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. …

BMP Updates Highlighted at Workshop

Josh McGillBMPs, Nutrition, Water

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted a water and nutrient management workshop at the Citrus Research and Education Center in mid-February. In addition to seminars, a grove tour was provided to demonstrate a nutrient-rate trial currently underway at the center. Kelly Morgan, UF/IFAS professor of crop nutrition, spoke on recent activity to update citrus …

Sneak Peek: March 2023 Citrus Industry

Josh McGillCRDF, HLB Management, Sneak Peek

The March cover of Citrus Industry magazine features a fresh face in a key industry leadership role for Florida. Morgan McKenna Porter is bringing youthful energy to her new title as president of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors. In the cover story, learn about her background as well as her CRDF goals for helping growers …

Citrus Still a Strong Contributor to Florida Economy

Josh McGillEconomics

Despite challenges from diseases, land development trends and extreme weather, Florida’s citrus industry contributed $6.935 billion to the state’s economy in 2020–21. That’s a conclusion in a recent University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) report, 2020–2021 Economic Contributions of the Florida Citrus Industry. The report estimated the economic contributions for the most recent citrus marketing season …

Freeze Recovery Advice

Josh McGillfreeze

Winter Storm Elliott brought freezing temperatures to the cold-hardy region Dec. 24–28, 2022, resulting in significant injury to citrus. Danielle Williams, Muhammad Adnan Shahid and Mujahid Hussain, all with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), provided storm recovery advice in a recent edition of the Cold Hardy Citrus Connection newsletter. Following is a summary of …

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All In For Citrus Podcast, February 2023

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast

With spring fast approaching, Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, addresses important crop care items that should be on growers’ checklists. He shares his comments in the February episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. After the destruction left behind from last year’s hurricanes, Rogers …

Post-hurricane Expectations for Foliar Diseases and Phytophthora

Josh McGillDiseases, hurricane

By Megan Dewdney For foliar diseases, 2022 started off easily with limited outbreaks in Florida because the spring was dryer than average. The same La Niña weather pattern responsible for the dry conditions of the last two springs is predicted to occur again this winter into early spring. The weather pattern is then predicted to become a neutral pattern with …

New Invasive Pest to Watch for in Florida Citrus

Josh McGillPests

By Maegan Beatty An invasive butterfly that seriously damages citrus trees has been spotted in Florida. The lime swallowtail (Papilio demoleus) is an invasive species from Asia that has harmed citrus trees in the Caribbean for almost 20 years. The butterfly has a wingspan of nearly 4 inches with black and white marks across the wings and a red-orange dot …

citrus

OLL Sweet Oranges Producing Pre-HLB Fruit Quality

Josh McGillTip of the Week, Varieties

By Jude Grosser, Fred Gmitter and Maria Brenelli The new OLL (Orie and Louise Lee) series of sweet oranges (OLL-4, OLL-8 and OLL-20) are very high-quality processing sweet oranges that generally produce higher soluble solids and better juice color than Valencia. OLL trees are more vigorous than Valencia, and anecdotal evidence suggests they are slightly more HLB-tolerant than Valencia. Trees …

Sourcing Sweetness Compounds in Citrus

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast, Research

A lot goes into a piece of citrus fruit. Down to the molecular level, there’s millions of compounds that make up Florida’s signature crop. Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are exploring the genetic building blocks of citrus to learn how individual compounds can be used to enhance the fruit. Those applications might …

Effects of Compost and Organic Amendments on Weed Control

Josh McGillResearch, weeds

By Ramdas Kanissery and Mahesh Bashyal Using compost and soil amendments is beneficial to Florida citrus groves. Florida soils are sandy and have a low organic matter and cation exchange capacity. Adding compost and organic amendments (e.g., humic acid) can enhance the soil’s ability to retain water and nutrients. These practices can also boost soil microbial activity and improve soil …

Keeping Trees Healthy After Removing IPCs

Josh McGillIPCs, Research

Researchers and growers have found that individual protective covers (IPCs) can keep young trees free of HLB for two or more years while providing additional benefits like improved tree growth. The IPCs work by keeping HLB-infecting Asian citrus psyllids out of the tree canopies. But trees outgrow the covers and must eventually be removed. Researchers have found that about 60% …

Refreshed Format for Florida Grower Citrus Show

Josh McGillEvents

Over the years, the Florida Grower Citrus Show has become the premier event for growers on the East Coast of Florida while drawing growers from other key production regions as well. Last year, AgNet Media purchased the assets of Florida Grower magazine. With that transaction came the show. Since that time, the team at AgNet Media, along with its partners …

Old Variety Gets a New Look

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast, Varieties

The Parson Brown is an early-season sweet orange that J.L. Carney identified in 1875. By the 1920s, the variety had become a popular cultivar among growers, but eventually plantings declined as Hamlin became the go-to selection for the early season. However, because of its apparent tolerance to HLB, Parson Brown is again stirring interest among growers. Manjul Dutt, assistant professor …

Trunk Injection for HLB: What You Need to Know

Josh McGillHLB Management

Some Florida citrus growers have recently started oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC-HCl) injection into tree trunks to help manage HLB. Other growers are considering it. Researcher Ute Albrecht offered a list of best practices for the product’s use during a Jan. 31 presentation in Immokalee. The presentation was made at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Southwest Florida …

Key Terms to Know When Using Pesticides

Josh McGillCEU, Pesticides

By Ajia Paolillo 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. As a certified restricted-use pesticide applicator, it is your responsibility to use pesticides safely, not only for yourself but for …

Sting Nematodes and IPCs

Josh McGillIPCs, Pests, Tip of the Week

By Larry Duncan and Fernando Alferez Newly planted citrus trees are far less tolerant of pests and diseases than when mature. Sting nematode (Belonolaimus longicaudatus) was not considered a serious economic threat to Florida citrus until successive hard freezes in the 1980s caused widespread replanting of groves. Patches of stunted, declining trees caused by the irregular distribution of sting nematodes …

CRDF Board Off to a Busy Start in 2023

Josh McGillCRDF, Research

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) kicked off the year with its monthly board meeting in January. The board invited three researchers who had submitted pre-proposals to submit full proposals during the meeting. One proposal will study if the ingestion of oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC-HCl) will minimize the amount of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) in the gut of “hot” (or …

Considerations for Managing Citrus Black Spot

Josh McGillDiseases

In Florida, citrus black spot (CBS) is present primarily in commercial groves in five southwest counties (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee). The disease can cause up to 60% yield loss in severe situations with little management, researcher Megan Dewdney reported in January. More commonly though, growers with infestations experience fruit drop levels of 10% to 20% in a minimally …

Sneak Peek: February 2023 Citrus Industry

Josh McGillDiseases, Sneak Peek, weeds

With more growers incorporating compost and organic amendments into their production, weed management is receiving increased attention. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) authors Ramdas Kanissery and Mahesh Bashyal take on this topic in their article in the February 2023 issue of Citrus Industry magazine. While compost and organic amendments can increase soil health and boost …