Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “UF/IFAS”
Cover crops can change the populations and activities of beneficial soil bacteria in citrus groves, potentially influencing nutrient cycling and soil health, according to new research conducted in Florida. The three-year study, conducted from 2022 to 2024 in Fort Pierce, Florida, examined how seasonal cover cropping affected soil microbial communities in grapefruit, lemon and sweet orange groves. Researchers compared conventional …
By Ramdas Kanissery By November, most Florida citrus groves are carrying what the rainy season left behind. Guineagrass has pushed seedheads into the tree skirts, Spanish needles and sedges have filled in the gaps, and milkweed vine and balsam apple are climbing the trunks. Before the fall preemergent herbicide is applied, those weeds need to come out. A residual sprayed …
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently provided flooding resources for citrus growers in the wake of heavy rains and flooding in early November. Standing water in groves can be very damaging to trees, regardless of the source, UF/IFAS stated. It emphasized that pooled water or surplus water in a field from sources such as …
By Arnold Schumann, Laura Waldo and Laura Cano-Castro Florida citrus growers know the challenge all too well. Huanglongbing (HLB) disease continues to suppress yields, and the economics of open-field production grow tighter every season. Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) has emerged as one of the most promising strategies for restoring profitability. Originally designed to exclude the Asian citrus psyllid, the …
By Amit Levy Although HLB is the primary concern in Florida citrus groves, citrus tristeza virus (CTV) can also cause a severe disease leading to tree death. This severe disease, caused by the T36 isolate of CTV, is called decline. It occurs when a citrus scion is grafted onto sour orange rootstock. CTV decline begins with phloem necrosis below the …
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently hosted a field day and seminar on citrus under protective screen (CUPS) and individual protective covers at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. While CUPS exclude the HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids from the structures, other pests can slip through the mesh barrier and cause problems. …
By Alissa Hevesh Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. A minimum score of 70% is required to receive credit. When applicators think about pesticide safety, some things that come to …
Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) provides citrus growers with a way to overcome the challenges of huanglongbing (HLB) disease. While grapefruit is the predominant variety grown in CUPS, research is underway to expand the varieties grown under screen. That’s one of the remaining CUPS research hurdles for Arnold Schumann, professor of soil fertility and water quality at the University of …
By John M. Chater Huanglongbing (HLB) has changed the citrus landscape in Florida in many ways. One important consideration is rootstock selection. HLB affects the growth rate of a citrus tree substantially. Trees grow at a much slower rate on average compared to healthy trees. In the citrus under protected screen (CUPS) environment, trees can grow faster than a healthy …
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently hosted a citrus under protective screen (CUPS) and individual protective covers (IPCs) field day at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. The two approaches have proven effective in excluding the Asian citrus psyllid and HLB disease from trees. During the event, a panel discussion featured …
A new study suggests that tackling both the bacterium responsible for huanglongbing (HLB) and the tree’s own response to infection may offer a better path for managing the disease. A report on the research — “Combating citrus greening disease by simultaneously targeting the pathogen and callose-mediated phloem occlusion” — examines how the disease disrupts the movement of sugars through citrus …
By Lauren Diepenbrock Fall in Florida is not generally a time for insect, mite and other invertebrate pest populations to decline rapidly. In Florida citrus, we often see the opposite of this. MITES In the hot, dry end of summer and early fall, mite populations often soar, requiring management to prevent excessive damage to fruits. See The Florida Citrus Production …
Blood oranges are an enticing option to help cold-hardy citrus producers diversify their crop portfolio. Muhammad Shahid, assistant professor of horticulture at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, is researching the crop at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy. Nothing has deterred him from recommending it to growers in North Florida, South Georgia …
By Noor Ul Basar, Muhammad Adnan Shahid, Duplicate Sambani and Davie M. Kadyampakeni Huanglongbing (HLB) remains the greatest challenge facing citrus production in Florida. While there is currently no cure for HLB, effective management of affected trees remains a primary focus for Florida citrus growers. Efficient nutrient management is an important strategy for maintaining the health and productivity of HLB-affected …
In the long battle against HLB, there have been no tactics as successful at safeguarding citrus trees as protective screen. Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) structures can exclude the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and HLB from entire blocks, while individual protective covers (IPCs) can keep individual trees free of HLB for the critical first few years after planting. In early …
By Prudhvi Vulchi, Amit Levy and Tripti Vashisth A three-year commercial grove study evaluated plant growth regulators (PGRs) and oxytetracycline (OTC) in HLB-affected Valencia trees. The results suggest that these practices help HLB-affected trees by two distinct mechanisms. PGRs mainly supported tree growth and productivity by reducing callose accumulation and improving growth-promoting hormone levels in leaves. OTC reduced Candidatus Liberibacter …
By Megan M. Dewdney, Eva L. Mulandesa and Mark A. Ritenour Greasy-green began to be reported as a problem in Florida by fresh fruit packers and growers around 2020. The disorder, with green blotches on the grapefruit surface, appeared to be different from other known rind disorders. The effect was costly for growers and packers, with reported losses between $20,000 …
During a recent webinar, Jude Grosser, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences professor of plant cell genetics, presented a three-legged stool approach to achieving sustainability in citrus production. Those legs consist of: For the first two legs, Grosser said enhanced tolerance to HLB is a primary goal, along with improving yield and juice quality. During the presentation, …
By Tripti Vashisth, Mary Sutton and Taylor Livingston Author’s note: This Tip of the Week applies to HLB-affected sweet oranges in Florida. Preharvest fruit drop remains a major concern for HLB-affected sweet oranges. Research shows that both gibberellic acid (GA) and 2,4-D can help reduce fruit drop, but the combination of GA and 2,4-D provides the greatest reduction. In a …
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new email subscription feature to help pesticide users quickly receive updates from the Bulletins Live! Two system. The updates will include notifications about new Pesticide Use Limitation Areas (PULAs) and changes to existing PULAs. EPA developed this feature in response to requests from pesticide users who asked for better access to Bulletins …
