Lower Supply, Higher Demand and Processed Orange Prices

Josh McGillProcessing, Production

By Ariel Singerman According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), production of processed oranges in Florida will decline again this season (Figure 1). If such a forecast materializes, production will have declined by approximately 80% since HLB was first found in the state. The Florida Department of Citrus reports that, as a consequence of COVID-19, orange juice demand has …

Developing a Management Plan for Lebbeck Mealybug

Josh McGillFlorida, IPM, Pests

By Lauren Diepenbrock Managing lebbeck mealybug has become an ongoing challenge in many citrus-growing areas of Florida. This pest expanded into 14 counties from 2019 to fall of 2021 and impacts both commercial and residential citrus. Damage includes distorted fruit and leaves, stem dieback and fruit drop. Loss of young trees can occur under extreme infestation scenarios. In addition to …

citrus

Sample the Latest Citrus From UF/IFAS

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release

(UF/IFAS) — As citrus growers, packers, processors, gift-fruit shippers and others taste, feel and smell the latest varieties from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), they hope their taste buds explode with flavor and that a fresh aroma fills the room at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). These participants will get two more …

agvocacy

Gmitter Talks Gene Editing at AgVocacy Forum

Daniel CooperGenetic Engineering, Research

By Gary Cooper This year’s AgVocacy Forum, hosted by Bayer Crop Science, again featured numerous provocative and insightful presentations dealing with emerging issues in agriculture from a number of perspectives. Bayer hosts many of the nation’s farm media for this two-day event each year, just before the start of the nationwide gathering of corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum producers at …

growers

Growers to Learn About Pest Management at Workshop

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, HLB Management, Industry News Release, Pests, Psyllids

Citrus growers can learn more about managing Asian citrus psyllids and other pests in a workshop Jan. 8 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). The psyllid can transmit the bacteria associated with greening disease to citrus trees and has already caused severe damage to Florida’s multi-billion-dollar-a-year citrus industry. …

data

New UF/IFAS Citrus Trial Data Available Soon

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release, Rootstocks

New research data are coming from trials of citrus rootstocks, scions and combinations of the two that University of Florida scientists hope will broaden the options of greening-tolerant citrus varieties available to commercial growers. Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), said scientists …

grapefruit

UF/IFAS Event Combines Latest Citrus Varieties with New Breeding Research

Daniel CooperBreeding, Research

On Dec. 4 at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), citrus growers can see if they want to grow the latest varieties from University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) breeders and then learn more about commercializing crops. In the morning, industry members can sample the latest citrus varieties from UF/IFAS breeders. “These are new varieties …

long-horned beetle

New UF/IFAS Entomologist: From a Kid’s ‘Lab’ to Helping Citrus Growers

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, HLB Management, Industry News Release, Psyllids, Research

As a girl in her garage in Palm Bay, Florida, Lauren Diepenbrock, already a budding scientist, peered through the lens of her microscope and marveled at the magnification. “As a kid, I played in the woods and brought back all sorts of ‘finds,’ including a snake skeleton, none of which my mom allowed in the house,” said Diepenbrock, an assistant …