Citrus canker could spread in Florida groves as a result of Hurricane Milton, researcher Megan Dewdney warned. A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor of plant pathology, Dewdney offered suggestions for dealing with canker at a recent UF/IFAS hurricane recovery webinar. WIND WOUNDS High winds and rain, which were abundant during the hurricane, move …
How Produce Safety Rule Changes Will Impact Your Operation
By Taylor O’Bannon, Clara Diekman and Michelle Danyluk In July 2024, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized changes to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule Subpart E, which covers preharvest agricultural water. Since then, the clock has been ticking on farms’ implementation of the rule changes. Large farms have nine months after the effective date to …
Brazilians Visit Indian River to Learn About HLB Management
Several citrus growers, consultants and others from São Paulo, Brazil, recently toured Florida’s Indian River citrus region to examine the management of HLB. Flavia Zambon, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor of horticultural production at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), hosted the group. “In the traditional production region known as the …
Sneak Peek: November 2024 Citrus Industry
The November issue of Citrus Industry magazine features some of the faces of Georgia’s citrus industry. The cover story is a profile of citrus grower Lindy Savelle. She didn’t grow up in the citrus industry, and farming was not her first career. But her unconventional path has led her to become a leader in Georgia’s emerging citrus industry. Savelle serves …
Post-Hurricane Disease Concerns
Phytophthora, citrus black spot and HLB are among diseases that could be spread in Florida groves as a direct or indirect result of Hurricane Milton, researcher Megan Dewdney cautioned. Dewdney, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor of plant pathology, offered suggestions for dealing with those diseases during a recent hurricane recovery webinar. PHYTOPHTHORA Phytophthora …
Immediate Response Required When Managing HLB
The first chore for growers in the cold-hardy citrus region when managing citrus greening is scouting for the disease and its vector, the Asian citrus psyllid. The next step is prompt removal of any trees infected with the disease, says Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist. “At this point, we think greening is still …
Understanding EPA’s Herbicide Strategy
By Lauren Diepenbrock and Brett Bultemeier There have been a lot of changes within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), so much so that it seems there is an update nearly every day! This is because the EPA had to settle a mega lawsuit dealing with endangered species. In the past, the EPA did not directly address endangered species during registration. The …
All In For Citrus Podcast, October 2024
On Oct. 9, Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Some key citrus-growing regions felt impacts from the storm. While damage was spotty, fruit loss was significant for some. Now, the waiting game is on to see how much more fruit drops from the stress to trees caused by the storm. …
The Florida Citrus Perfect Storm: Disease, Weather and Market Swings
By Ariel Singerman Orange yield in Florida has decreased by more than 80% since HLB was first found in the state in 2005. It is hard to find another example in recent history of an industry as iconic as Florida citrus that has declined so significantly as a consequence of a plant disease. As a comparison, at the global level, …
Post-Hurricane Damage Assessment and Fruit Drop
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) on Oct. 16 presented a hurricane recovery webinar less than a week after Hurricane Milton crossed the state. Among the topics addressed were damage assessment and fruit drop. DAMAGE ASSESSMENT Multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt recommended that growers check trees for damage in multiple locations within groves, starting …
Reduce Post-Hurricane Fruit Drop With PGRs
By Tripti Vashisth and Taylor Livingston Hurricane Milton passed over many citrus-producing counties in Florida, resulting in canopy and fruit loss (especially in early varieties). HLB-affected trees undergo a lot of stress, and now the hurricane has added more abiotic stress to trees. High-speed winds caused significant fruit and leaf drop. The fruit and leaves that escaped the drop during the …
Hurricane Milton: Assessing and Reporting Losses and Damages
The University of Florida Institute of Food And Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Economic Impact Analysis Program is deploying a survey to assess the agricultural impacts of Hurricane Milton. Once it is safe to do so and immediate needs are met, Florida’s agricultural producers are encouraged to complete the following steps related to assessing and reporting agricultural losses and damages: This UF/IFAS survey is …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Tree Propagations Provide Insight on Plantings
By Peter Chaires The summer of 2024 has been one of suspense, hope and anticipation. There is great suspense in learning how many acres will remain in citrus production, be repurposed or worse yet, be developed. There is a great sense of hope that Mother Nature will provide ideal growing conditions for the crop, and natural disaster recovery will not …
UF/IFAS Researcher and Ph.D. Candidate Honored
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus researcher Lorenzo Rossi and his Ph.D. candidate Lukas Hallman have been invited to join Sigma Xi, an international honor society of scientists and engineers. Rossi is an associate professor at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce. Sigma Xi lists more than 200 Nobel …
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Optimizing OTC Injections
By Ute Albrecht, Caroline Tardivo, Larissa Nunes, Gabriel Pugina, Gerardo Moreno and Jasmine de Freitas As growers are well into the second year of oxytetracycline (OTC) injections since approval for commercial use, more and more data are accumulating. The good news is that in all University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) trials, trees have been responding …
Brassinosteroids Help Trees After IPC Removal
Associate Professor Fernando Alferez and his team at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) learned several years ago that individual protective covers (IPCs) protect newly planted trees from HLB. They do that by excluding the Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) that spread the devastating citrus disease. But multi-county citrus Extension agent Mongi Zekri noted that IPCs …
Survey to Determine Hurricane Helene Ag Impacts
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has started a study to estimate the agricultural impacts resulting from Hurricane Helene in the state of Florida. Results of a survey, which can be accessed here, will be combined with a detailed baseline database on agricultural assets in Florida to estimate and communicate production losses. The information UF/IFAS …
How to Help Trees Recover From High Winds
By Christopher Vincent Hurricane Helene’s path spared most of the citrus industry the kind of trouble that Hurricane Ian brought back in 2022, but Ian taught us some important lessons you can use if your trees were hit by high winds. WIND SPEED MATTERS Trees impacted by Category 3 winds were mostly defoliated, with major limbs broken and near 100% …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Get Out and About at Variety Displays and Field Days
By Peter Chaires Each year, citrus breeding and research teams go to great lengths to host variety displays, research reviews, tours and field days. These events not only showcase the collective pursuit of industry needs and priorities, but they afford stakeholders an opportunity to monitor the progress and interact directly with scientists and support staff. This is an investment of …
Association Names Danyluk Researcher of the Year
The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) has presented University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Professor Michelle Danyluk its 2024 Researcher of the Year Award. The award was presented at FFVA’s recent annual convention in Marco Island. The honor is given to individuals who have dedicated themselves and their work to improving Florida agriculture. Danyluk works in …