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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “UF/IFAS”
Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) recently submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service endorsing the European Union’s (EU) 10-year registration renewal efforts for glyphosate. In the letter, FFVA stressed that glyphosate herbicide has been used safely and successfully in Europe for more than 40 years. It noted that leading health regulators, including in Europe, the …
HLB, spread by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), has been the scariest and most destructive disease that Florida citrus growers have ever faced. So, it was fitting that entomologist Jawwad Qureshi made a virtual presentation about ACP/HLB on Halloween, often considered the scariest day of the year. Qureshi, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor, …
By Maegan Beatty On Oct. 27, Jose Chaparro hosted a citrus breeding research update at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Teaching Orchard in Gainesville. The event included a variety display and field tour. Chaparro, a UF/IFAS associate professor of horticultural sciences, focused on how he and his team are taking on the significant task …
By Lourdes C. Pérez Cordero 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. Pesticides can often pose a threat to the health and safety of people, wildlife and the environment if …
Production in the cold-hardy citrus region was under the spotlight during a recent field day in Quincy, Florida. Growers and industry leaders visited the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) to learn about various facets of citrus production. Topics like controlled-release fertilizers, crop diversification and implementation of artificial intelligence …
By Fernando Alferez and Divya Aryal There are some indications that brassinosteroids (Brs) may advance commercial internal maturity by almost one month in Valencia sweet orange, depending on the time of application. However, the best time of application in this variety and other sweet orange varieties like Hamlin still needs to be determined, so that this treatment can become economically …
The search for solutions to HLB has gone on for nearly two decades. Growers and researchers have learned ways to improve nutrition programs to keep trees alive and productive, but nowhere near at the level of the days before the disease. One area of research that could yield a tree resistant to HLB is genetic engineering. There are no transgenic …
Growers have concluded their first round of injecting their citrus trees with oxytetracycline (OTC) and now are anxiously awaiting the results. So far, trees seem to be responding with larger leaves and fruit, but fruit retention will tell the story if the treatment is moving the needle against HLB. For many years, there was a perception among growers that if …
Citrus growers are invited to tour the 20-acre Millennium Block at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce on Nov. 7. The tour will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. New varieties in the grove are in their fourth year of growth. Researchers are …
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has been awarded five federal grants totaling more than $5 million to control HLB. The grants are from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). HLB is caused by the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas). The Asian citrus psyllid can transmit CLas into a …
By Ariel Singerman Citrus growers in Florida are now allowed to inject their trees with oxytetracycline (OTC) to try to control Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus and/or suppress citrus greening. The use of OTC is expected to improve the trees’ health and, in turn, increase yield. In this article, cost estimates are used to address the question of what yield response is …
As the new citrus season gets underway in Florida, growers are hopeful for an improved harvest. The initial U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast for 2023–24 calls for a 30% increase in the state’s orange crop. The November issue of Citrus Industry magazine has details on the forecast and other good news for growers. In the issue’s cover story, Wheeler Farms …
By Davie Kadyampakeni and Megan Dewdney The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) conducted a six-year project to determine if plant nutritional fertilizer sources coupled with specific crop protection chemicals help mitigate citrus diseases. This project was conducted on a 5-acre commercial citrus grove block near the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. …
Many people believe genetics will be the eventual key that unlocks more permanent solutions to HLB. Whether it be traditional breeding or new technologies, one day there could be a citrus tree that is resistant or tolerant enough to make the disease a non-factor. One such key could be CRISPR technology to deliver a tree that is engineered to resist …
A survey by 15 Extension agents showed Sugar Belle mandarin to be the most cold-hardy non-satsuma citrus variety following a major freeze in Georgia in December 2022. Sugar Belle was followed in order of cold hardiness by Tango, navel oranges, Kishu and grapefruit. Shiranui was the least cold hardy non-satsuma variety. University of Georgia Extension agent Jake Price reported the …
By Ariel Singerman Citrus greening (HLB) has significantly impacted the Florida citrus industry. The disease has caused tree health, yield and fruit quality to decrease significantly over time. In 2022–23, due to the combined impact of HLB, Hurricane Ian and a freeze in December 2022, the statewide average yield for both Valencia and non-Valencia oranges was estimated to be approximately …
By Christopher Vincent, Yu Wang and Nabil Killiny Mild shade reduces stress, increases growth and yield, and may improve pest management under huanglongbing (HLB). It reduces high temperature and water stresses. Shade also may reduce HLB transmission by making trees less visible to Asian citrus psyllids (ACP). Shaded trees have less ACP, and shade appears to reduce the severity of …
In a virtual presentation, plant breeder Jude Grosser discussed recently released citrus varieties that might work well in the fresh fruit market. Grosser is a professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center. Here’s a look at some of the varieties he addressed: MANDARINSGrosser described Marathon as the “best option” …
By Ute Albrecht The German scientist Paul Ehrlich pioneered the research for “magic bullets” — chemicals that could kill a microorganism but did not harm the patient. He also coined the term “chemotherapy” and paved the way for developing synthetic drugs. The first synthetic antibiotic (the first sulfa-type antibiotic) to successfully treat human bacterial diseases without major side effects was …
Citrus breeders at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have been making a big push for four years to develop new orange varieties for processing. The need for the push was accentuated last year by a multitude of adverse situations on the processing side of the business. In a recent virtual presentation, UF/IFAS plant breeder …
