University of Florida (UF) scientists are finding that by covering new citrus trees with mesh, they can keep disease-carrying insects from harming the plants. That could be a big step toward stemming the deadly citrus greening disease, UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) researchers say. Asian citrus psyllids can infect the citrus trees with greening, also known as … Read More
Hands-On Training Scheduled at UF/IFAS Citrus Workshop
Florida citrus growers will learn about the latest research from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and test new technology at a workshop in Sebring, Sept. 25-26. UF/IFAS Extension Highlands County is working with statewide UF/IFAS Citrus Extension faculty to bring the latest in scientific studies and a hands-on learning experience to growers. Faculty will cover … Read More
CUPS Protects Citrus from HLB and Storms
A system designed to protect citrus trees from the deadly greening disease withstood the ravaging winds of Hurricane Irma last year, University of Florida scientists say. With reinforcements installed after the storm, they’ll likely withstand even more dangerous storms. Using citrus under protective screening (CUPS), growers can keep the Asian citrus psyllids away from their trees, said Arnold Schumann, a … Read More
New Monthly Podcast for Citrus Growers
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and Southeast AgNet are partnering to provide the latest news on citrus-related research in a monthly podcast. The podcast, “All in for Citrus,” will launch the last week in September and will feature short interviews with scientists working to find solutions to citrus greening and other devastating citrus diseases. … Read More
A Day in the Life of a UF/IFAS Extension Citrus Agent: Steve Futch
Steve Futch’s official office is located in Lake Alfred at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center. But most days you’ll find him working out of his other office — his car — driving from grove to grove in his four-county area. “I go to meet or work with citrus growers … Read More
Experts Suggest Varieties for Irma-Damaged Citrus Replanting
As growers decide how to use U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding to recover from damages caused by Hurricane Irma — and as they cope with the ongoing impact of citrus greening — University of Florida researchers are suggesting varieties for them to replant. Producers can grow varieties that show tolerance to greening — also known as huanglongbing, or HLB. … Read More
Control of Citrus Flush Timing Could Improve Psyllid Control
They say timing is everything in life, and that’s certainly true of the Asian citrus psyllid, which has devastated Florida agriculture for the past decade by transmitting citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing or HLB. To reproduce, this small, flying insect must lay eggs on citrus “flush” – the tender new leaves and shoots that citrus trees produce several … Read More
New Florida Citrus Production Guide Debuts at Citrus Expo
Beginning this week, Florida citrus growers will have an updated resource to help them keep groves productive despite the ever-present threat of huanglongbing, the bacterial malady also known as HLB or citrus greening disease. Experts with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have just completed a 180-page technical handbook, “Florida Citrus Production Guide 2018-2019.” It … Read More
Nutrient Recommendations for Citrus Greening
As Florida citrus growers look to recover from the damages of Hurricane Irma and continue to cope with citrus greening, University of Florida (UF) scientists suggest using a complete and balanced nutrient program in their groves. “Mineral nutrition plays a vital physiological role in the growth and development of a plant and as well as in plant-defense response,” said Tripti … Read More
Early Findings Show Plant Hormone May Help in HLB Fight
University of Florida scientists think a group of hormones may eventually help growers battle citrus greening, but they still want to study them before recommending growers use the chemical. Fernando Alferez, an assistant professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), leads a team of UF/IFAS researchers studying the effects of Homobrassinolides … Read More
UF/IFAS Researchers Search for Solutions to Citrus Diseases with Citrus Initiative Funds
From nutritional supplements to managing irrigation to grower outreach and education, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are finding additional ways to support Florida citrus growers in their fight against citrus greening disease. Twelve projects were funded by the state legislature-funded Citrus Initiative program in 2017-2018 that looked at possible short- and long-term solutions that … Read More
Scientists Use Fungus to Manage Asian Citrus Psyllids
Fighting plant disease with jet blast sprays is standard practice for citrus growers. But, to spray a fungus to control a single insect that carries a disease-causing pathogen is uncommon. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and Florida Research Center for Agricultural Sustainability researchers have begun to test an insect-killing fungus applied with horticultural oil … Read More
CRDF Accepting Applications for Chief Operating Officer
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) has launched a search for its next chief operating officer (COO). Located at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, the CRDF is a direct support organization of the University of Florida. This not-for-profit corporation was established to support Florida’s citrus … Read More
Kelly Morgan Named New SWFREC Director
By Jack Payne I am pleased to announce that Kelly Morgan will be the next director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC). He will assume leadership of the center on August 1. Under the current leadership of Calvin Arnold, who is retiring, SWFREC has enjoyed a fresh … Read More
OJ May Soon Come from HLB-Tolerant Fruit
Some people like to wake up and drink a glass of fresh Florida orange juice. With the greening disease ravaging Florida’s citrus industry, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers want to make orange juice from disease-tolerant fruit. Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening as it’s commonly called, has destroyed 80 percent of citrus in Florida, a … Read More
8 Million-Year-Old Gene Could Help the Citrus Industry
After 100 years of assertions about the roots of citrus, a global group of scientists — including a University of Florida professor — has traced the evolutionary history of Florida’s signature crop up to 8 million years ago in the Himalayas of Southeast Asia. Through analyses of 60 types of citrus whose genomes they sequenced, scientists identified 10 natural citrus … Read More
Root Biologist Joins UF Fight Against Citrus Greening
By Robin Koestoyo, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences An inventive fruit tree researcher has joined the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center. Lorenzo Rossi is the center’s first-ever root biology professor and will support the university’s statewide Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ commitment to restore Florida’s $9 … Read More
UF/IFAS Researchers Awarded $10.5M to Work on HLB Resistance/Tolerance
With citrus greening devastating Florida’s $8.6 billion-a-year citrus industry, three University of Florida scientists will use $10.52 million in federal grants to study ways to help growers cope with the disease, including research on genetic editing that may produce potentially resistant fruit and trees. Since greening — or huanglongbing (HLB) — was first reported in Florida in 2005, Florida’s citrus … Read More
Using Kaolin Against HLB-Spreading Psyllids
Researchers are trying to use all available tools to control HLB-spreading psyllids, says entomologist Michael Rogers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, says scientists want “to show that we can actually grow citrus in the age of HLB and still be profitable.” “The … Read More
UF/IFAS, Tropicana Test Promising New Citrus Varieties for Greening Tolerance
Grafted orange trees showcased at the 100th anniversary of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) may give the state’s citrus growers new reason to hope the industry can cope with the citrus greening crisis, UF/IFAS researchers say. University of Florida scientists and Tropicana are teaming up to test promising new UF/IFAS-bred … Read More