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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “UF/IFAS”
By Amir Rezazadeh Saline soil and water damage many citrus groves in Florida. In general, when the dissolved salt concentration in soil or water increases, it is referred to as “saline” soil or water. But how much increase in salt concentration makes soil or water saline? Citrus plants’ major reactions to excessive salt in the soil or water are reduced …
By Tripti Vashisth and Mary Sutton Citrus trees affected by huanglongbing (HLB) consistently have small fruit and low fruit numbers at harvest. The low fruit numbers are largely attributed to the increased rates of preharvest fruit drop that accompany HLB. Small fruit is more likely to drop during this preharvest period, suggesting a link between fruit size and retention. To …
Brazil, China and Mexico are the top producers. Brazil easily continues to lead the world in orange and orange juice (OJ) production, while China dominates in production of tangerines/mandarins and grapefruit. Mexico remains the leading producer of lemons and limes. These facts come from a July report on world citrus issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. …
Plant physiologist Ute Albrecht recently gave a presentation on increased fruit yield and other apparent benefits of injecting the antibiotic oxytetracycline into citrus tree trunks. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher also discussed other advantages that trunk injection provides. These advantages include: Precise delivery of materials Elimination of spray drift Reduced risk for worker exposure …
By Jamie Burrow and Ruth Borger Over the last several months, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus team has been preparing for the annual Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The excitement is in the air as many faculty are preparing seminar presentations on valuable information that growers may use today to support their operations. …
Two University of Florida (UF) startup companies have formed a union to help reverse the trend of declining Florida citrus production. Agriculture Intelligence and Satlantis believe they can offer a powerful tool to help the state’s growers more closely monitor their trees and manage problems faster. The startups, housed in one of UF’s business incubators, will combine expertise in precision …
The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo is set for Aug. 17–18 in North Fort Myers, Florida. The event, held at the Lee Civic Center, will be a flurry of activity as citrus and specialty crop growers come together to learn, network and see the latest tools of the trade in farming. The latest episode of the All In For Citrus …
By Tripti Vashisth Gibberellic acid (GA) can benefit citrus trees in many ways. GA can improve vegetative and fruit growth while reducing fruit drop and flowering intensity. Evidence is mounting that repeated application of GA is needed to induce the desired positive effect on fruit growth and tree productivity. In a multiyear field trial on Valencia orange, monthly application of …
As growers prepare for the 2022–23 season, August is the perfect time to review what’s new in the citrus industry. The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo on Aug. 17–18 in North Fort Myers is the ideal venue to get the latest research updates while learning about new products and services. There’s no better place for industry leaders, growers, researchers and …
The pros of injecting the antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) into citrus tree trunks to combat HLB appear to be numerous, including increased fruit yield, according to scientist Ute Albrecht. On the other hand, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher only discussed one con, but it was a big one. “Trunk injections cause injury, and long-term …
Nicole Quinn recently joined the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) as an assistant professor of entomology. She’ll specialize in the biocontrol of invasive pests, insects and mites at the Hayslip Biological Control Research and Containment Laboratory. The lab is at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce. Quinn will begin …
By Ute Albrecht There have been numerous reports of malformed roots in field-grown citrus trees recently. The rootstock propagation method is often suspected as the culprit. Before drawing quick conclusions, it is important to recognize that there are many different factors that can influence the root structure of a citrus tree aside from the propagation method. These include the genetic …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Nian Wang reported in a July 20 webinar that HLB is a pathogen-triggered immune disease. After explaining the sequence in which the disease attacks trees, he suggested ways growers can use that knowledge to combat HLB. Wang is a microbiologist and cell scientist at the Citrus Research and Education Center. …
By J. Scott Angle Morgan McKenna always knew she’d return home some day. Three previous generations of McKennas hadn’t just made a living from citrus. They’d made a life of it. It’s a life she wanted, too. Morgan saw the family business as family first and business second. She was most interested in the emotional rewards of coming home to …
This month’s All In For Citrus podcast focuses on the upcoming Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo scheduled for Aug. 17–18 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, said the university’s citrus research team worked hard to develop …
By Davie Kadyampakeni Nutrients are needed for optimal citrus tree growth, fruit yields and juice quality. Any nutrient deficiencies could result in low yields and decreased revenue. Make sure citrus trees receive adequate macronutrients and micronutrients at all times. Macronutrients are those nutrients needed in large quantities to influence yield, growth and fruit quality. Macronutrients are further divided into two …
By Jude Grosser, Manjul Dutt and Fred Gmitter Exploiting citrus genetic diversity is the key to defeating HLB. Plant species have survived for millennia with evolving, hostile pathogens. This is possible through natural selection within genetically diverse populations. Tolerant or resistant individuals survive and intermate, get through the bottleneck, and the species evolves. Current citriculture is based on extremely limited …
There 17 essential elements that plants need to grow. Three of those elements come to plants via water and the atmosphere. The 14 other elements come from fertilizer applications. Almost all of those are dependent on soil pH to determine how well they are picked up by plants’ root systems. Getting the soil pH just right was discussed in the …
By Xavier Martini Planting wildflowers in and around fields is known to provide food resources and habitats for beneficial arthropods like pollinators and predators of pests. In two locations (Lake Alfred and Monticello), University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers tested whether planting native Florida wildflowers next to citrus grove windbreaks could improve natural pest control …
By Lourdes C. Pérez Cordero Management of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) in the HLB era is incredibly important. This well-known insect can vector and facilitate the spread of the bacterium associated with HLB disease. Therefore, effective reduction of ACP populations can be beneficial for the citrus industry. But how exactly do we manage this pest? Unfortunately, there is not …
