By RUTH BORGER

LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — While the coronavirus pandemic has changed much of the University of Florida citrus programming, one annual tradition continues, albeit with some changes. The 2020-2021 UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Production Guide is now available to growers, just as it has in years past.

The difference is that growers usually would have the first chance to pick up their copy at the annual Citrus Expo held in Fort Myers. With that show going virtual because of the pandemic, distribution plans for the guide have been adjusted.

What is the same is the publication which includes the latest technical advice on citrus greening disease, tree nutrition, grove management and other aspects of Florida citrus cultivation. The 264-page document is a comprehensive reference meant to assist growers in development and management of citrus groves in Florida, said Lauren Diepenbrock, a UF/IFAS entomology assistant professor and a member of the guide’s editorial team.

Topics covered in the guide include planting, irrigation, fertilization, weed control, insect management and disease management, she said. It was previously known as the Florida Citrus Pest Management Guide, but the name was changed a few years ago, after the content was expanded, she said. About 50 UF/IFAS personnel contributed to the latest edition.

“Each year, we update the guide with new information as it becomes available, so that we can continue to meet the needs of our growers as we learn about and/or develop new tools and strategies for citrus production,” Diepenbrock said.

Hard copies of the guide are now available at local UF/IFAS Extension county offices (please see chart)

While Extension offices are open, it is always best to email or call the agent ahead of time to check that the office is open and ensure that they have the guides waiting for you. For a directory of citrus agents, visit http://citrusagents.ifas.ufl.edu/locate/index.shtml.

Another way to access the guide is on-line through the UF/IFAS Extension Electronic Data Information Source library at the EDIS website. It will also be available at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center and the cirtrusresearch.ifas.ufl.edu websites.

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The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.

ifas.ufl.edu | @UF_IFAS

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