A La Niña weather pattern is most likely this spring, with higher-than-average temperatures and below-average rain predicted in Florida, researcher Megan Dewdney reported in a Feb. 24 presentation about postbloom fruit drop (PFD). That could have some influence on the severity of PFD, since its preferred climate is humid and subtropical, and the fungus moves with rain splash and wind-borne …
Florida Citrus Growers Seeking Solutions to Fruit Drop
Fruit drop has plagued Florida citrus groves in recent years. The problem has been a major factor in tumbling yields. The February 2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture’s citrus crop forecast put Florida’s orange estimate at 43.5 million boxes. If realized, it would represent an 18% decline in the crop from last season. Growers are turning over every stone to seek …
Keep an Eye Out for Postbloom Fruit Drop This Spring
By Megan M. Dewdney Postbloom fruit drop (PFD) is a flower disease mainly caused by the fungus Colletotrichum acutatum. The fungus is present on citrus trees throughout the year but survives by producing resting structures on leaves and stems. The fungus becomes stimulated to produce spores by substances from the early flowers. These early spores infect the initial flowers and …