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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “UF/IFAS”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) scientists and research partners have found a faster, safer and less expensive way for growers to detect the invasive lebbeck mealybug. A recent study published in Journal of Applied Entomology describes their work. The lebbeck mealybug (Nipaecoccus viridis) feeds on and damages various citrus fruit and ornamental plants. The invasive species …
By Ernie Neff New tools available to aid in establishment of young citrus groves all have pros, cons and unknowns, entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock told a Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo audience in August. Diepenbrock is an entomologist and assistant professor with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. She opened her presentation by saying insecticides alone are …
By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP Citrus has the attention of new University of Florida President (UF) Ben Sasse. That bodes well for UF’s continued commitment to the industry. Ag TourIt started on June 3, when I took the president on a 28-hour tour of Florida agriculture. It included a stop at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in …
One of the overlooked casualties of tropical storms and hurricanes is field research conducted by scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Research on new varieties, plant treatments and other practices can be upended in a day by a violent storm. That happened to some of Christopher Vincent’s research. The UF/IFAS assistant professor of …
By Frank Giles and Tacy Callies The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo hosted two citrus educational sessions during the Aug. 16–17 event held at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. The sessions included both long-term research aimed at delivering trees resistant to HLB as well as what growers can do today to help mitigate the effects of the disease in …
Florida Citrus Packers recently presented IMG Citrus founders Michel and Veronique Sallin with the organization’s highest recognition, the John T. Lesley Award. The presentation was made at the fresh fruit industry’s annual Citrus Packinghouse Day. The award is for individuals making sustained and outstanding contributions to Florida’s fresh citrus industry. IMG Citrus operates more than 11,000 acres of citrus groves …
By Peter Chaires Each year, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus breeding teams provide opportunities for interested parties to sample fruit from new and recent selections. This is a great opportunity to remain current on research results. Participation from growers, processors, packers, marketers and fruit enthusiasts is desired. Shoppers in produce departments represent a …
Citrus researcher Nian Wang has been appointed to the Graves Eminent Scholar Chair in Biotechnology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Wang is a professor of microbiology and cell science at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). He was appointed to the chair because of his work to develop a tree resistant to …
By Ariel Singerman Harvesting citrus is manual and labor intensive, making the cost of labor a key component of the cost of harvesting. The H-2A guest worker program allows companies to temporarily hire non-U.S. citizens to perform agricultural labor or services of seasonal nature. Given that domestic workers for harvesting are in short supply, harvesting companies in Florida (and other …
Trunk injection for HLB, diplodia stem-end rot (diplodia SER) and citrus under protective screen (CUPS) were among topics addressed at the recent Citrus Packinghouse Day. The event took place at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). TRUNK INJECTION FOR HLBTrunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) increases tree health, fruit quality …
Matthew Mattia recently provided an overview of work at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) transgenic test site in Fort Pierce. Transgenic refers to an organism that contains genetic material into which DNA from an unrelated organism has been artificially introduced. Scientists at the Picos Farm screen transgenics for suppression of citrus Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), …
By Christopher Vincent, Tripti Vashisth and Gillian Zeng Michalczyk Hurricane Ian harmed citrus trees in much of Florida, especially in areas where sweet oranges are grown. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are tracking the health of trees in groves around the state as they struggle to recover. Fall applications of gibberellic acid before the storm …
Florida’s populations of Diaprepes abbreviatus root weevil have been uncharacteristically low so far in 2023, entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock reported recently. The adult pests are normally active in April–May and in the fall, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences assistant professor noted. Prior to the discovery of HLB disease in Florida in 2005, growers who had extensive …
The Florida citrus industry has seen more than its fair share of challenges and changes in recent years. But through it all, Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery has been a constant positive presence. This is due to strong leadership from Nate and Anna Jameson and their ability to adapt to changing times. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently …
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Sandra M. Guzmán and Ajia Paolillo Using soil moisture sensors for irrigation scheduling can reduce water stress in citrus trees. Sensors that are easy to calibrate and maintain, specifically designed for managing irrigation and fertigation on Florida’s sandy soils, are the preferred choice. These tools enable growers to use their water resources wisely and efficiently. There are …
Citrus canker was found for the first time in Georgia this past season. Unfortunately, it may be here to stay. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, talked about the disease during a citrus meeting in Valdosta, Georgia, on Aug. 9. He emphasized that Georgia producers may have to learn to live with the disease …
By Megan Dewdney It is summer in Florida, and the early fruit are maturing. This is always a risky time for brown rot in early sweet oranges and grapefruit cultivars. The summer rains have been happening, but they have been intermittent depending on location. This means that phytophthora propagule counts may vary depending on how much rain has occurred in …
With the trunk-injection season winding down in Florida groves, growers anxiously await to see positive results in HLB-infected trees. Two oxytetracycline (OTC) products have been approved for use in Florida citrus as HLB treatments. A third OTC formulation expects Environmental Protection Agency approval soon. Trunk-injection treatments are the focus of the latest All In For Citrus podcast. Michael Rogers, director …
By Michael E. Rogers We have all been waiting (and waiting some more) for new varieties to be developed that are resistant to HLB. Ten years ago, researchers thought they were really close to having new HLB-resistant varieties developed using gene-editing CRISPR technology. But as science goes, the story was much more complicated than first believed. A single edit to …
By Megan Dewdney To make informed management decisions, growers need to know about and understand the findings from huanglongbing (HLB) research that are currently available. However, the delivery of research results to growers is often fragmented, and results can be difficult to find. Furthermore, what information and conclusions are available to growers from projects or scientific journals can be highly …
