By Len Wilcox Continuous research and development of new varieties is an important function of the University of California, Riverside (UCR). Efforts have led to hundreds of profitable varieties now being grown in California. According to a report in California Agriculture, University of California’s (UC) research journal, one of those varieties has been a source of more than $14 million …
California Industry Updates Presented at Spring Citrus Meeting
By Brian German The Spring Citrus Meeting held last week in Tulare County touched on several major issues growers are concerned with, and included presentations on best practices for managing citrus trees. The day began with important information related to Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the disease it causes, huanglongbing (HLB), which has been growing at an alarming rate in …
How Will Irma Affect Citrus Canker Management?
By Evan G. Johnson The citrus canker season is quickly approaching again, so it is time to start planning your canker management program to avoid fruit drop and fresh-market quality loss. It is easy to forget the importance of controlling citrus canker with the current state of HLB in Florida. However, citrus canker can cause almost complete crop loss if …
Sneak Peek: November 2017 Citrus Industry Magazine
The November 2017 issue of Citrus Industry magazine features an in-depth article on the first citrus crop forecast of the season. The figure of 54 million boxes of Florida oranges that the USDA predicted was met with mixed reactions and caused some controversy. In the article, industry leaders and growers share their perspectives on the forecast. U.S. Department of Agriculture’s …
A Look Back at 100 Years of Citrus Innovation
By Beverly James, Alec Richman, Brad Buck, Samantha Grenrock and Tom Nordlie The year was 1917. In April, the United States entered World War I. Florida’s population was fast approaching 1 million, and agriculture was the state’s most important economic driver. Citrus cultivation, introduced to Florida 400 years earlier by Spanish explorers, had spawned an industry following the Civil War. …
Citrus Leprosis: a Continuing Threat in Florida and North America
By Richard F. Lee The old-timers called citrus leprosis “nailhead rust.” Prevalent in Florida in the early 1900s, the disease was first called leprosis in the 1920s by H.S. Fawcett. Although the disease was widespread in Florida at one time, it mysteriously disappeared in the mid-1960s. L.C. Knorr [University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education …
Preparing for and Recovering from a Hurricane
By Mongi Zekri, Bob Rouse and Jonathan Crane Hurricane preparation for citrus growers this year is the same drill as every year. Each year, growers look forward to the rainy season to help their young trees grow fast and their mature trees produce good crops. This year, growers will be praying for good distribution of rains following a year of …
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 …
Sneak Peek: May 2017 Citrus Industry Magazine
The topic of nutrition takes center stage in the May issue of Citrus Industry magazine. Part two of an article co-authored by growers and a researcher presents case studies on how controlled-release fertilizer can boost the health of HLB trees. Also included in the May issue is an update on grower citrus nutrition trials being conducted by University of Florida. …
Freeze Damage Symptoms and Recovery for Citrus
By Mongi Zekri, Chris Oswalt, Steve Futch and Laurie Hurner The extent of cold injury to citrus depends on a number of factors, and its expression may occur over an extended period of time. Factors responsible for freeze damage include minimum temperature, duration of freezing temperatures and stage of tree acclimation. Susceptibility of trees to freezing temperatures can also be …
Research Update: Citrus Undercover Production Systems and Whole Tree Thermotherapy
By Arnold Schumann, Laura Waldo and Alan Wright Research for producing huanglongbing (HLB)-free fresh Florida citrus with covered production systems began at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center in 2013 and at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in 2014. These citrus undercover production systems (CUPS) evolved from the …





























