Phyllocoptruta oleivora, known as the false rust mite in Brazil, is one of the country’s main citrus pests, Fundecitrus reported. In the United States, the pest is known as citrus rust mite or silver mite. It affects all varieties of citrus. Infestation in Brazil’s orchards occurs throughout the year but reaches the highest populations between December and June. That’s a …
Brazil’s Orange Forecast Climbs Slightly
The third 2022–23 orange crop forecast for Brazil’s São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt amounted to 316.23 million boxes of 40.8 kilograms each. That is 0.7% higher than the projected crop in December 2022. This increase is mainly due to the production of Pera Rio orange. Pera Rio’s harvest is close to complete with higher-than-expected yield. The forecast …
Leafminer Management Helps Fight Canker
Brazilian citrus association Fundecitrus has alerted growers that proper management to combat citrus canker in orchards begins with leafminer control. The leafminer is a pest that has been present in Brazilian citriculture since 1996. According to Fundecitrus researcher Franklin Behlau, the leafminer does not spread citrus canker disease from one plant to another or even to different parts of it. …
Orange Crop Forecast for Brazil Remains Stable
The second 2022–23 orange crop forecast update for the São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt, published on Dec. 12 by Fundecitrus and its cooperators, is 314.11 million boxes of 40.8 kilograms each. This update indicates that the crop remains within expectations in relation to the projected forecast in September, with an increase of only 20 thousand boxes, which …
Sustainable Citrus Group Meets in Brazil
Researchers, professors and representatives of institutions participating in a sustainable citrus project recently visited Brazil’s Fundecitrus for a progress meeting. The project is Sustainable Citrus Culture Through the Controlled Release of Antibacterial Compounds From Formulations Based on Microgels. The project aims to develop sustainable technologies for the protection of citrus and as an alternative to copper, which is recognized as …
Fundecitrus Researchers Attend Citrus Congress
Researchers from Brazil’s Fundecitrus participated in the 14th International Citrus Congress held in Mersin, Turkey, Nov. 6–11. The event brought together participants from public and private research institutions, as well as the production and commercial sectors of citrus. Representatives from 28 countries participated in the congress, including the United States, South Africa, Australia, Israel and several countries in Europe. Fundecitrus …
OJ Helps Modulate Blood Glucose Levels
Recent Brazilian research indicates that the bioactive compounds in orange juice (OJ) help to modulate blood glucose levels and may even promote health improvements. The research was conducted by the Food Research Center of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of São Paulo. The research was highlighted in Fundecitrus’ Citricultor magazine. According to principal researcher Franco Lajolo, oranges …
Irrigation Contributes to Rising Yields in São Paulo
Use of irrigation for citrus in Brazil’s state of São Paulo has grown by almost 33% in the last six years, according to Citricultor magazine, published by Fundecitrus. The magazine cites irrigation and other improved growing practices as causes for a continuing yield rate acceleration. In 35 years, citrus production per hectare in São Paulo has leaped by about 178%, …
Brazilian NFC OJ Exports Boom
Brazilian exports of not-from-concentrate orange juice (NFC OJ) have jumped 296% in volume over the past 18 crop seasons, reaching a peak of 1.5 million tons in the 2017–18 season. During the same period, exports of concentrated OJ declined 46%. Concentrated OJ historically had accounted for the highest volume of shipments of orange products to international markets. The increase in …
HLB and Canker Incidence Increasing in Brazil
The average incidence of HLB rose from 22.37% in 2021 to 24.42% in 2022 in Brazil’s citrus belt, an annual survey by Fundecitrus shows. That’s an increase of 9.16%. In the regions of Brotas, Limeira and Porto Ferreira, where the incidence was already high in previous years, HLB increased to even more worrying levels of 49.41%, 70.72% and 74.05%, respectively. …
Brazil Issues Orange Forecast Update
An orange forecast update for Brazil’s São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt is for 314.09 million boxes, a decrease of 2.86 million boxes or 0.9% from the original May forecast. The update was issued by Fundecitrus. All of the decrease is in the early-season orange varieties. The forecast for Hamlin, Westin and Rubi oranges is now 57.1 million …
Psyllid Management Alert for Brazil
The onset of rains in several regions of Brazil’s citrus belt has made it necessary for growers to pay added attention to citrus greening, Fundecitrus reported. The association of citrus growers and juice manufacturers from the state of São Paulo said the extra attention is needed due to the increase in greening-spreading psyllid populations in this period. Fundectirus reported that …
OJ Magnate Cutrale Dies
Fundecitrus reported that Brazilian orange juice magnate José Luis Cutrale died Aug. 17 in London, England. Fundecitrus issued the following comments: “José Luis Cutrale worked in several areas of activity: in the commercialization of fruits, in the cultivation of citrus and in the orange juice industry. “With his very high level of entrepreneurship, he raised the name of Brazil internationally, …
Protect Against Psyllids in Early Shoot Development
A Fundecitrus study found that the first four stages of orange tree shoot development are the ones that should be most protected against HLB-spreading psyllids. The Brazilian association reported that among the six stages of shoot development, the first four (V1 to V4) are the most attractive to the psyllid and favorable for its feeding and reproduction. Therefore, those are …
Microregion Maps in Brazil Help With HLB
Microregion maps developed by Fundecitrus should help Brazilian citrus growers make the necessary decisions to combat HLB disease, also known as greening. Fundecitrus explained that the incidence of HLB differs in the various regions of Brazil’s extensive citrus belt. To allow citrus growers to better understand the places where the disease is located, a study by Fundecitrus divided the belt …
Leprosis Management Recommendations for Brazil
Fundecitrus recently issued recommendations for leprosis management in Brazil. Leprosis has been expanding in the Brazilian citrus belt for the last six years and is an increasingly significant cause of fruit drop. The disease also causes a reduction in the useful life of the tree, weakened by defoliation and drying of the branches. The main disease management strategy is to …
International Partnership Strengthens HLB Research
Brazil’s Fundecitrus reported that the exchange of international researchers and technicians working on the PRE-HLB (Preventing HLB Epidemics for Ensuring Citrus Survival in Europe) project strengthens research on the disease. In recent months, Fundecitrus received a researcher from the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) and sent a researcher to the University of Valencia (Spain). Counting on the expertise of more than …
Fruit Flies Are Major Cause of Fruit Drop in Brazil
Brazil’s Fundecitrus recently pointed out that fruit flies, along with citrus fruit borers, are primarily responsible for the country’s citrus fruit drop. The organization suggested that monitoring and management must be taken to avoid economic damage, since fruit flies occur throughout the year. Fundecitrus described the fruit flies that cause damage in Brazil and suggested control measures. Two species of …
Brazil’s First Orange Forecast for 2022–2023
The 2022–2023 initial orange crop forecast for Brazil’s São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt is 316.95 million boxes. The forecast was published on May 26 by Fundecitrus and its cooperators. The projected volume is 20.53% higher than the previous crop, which totaled 262.97 million boxes. The orange production forecast includes:• 59.48 million boxes of Hamlin, Westin and Rubi• …
Rotate Psyllid Products, Fundecitrus Urges
Brazil’s Fundecitrus has launched the Insecticide Rotation Guide for Psyllid Control. Its aim is to help producers control the insect vector of citrus greening, highlighting the importance of proper rotation of products to avoid the selection of resistant psyllids. The resistance of insects and mites to pesticides can compromise the effectiveness of products and, consequently, the control of the pest …