By Robin Koestoyo University of Florida citrus and vegetable researchers will present their latest scientific findings at the 78th Florida Citrus Show on April 3. A lineup of educational seminars will build on the show’s extraordinarily successful 77th show, organized by AgNet Media, an agricultural news communications leader. This year’s event will feature a tailgate-style trade show that includes breakfast …
What to Know Before You Go to the Florida Citrus Show
We are excited to kick off the Florida Citrus Show tomorrow! Here are some things you need to know before you go: Show Address The Florida Citrus Show will be held in the parking lot between the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center (2199 South Rock Road) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Horticultural Research …
A New Pest in Citrus
When it comes to talking about citrus bugs, Lauren Diepenbrock, an entomologist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), is happy to join the conversation. And that’s just what she did in the March episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. She discussed several key pests that have been problematic for growers in recent …
Protect Developing Fruit From Lebbeck Mealybugs
By Lauren Diepenbrock As the March bloom tapers off and fruit begin to set, it is time to think about lebbeck mealybug management to protect developing fruit. Damage to setting fruit causes malformed fruit that are often aborted or not marketable if they continue development (Figure 1). Early-season management is critical to both reducing early fruit damage and to maintaining …
Get an Assist in Gauging Tree Health
If there was ever a time when Florida citrus growers would want to get a better read on tree health, this season might it. A significant number of acres have been treated with new trunk-injection therapies, and growers have been monitoring groves to observe the impact of the treatments. Growers have traditionally relied on visual observation to get a sense …
Growers Must Settle for HLB-Tolerant Trees While Waiting for Resistance
The dream of citrus varieties being totally resistant to huanglongbing (HLB) disease (citrus greening) is still a distant reality for Florida growers. For now, they must depend on tolerant varieties to lessen the disease’s impact, which is widespread throughout most of the state. Michael Rogers, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center …
All In For Citrus Podcast, March 2024
As winter transitions to spring, it is important to monitor irrigation needs in citrus. This is especially true in Florida, where nearly all trees are infected with HLB. Irrigation was a topic of discussion during the March episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) …
Growing Citrus With Soil Health in Mind
Herb Young enjoyed a 40-year career in the agricultural chemical industry, starting as a technical service representative and eventually becoming a product manager. During those years, he worked on various specialty crops across the country. About 25 years of his career was spent in field research roles. So, experimentation with crops and growing practices comes naturally to Young. He has …
Site Selection Key When Planting Citrus
Before growers in the cold-hardy citrus region plant their first trees, they need to ensure the planting site is viable for production. Muhammad Shahid, assistant professor of horticulture at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, talked about the importance of site selection at the recent Citrus Health Forum held in Quincy, Florida. “You have to think …
Highlands Growers Learn More About Crop Transformation Center
The Highlands County Citrus Growers Association hosted its annual meeting and banquet in early March in Sebring, Florida. The event was well attended. Growers were mostly in good spirits, hoping that trunk-injection therapy will be the bridge to the next breakthrough to return citrus production and quality to viable levels. Most believe the ultimate HLB solution will come in the …
Continued Commitment to Florida Ag
By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu When I arrived in Florida three and a half years ago to lead the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), my message to Farm Bureau members was, “I work for you.” I still do, but no longer as UF’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources. I’ve become provost, the …
Find UF/IFAS Citrus Resources Online
By Michael E. Rogers Were you unable to attend a recent University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) event and want to hear what you missed? Many past presentations are available online. The UF/IFAS Citrus Research Website archives presentations made by UF/IFAS faculty at various meetings across the state. These can be found by scrolling down and …
All In For Citrus Podcast: Meet Flavia Zambon
Last year, Flavia Zambon was named University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor of production horticulture of citrus and other tree crops. She is based at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce. In the February episode of All In For Citrus, Zambon discussed her new position and how she plans …
Discovery Speeds Push for HLB-Tolerant Citrus
It’s one thing for a hybrid citrus tree to tolerate HLB, but quite another thing for it to produce orange-like fruit that makes delicious orange juice (OJ). That holy grail of traits could be nearer, thanks to a team of U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientists. …
HLB Management Different for North Florida Citrus
Living with huanglongbing (HLB) disease (citrus greening) is a much different process for citrus growers than protecting their crop from it. Growers in the cold-hardy citrus region are currently trying to keep the devastating disease out of their area. Industry experts like Michael Rogers, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center director, are …
Three Key Meetings for CRDF
The February board meeting of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) covered a lot of ground according to Rick Dantzler, the foundation’s chief operating officer. “We had a big day on the day of the board meeting. There were three meetings: 1) our monthly board meeting; 2) a research summit with citrus organization leaders, the CRDF board and CRDF …
Irrigation During the Dry Season to Increase Yield of HLB Trees
By Tripti Vashisth and Mary Sutton Prolonged water deficits can negatively impact flowering, fruit growth, crop load and fruit quality. Unfortunately, HLB-affected trees are more susceptible to water deficits than healthy trees due to extensive root loss. Observing HLB-affected trees throughout the dry season showed that severely symptomatic trees consistently had lower leaf water potential than mildly symptomatic trees. This …
Surviving to Fight Another Day
Bill Lennon is working with researchers to learn more about survivor trees that are standing up to HLB. Bill Lennon is a fifth-generation citrus grower who can recall the industry’s glory days when Central Florida had hundreds of thousands of citrus acres before the 1980s freezes pushed production southward in the state. But he’s remained dedicated to the area, managing …
Studying Citrus Greening in Switzerland
Lukas Hallman is about to embark on an internship in Switzerland to investigate the vascular system of trees affected by citrus greening. Hallman is in his final year of a Ph.D. program in horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center. He is under the guidance of Lorenzo …
Sneak Peek: March 2024 Citrus Industry
The March issue of Citrus Industry magazine is centered on tree and soil health. On the cover is Florida citrus grower Bill Lennon of Lennon’s Grove Service. The March cover story details Lennon’s efforts to learn more about survivor trees in his groves that are standing up to HLB. He is working with University of Florida Institute of Food and …