areas

HLB Update in Georgia

Josh McGill Georgia, HLB Management

A small amount of citrus greening disease (huanglongbing or HLB) can escalate quickly if growers are not careful. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, cautioned producers about the disease during the recent Georgia Citrus Association meeting. “The issue is not widespread yet (in Georgia) for sure,” said Oliver. “We don’t think the vector is …

citrus greening

Study Zeroes in on Organic Ways to Beat Citrus Greening

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, HLB Management, Industry News Release, Research

Results show promise for organic groves, but more research is needed. Since it was first discovered in the United States in 2005, the bacterial disease known as citrus greening, or Huanglongbing, has devastated millions of acres of citrus crops throughout this country and abroad, ravaging citrus groves in Asia, Africa and South America. Citrus greening has impacted conventional and organic …

More Funding Needed to Address HLB Crisis

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Farm Bill

During the farm bill listening session hosted by the House Agriculture Committee on June 24 in Gainesville, funding to help fight HLB was a topic of discussion. Larry Black, a fifth-generation citrus grower and general manager of Peace River Packing Company in Polk County, had these comments for the committee.   Sponsored Content5 Facts About Fire Ants and How to …

citrus greening

Citrus Greening Detected in Alabama

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Industry News Release

A plant disease that presents a serious threat to the U.S. citrus industry has been detected in Alabama. Federal and state plant health officials have confirmed the identification of citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing or HLB, which is caused by the bacterial pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. This is the first confirmation of citrus greening in Alabama despite biannual surveys …

mandarin

UF-Developed Mandarin Shows Increased HLB Tolerance

Daniel Cooper Industry News Release, Research

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 …

citrus

Southern Gardens Requests Permit for Genetically Engineered Citrus Tristeza Virus

Daniel Cooper Citrus, Industry News Release

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will evaluate the environmental impacts that may result from the potential approval of a permit application from Southern Gardens Citrus Nursery, LLC, for the environmental release of genetically engineered (GE) Citrus tristeza virus (CTV). Southern Gardens’ purpose …

citrus greening

USDA Invests in Citrus Greening Research

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Industry News Release

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced four grants totaling more than $13.6 million to combat a scourge on the nation’s citrus industry, citrus greening disease, aka huanglongbing. The funding is made possible through NIFA’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. Sponsored …