insecticide

Timing Insecticide Applications for Best Effects

Daniel CooperPests, Tip of the Week

By Lukasz Stelinski Here are some basic guidelines that growers can follow to manage pests successfully and economically in their groves: Take-home messages include the following: Lukasz Stelinski is a professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Sponsored ContentA Simpler, Safer and More Effective Way to Fight HLBOctober …

data

Enhancing Smart Irrigation With Centralized Data

Daniel CooperIrrigation, Technology

By Sandra M. Guzmán Efficient irrigation management is crucial in optimizing tree growth and promoting sustainable management practices in modern agriculture. This article introduces IrrigMonitor, an Internet of Things data visualization platform developed at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) Smart Irrigation and Hydrology Lab. IrrigMonitor is a …

acp

Follow Thresholds for ACP Control

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, HLB Management, Psyllids

One of the key components of managing HLB is keeping its vector, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), in check. Management recommendations for the pest have evolved over time. The history of that evolution is a subject of discussion in the November episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. Lukasz Stelinksi, an entomologist with the University of Florida Institute of …

diversification

Diversification Continues to Be Key for Cold-Hardy Region

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Varieties

Diversification is key to production remaining sustainable in the cold-hardy citrus region. It is message that industry leaders preach to producers who are looking to grow the citrus industry in North Florida, Georgia and Alabama. John Chater, assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, talked about the importance …

HLB-affected

Root Nutrient and Fertilization Guidelines for HLB-Affected Trees

Daniel CooperNutrition, Tip of the Week

By Davie Kadyampakeni, Lorenzo Rossi and Alan Wright  Huanglongbing (HLB) disease lowers tree performance by reducing water and nutrient uptake as a result of root loss. HLB-affected trees have a fibrous root loss of about 30% to 80%, which increases as disease symptoms develop in the canopy. Investigating optimal nutrient concentrations in citrus roots thus improves the understanding of HLB …

vincent

Vincent Awarded Fellowship in Environmental Protection and Stewardship

Daniel CooperAwards, Environment

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher Christopher Vincent was awarded an Early-Career Research Fellowship in the Environmental Protection and Stewardship track from the Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Vincent is an associate professor of citrus tree ecophysiology in the Horticultural Sciences Department at the Citrus Research and …

evaporative cooling

Avoid Evaporative Cooling in Citrus Freeze Protection

Daniel Cooperfreeze, Weather

Both University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) speakers at a Nov. 28 winter weather workshop warned about the risk of evaporative cooling when using irrigation to protect citrus from freezing temperatures. Microsprinkler irrigation has been the main form of cold protection for Florida citrus for at least the last five decades.     The need to understand evaporative …

december

Sneak Peek: December 2023 Citrus Industry

Daniel CooperAcreage, HLB Management, Sneak Peek

It’s no secret that Florida’s citrus industry has seen significant shrinkage since the advent of citrus greening in the state. In the December issue of Citrus Industry magazine, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) economist Ariel Singerman takes an in-depth look at the acreage attrition. He examines the figures by county over the past 20 years. …

blood oranges

Blood Oranges May Be Option for Cold-Hardy Region

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Varieties

Blood oranges could provide citrus growers with another variety to grow in the cold-hardy citrus region. But further research is needed to verify its effectiveness in the Southeast, says Ali Sarkhosh, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor. “We harvested those fruit in Quincy at the North Florida Research and Education Center. We still don’t …

control

Combination of Essential Oils and Kaolin to Control Psyllids

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Tip of the Week

By Xavier Martini and Romain Exilien  Despite intensive control efforts, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), the vector of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the bacteria causing citrus greening, remains the most devastating pest of citrus. The ACP typically relies on tactile, visual and odor cues to detect its host. By combining an irritant, a visual masking and a true repellent, University of Florida …

snail

Snail Control and Research Update

Daniel CooperPests

Baits are currently the best tool for Bulimulus bonariensis snail management, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologists reported recently. Assistant professors Lauren Diepenbrock and Nicole Quinn also provided an update on snail research. Diepenbrock works at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Quinn works at the Indian River Research and Education Center …

OJ Break

OJ Break Focused on CRISPR and Emerging Pests

Daniel CooperBreeding, Pests, Research

In mid-November, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center hosted an OJ Break educational program in Lake Alfred. Attendees were provided with research updates on CRISPR gene editing and emerging pests. Nian Wang, a UF/IFAS professor of microbiology and cell science, spoke on his work with CRISPR technology. He provided insight …

December

All In For Citrus Podcast, November 2023

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, HLB Management, International

Michael Rogers, the director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, and some of his colleagues recently attended the Asian Citrus Congress in India. During the November All In For Citrus podcast, Rogers discusses what was learned and observed on the trip. While many of India’s citrus groves are small-scale …

planning

Planning Pointers for Cold-Hardy Citrus Production

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Production

Crop planning is an essential part of the citrus production process. What are you going to grow? Where are you going to market? How are you going to overcome HLB (huanglongbing or citrus greening)? John Chater, assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, discussed the different factors that …

lebbeck mealybug

New Knowledge on Lebbeck Mealybug Can Aid Control

Daniel CooperPests

Lebbeck mealybug populations are not tied to flush production, entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock reported recently. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor also noted: Diepenbrock sampled lebbeck mealybug populations in commercial citrus groves in Central Florida. Analysis of the seasonal trapping data provided easily observable trends. Based on these trends, she offers the following initial …

brassinosteroids

Prolong the Health of Young Citrus Trees

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Tip of the Week

By Fernando Alferez, Ute Albrecht, Ozgur Batuman, Jawwad Qureshi and Saoussen Ben Abdallah Individual protective covers (IPCs), which are psyllid-exclusion mesh bags, are increasingly being adopted to efficiently protect newly planted citrus trees from huanglongbing (HLB) infection. However, IPCs typically must be removed after two to three years due to tree growth. Early evidence indicates that brassinosteroids (Brs), a relatively …

New Decay Control Options on the Horizon for Florida Citrus

Josh McGillFresh, Research

By Mark A. Ritenour and Jiuxu Zhang Preventing decay of fresh fruit has always been critical for a successful citrus industry. Prior to citrus greening (huanglongbing or HLB) in Florida, effective decay control practices were well established. These practices fueled Florida’s robust fresh domestic and export citrus sales, allowing shipping durations of 21 days or more. Since the establishment of …

Millennium Block Drive-Thru Highlights

Josh McGillEvents, Indian River, Research

Florida citrus growers and researchers arrived from Davie, Bartow, Lakeland, Plant City, Fellsmere and Gainesville to view more than 5,500 trees of several new citrus varieties. Some of the trees are showing initial tolerance to citrus greening.   The occasion was the Millennium Block Drive-Thru at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and …

Follow Flower Bud Induction Advisories

Josh McGillProduction, Tip of the Week

By Tripti Vashisth Florida flower bud induction advisories for the upcoming season start on Nov. 15. These advisories will be published biweekly until March 30, 2024. The goals of flower bud advisories are to inform growers about the status of the tree in respect to floral bud induction and to predict bloom. This is critical information since the horticultural practices …

Cold Protection Resources for Citrus Growers

Josh McGillfreeze, Weather

Citrus growers in Florida’s Panhandle will have a greatly reduced citrus harvest this year because of a hard freeze in December 2022, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) reported. To help growers reduce damage in future freezes, UF/IFAS has tools that aid with citrus cold protection. Water is the most common form of cold protection …