Emerging Trunk Disorders

Tacy CalliesDiseases

By Evan Johnson and Megan Dewdney The last two years have seen increasing grower questions and reports of citrus trunk disorders in Florida. Sometimes these reports are associated with sudden tree collapse. In many cases, phytophthora foot rot is initially suspected. Typically, the symptoms don’t quite match those of foot rot, and phytophthora cannot be isolated from the lesion. If …

Boosting Citrus Tree Immunity to Combat HLB

Tacy CalliesHLB Management

By Manjul Dutt, Juliana Soares and Jude Grosser Land plants such as citrus are generally anchored to a specific location by their roots. Owing to their immobile nature and constant exposure to pathogenic microbes, plants are very vulnerable. However, you might be surprised by how much plants can protect themselves and survive against multiple adversities encountered during their lifetime. A …

Sequencing Brings HLB Resistance Closer

Ernie NeffBreeding, Research

University of Florida (UF) scientists achieved a major milestone in their quest to develop an HLB-resistant tree by sequencing the genome of a fruit plant that’s a close cousin to citrus trees. HLB is also known as greening disease. UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers sequenced the genome from trifoliate orange, in collaboration with scientists from the University …

Indian River Variety Trial Attracts Visitors

Ernie NeffVarieties

Forty-nine growers and others participated in a self-guided, drive-through tour of the Millennium Block variety performance trial at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) on Oct. 9. “Several growers highlighted trees are off to a good start, and despite the fact they’re young, they could see clear differences,” said host and IRREC researcher Rhuanito “Johnny” Ferrarezi. Ferrarezi works …

Living With Greening by Improving Soil Health

Tacy CalliesSoil Improvement

By Ronald G. Doetch I am a lifelong farmer/agronomist and, at the age of 73, have worked with many different crops through the many changes in agriculture challenges and production practices. I moved to Florida four years ago to grow a few oranges and have a firsthand look and understanding of the relationship of soil health to tree decline and …

Long-Term Rootstock Evaluation Is Best

Ernie NeffRootstocks

A variety of different findings in recent rootstock trials led to a conclusion that long-term evaluation of rootstocks is necessary to assess economic benefits to growers. That conclusion was part of a take-home message in Ute Albrecht’s virtual Citrus Expo presentation. Albrecht is a researcher with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Her report was …

HLB

Genetics and Nutrition Are the ‘Way Forward’

Ernie NeffNutrition

“The combination of improved scion/rootstock genetics and optimized nutrition is clearly the way forward” for Florida’s HLB-stricken citrus industry, Jude Grosser declared in a Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute virtual presentation. Grosser is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences plant breeder. The Growers’ Institute is normally held in April but was cancelled this year due to COVID-19. …

Root Architecture, Propagation Method and Citrus Tree Growth

Tacy CalliesRoot health

By Ute Albrecht, Sameer Pokhrel and Kim D. Bowman The rootstock has received increased attention as a management strategy to alleviate the devastating effects of HLB. In commercial citrus nursery production, rootstocks are typically propagated by seed. This is possible because citrus produces polyembryonic seeds with nucellar embryos, which develop into plants that are genetically identical to the mother plant. …

Weird Trunk Disorders in Groves

Ernie NeffCitrus Expo

Florida growers, Extension agents and others have been baffled by unusual trunk symptoms during what Evan Johnson termed “the year of the weird trunk disorder.” Growers spotted the disorders, which were similar to phytophthora, in groves over the past one and half to two years. Johnson addressed three of the disorders, which have been found in multiple counties. Johnson, a …

nutrition

Citrus Expo to Cover Wide Range of Production Topics

Tacy CalliesCitrus Expo

The Citrus Expo team and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have joined forces to offer educational sessions in a virtual format for this year’s Citrus Expo. On Aug. 19–20, the 2020 seminar program will debut online at CitrusExpo.net at 9:30 a.m. Attendees will be able to watch videos of research presentations. With safety as …

Growing Finger Limes in Florida: Lessons Learned So Far

Tacy CalliesLimes

By Manjul Dutt and Jude Grosser Finger lime, a distant relative of sweet orange and grapefruit, is a relatively new crop species for Florida. It is an Australian native species that has been gaining in popularity and importance in the last few years because of its unique fruit characteristics and disease tolerance, which sets it apart from conventional sweet orange …

Rootstock and Scion Affect Orange Juice Flavor

Tacy CalliesRootstocks, Scions

By Yu Wang, Fred Gmitter and Jude Grosser A major concern for the citrus industry is a significant decline in production due to huanglongbing (HLB). In addition to the production shortfalls are losses due to fruit rejection by packinghouses and juice processing plants as a result of inadequate size and low sugar content. Bitterness and metallic off flavors in the …

Rootstock Offers High Hopes for HLB Tolerance, Maybe Resistance

Tacy CalliesRootstocks

The new Sugar Belle hybrid rootstock LB8-9xS13#16 has quite a history, according to University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences citrus breeder Jude Grosser.  “This is one of several projects I did with Orie Lee toward the end of his Florida Citrus Hall of Fame career/life,” recalls Grosser. “We did a lot of brainstorming together, and he was …

New Hurricane Guide for Citrus Growers

Ernie Neffhurricane

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences citrus horticulturist Fernando Alferez and multi-county citrus Extension agent Mongi Zekri co-authored a new document on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Commodity Guides website. The Citrus Producers Guide includes long- and short-term recommendations for building resilience to hurricanes in citrus groves, nurseries and citrus under protective screens …

Citrus Expo: New Format for Educational Sessions

Tacy CalliesCitrus Expo

While coronavirus will prevent the citrus industry from gathering this year at Citrus Expo, it will not stop growers from getting the education they need. The 2020 Citrus Expo educational program will be held live online Aug. 19–20 and will include door prizes. If you’re lucky, you could walk away with one of four $200 Bass Pro gift cards! The …

Massive Research Project in Millennium Block

Ernie NeffResearch

Researchers at the resurrected Millennium Block at Fort Pierce will assess the performance of new grapefruit cultivars and evaluate numerous rootstocks in the face of HLB. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher Rhuanito “Johnny” Ferrarezi discusses the history of the block and research planned there. The block is called Millennium because some researchers planted variety …

Rootstock Effects on Valencia and Hamlin in Large-Scale Commercial Plantings

Tacy CalliesResearch, Rootstocks

By Ute Albrecht, Sudip Kunwar and Jude Grosser Prior to 1865, the only rootstocks used in Florida were sour orange and sweet orange. Use of grafted trees instead of seedling trees became necessary because of the devastating effects of phytophthora on sweet orange. Sour orange was widely used as a rootstock because of its resistance to phytophthora and other positive …

How to Use the New Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide

Tacy CalliesRootstocks

By Rhuanito S. Ferrarezi, William S. Castle, Kim D. Bowman, Jude W. Grosser, Stephen H. Futch, Steve Rogers and Andres Gonzalez First published in 1989 as Rootstocks for Florida Citrus, the work of William Castle and his colleagues remains relevant 30 years later. The purpose of the fourth edition of the Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide is to provide timely …

production

Growers Get Details on CRAFT Cycle Two

Ernie Neffplanting, Research

Approximately 60 people learned how to participate in Cycle Two of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program via a virtual workshop held June 23-24. The application period for Cycle Two will be July 20 to Sept. 4, 2020. CRAFT offers growers substantial financial incentives to plant new trees that will be raised utilizing specific HLB mitigation strategies. Participating …

Sneak Peek: July 2020 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

The July issue of Citrus Industry magazine focuses on what’s new in rootstock research. When choosing a rootstock in the Sunshine State, the best place for a grower to start is with the Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide. This newly updated University of Florida (UF) resource now includes an interactive web version to help simplify the process of picking a …