The Seasonal Satsuma Bottleneck

Josh McGillCold Hardy, Mandarins

The short timeframe for satsuma mandarins to be harvested and sold in the fall created a bottleneck of supply around the Thanksgiving holiday in 2022. An excess supply led to a challenge for growers attempting to sell their fruit when demand diminished, according to Kim Jones, who grows and packs citrus in Florida and Georgia. “The week of Thanksgiving when …

Deficit Irrigation in HLB-affected Citrus Trees

Josh McGillIrrigation, Research

By Davie Kadyampakeni, Samuel Kwakye, Hossein Ghoveisi, Lauren Diepenbrock and Jawwad Qureshi Deficit irrigation practices can reduce water and energy costs, thus potentially increasing water-use efficiency and water savings in citrus production. Irrigation management through deficit applications, if timed at periods of reduced water demand, could help trigger increased root water and nutrient uptake while synchronizing citrus flush patterns. These …

Citrus Agent Discusses Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride Products

Josh McGillHLB Management, Pesticides

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) multi-county citrus Extension agent Ajia Paolillo recently provided information about two commercial oxytetracycline hydrochloride products approved for use against HLB. TJ Biotech LLC was the first company to receive approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for trunk injection of this formulation. EPA granted TJ Biotech a Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, …

Citrus in the Home Landscape Initiative Launched

Josh McGillIndustry News Release, Varieties

After HLB disease was first found in Florida in 2005, many people were discouraged from growing citrus in their home landscapes. There were no citrus recommendations tailored for home gardeners in the HLB era. Now, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has responded to home gardeners who want to plant citrus trees again. Researchers are …

Gibberellic Acid Shows Promising Results on Hamlin

Josh McGillHLB Management, PGRs, Research

By Tripti Vashisth and Taylor Livingston Grower-led trials in 2022 showed positive results of gibberellic acid (GA) treatment on Hamlin trees in Florida. This article primarily discusses two growers’ trials in detail. Both sites showed improvement in fruit production from the GA application. Many growers have adopted GA applications in the past year as part of their grove management strategy. …

mandarin

Benefits of Increasing Citrus Hybrids in Orange Juice

Josh McGillOrange Juice

Allowing citrus hybrids with certain criteria in orange juice (OJ) was one of several issues addressed in a recent workshop about potential changes to OJ’s standard of identity. Peter Chaires, executive director of the New Varieties Development and Management Corp., discussed benefits of increasing the hybrid allowance in OJ. Chaires presented a consumer study of juices conducted by University of …

Citrus Industry Impacts Florida’s Economy

Josh McGillEconomics, Tip of the Week

By Julio Cruz, João-Pedro Ferreira and Christa Court Many Florida citrus growers are under stress due to disease and extreme weather events. Citrus growers often request financial or other types of support from local, state and federal governments due to such situations. Understanding and communicating how the citrus industry supports economic activity throughout the state, even outside of the industry …

Health and Safety Event for Florida Farmworkers

Josh McGillEvents, Labor, Safety

In their fourth such clinic, faculty from the University of Florida will test farmworkers for chronic diseases from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 23 in Arcadia. The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and College of Medicine will conduct the clinic. The screenings will be at the Turner Agri-Civic Center, 2250 NE Roan Street. …

Microbiome

How to Liven Up Your Soil

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast, soil

How much life lives in a tiny bit of soil? A lot, according to Sarah Strauss, assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). “The estimate I often mention is there can be over a billion microorganisms in a gram of soil, which is about this size of a quarter,” she said during the …

Register Now for the Florida Grower Citrus Show

Josh McGillEvents

The event’s fresh format will pack plenty of education and fellowship in a single day. The Florida Grower Citrus Show, scheduled for April 13, is fast approaching. The event opens at 7:30 a.m., and breakfast will be served at 8:00 a.m. Growers and industry stakeholders are invited to sign up for complimentary preregistration. NEW LOOK AND LOCATION This year, the …

Leafminer Management Vital for Freeze-Impacted Trees

Josh McGillfreeze, Pests

Cold-hardy citrus growers need to protect their trees against the citrus leafminer this year, more so than ever. A lack of control could have negative consequences for trees still recovering from the Christmas freeze last December. Xavier Martini, assistant professor of entomology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and Education Center, …

Lessons From Hurricane Ian Will Help Growers

Josh McGillhurricane, Survey

Researchers will assess 20 to 30 Florida citrus groves impacted by 2022’s Hurricane Ian to learn lessons that will help growers in the future. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers Christopher Vincent and Tripti Vashisth and their teams will conduct the assessment. The research will be funded by a $280,000, one-year grant from the U.S. …

Nutrient Uptake Potential of Rootstocks

Josh McGillNutrition, Rootstocks

The objective of a new study published in HortScience was to evaluate and understand the nutrient uptake potential of citrus rootstocks. Conducted by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers, it is one of the first citrus studies to report nutrient uptake efficiency and the potential of rootstocks. The information presented in the study can be …

OJ Standard of Identity Discussed

Josh McGillFlorida Citrus Mutual, Orange Juice

No action was taken after numerous speakers discussed potential changes to the standard of identity for orange juice (OJ) at a March 1 public workshop. Taking place at Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) headquarters in Bartow, the workshop was titled “Continuing the OJ Standards Conversation.” FCM Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Joyner offered background on the standard of …

Top 10 Best Practices for Trunk Injection

Josh McGillHLB Management, Tip of the Week

By Ute Albrecht Replicated field studies have demonstrated positive effects of oxytetracycline administered by trunk injection to manage HLB. In October 2022, a 24(c) special local need label was approved that allows the use of this technology in Florida, and final clearance was given in January.  When practicing trunk injection, it is important to do so properly and to be …

IPCs Changing the Florida Citrus Landscape

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast, IPCs

The use of individual protective covers (IPCs) to safeguard young citrus trees from HLB has become a common practice in Florida groves in recent years. Fernando Alferez, an assistant professor of citrus horticulture with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), has led the research effort to study IPCs and their effectiveness in preventing HLB. He …

Examining Hamlin Survivor Trees

Josh McGillHLB Management, Research, Varieties

By Gary England, Fred Gmitter and Manjul Dutt In 2014, most groves in Central Florida had citrus greening infection rates approaching 100%, but a Lake County grower reported that some trees in his Hamlin on Swingle blocks seemed to be relatively healthy. Some visual HLB symptoms were observed on these “surviving” trees, but they did not have the massive fall …

georgia

Revised Approach to Reduce ACP Management Costs

Josh McGillHLB Management, Tip of the Week

By Lukasz Stelinski Vector control is considered a basic component of HLB management even under high disease incidence scenarios. A recent study compared the effects of three different economic thresholds (ET-0.2, ET-0.5 and ET-1.0) and one calendar-based application schedule on the incidence of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and beneficial species in plots of commercially grown citrus. The study also examined …

Sweet Valley Citrus Expansion Could Stall

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

Trees in the Sweet Valley Citrus region have been in high demand in recent years. Plantings of satsuma mandarins and other citrus varieties have steadily risen the past few years in Georgia, Alabama and North Florida. That steady climb is expected to stall this year, however. Following the Christmas freeze event that rattled the industry in the Southeast in December …

Pest Management Findings Shared

Josh McGillCUPS, IPCs, Pests

Foliar sprays of insecticides timed to citrus flushing provided a significant reduction in Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) populations compared to standard grower practices, researcher Jawwad Qureshi reported. Timing sprays to flushing also led to a reduction in sprays, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor of entomology said in a virtual presentation on Feb. 22. …