Tag: Citrus

Cluster of ripe oranges hanging from tree branches with green leaves.

In the battle against citrus greening, consumers will tell growers their perceptions of genetic editing

by Brad Buck
March 9, 2026

With the citrus industry at a crossroads, growers are looking for any solution to cope with the deadly citrus greening disease. Scientists see genetic editing – and in particular CRISPR technology -- as one potential avenue to rescue Florida’s ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Health & Nutrition
Tags: Bachir Kassas, Biotechnology, Citrus, Consumers, CRISPR, Crop Transformation Center, Food And Resource Economics Department, Gene Editing, Genetic Modification, Growers, Orange Juice, Preferences, Study, Survey
Close-up of a tree with orange fruits and green leaves against a blue sky.

UF/IFAS breeders release six new citrus greening-tolerant varieties, help growers battle HLB

by Brad Buck
March 6, 2026

Six new citrus greening-tolerant citrus varieties will soon be available for Florida growers, thanks to research by University of Florida breeders. Citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB) has devastated Florida’s citrus industry ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, SFYL Hot Topic
Tags: Brix, Citrus, Citrus Greening Disease, Citrus Research And Education Center, Citrus Varieties, Florida Citrus Mutual, Florida Department Of Citrus, Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Fred Gmitter, Greening Tolerant, HLB, Huanglongbing, Jude Grosser, New Varieties Development And Management Corp., Not-from-concentrate Orange Juice, Orange Juice, Plant Breeders
Dense cluster of green and yellow bamboo stalks with glossy green leaves.

From citrus to bamboo? Some growers might move to this crop with a multibillion-dollar worldwide market

by Brad Buck
March 6, 2026

With a global market valued at nearly $67 billion, bamboo may offer an alternative crop for some Florida growers reeling from a devastated citrus crop, says a University of Florida expert. “Bamboo is a good alternative crop to diversify ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: Alternative Crops, Bamboo, Citrus, Citrus Research And Education Center, Clumbing Bamboo, Construction, Davie Kadyampakeni, Food, Furniture, Low Invasion, Michael Rogers, Pests, Soil, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Water
Person in a hat holding a booklet stands near lush green bushes on a sunny day.

A protein can help make some citrus more tolerant to the deadly citrus greening disease – and it’s safe

by Brad Buck
March 6, 2026

Greening disease has devastated the citrus crop in Florida, but University of Florida scientists are using genes from another plant and putting them into Hamlin oranges to develop citrus plants that fight the disease. Scientists have developed ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Pests & Disease
Tags: AtNPR1, Citrus, Citrus Greening Disease, Citrus Growers, Crop Transformation Center, Eric Triplett, Greening Resistant, Greening Tolerant, Hamlin Oranges, Microbiology And Cell Science, NuCitrus, Pathogen, Symptoms, Toxic, Transgenic, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Food And Drug Administration, USDA Research Farm, Zhonglin Mou
Close-up of a colorful grasshopper on a rocky surface.

UF/IFAS experts give tips to manage the eastern lubber grasshopper, which can damage plants, citrus and vegetables

by Brad Buck
March 17, 2026

Eastern lubber grasshoppers are out in force throughout the Southeast, including some parts of Florida. They’re munching away on landscape plants, citrus and vegetable crops, while gardeners and growers are trying to minimize the damage. These ... READ MORE

Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Lawn, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS
Tags: Citrus, Crop Damage, Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, Gardens, Norm Leppla, Pest Management, Tia Silvasy, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, Vegetables
A tractor sprays a fine mist in a grove, surrounded by green trees laden with fruit.

Full steam ahead: Warm vapor and a low-dose herbicide control harmful citrus weed

by Brad Buck
March 18, 2026

Weeds have the potential to reduce Florida’s citrus crop by up to 30% annually. They compete with citrus trees for resources like water, light and nutrients, which can significantly reduce yield and fruit quality. Goat weed, a native perennial, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: Agricultural And Biological Engineering, Citrus, Goat Weed, Herbicide, Horticultural Sciences, Paraquat, Ramdas Kanissery, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, STEAM, Yiannis Ampatzidis
Man inspecting mesh netting over crops in a field.

Successful science: Mesh now covers about 1 million citrus trees in Florida, keeping Asian citrus psyllids at bay

by Brad Buck
March 27, 2026

As recently as five years ago, Florida citrus growers did not routinely put protective covers on their trees as part of their grove management. Now, the mesh covers at least 1 million trees on about 17,000 acres, mostly thanks to successful ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Asian Citrus Psyllid, Chlorophyll, Citrus, Citrus Greening Disease, Fernando Alferez, Horticultural Sciences, Individual Protective Covers, IPC, Mesh, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Tree Health
Close-up of a tree with orange fruits and bright green leaves.

UF awarded $5 million in NIFA grants to battle citrus greening disease

by Brad Buck
March 18, 2026

University of Florida scientists will elevate their efforts to control citrus greening, with about $5 million in grants from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). NIFA, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, split funding ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Amit Levy, Asian Citrus Psyllid, Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus, Citrus, Citrus Greening, Citrus Research And Education Center, Entomology, HLB, Horticultural Sciences, Huanglongbing, Integrated Pest Management, John Chater, Jose Chaparro, Lukasz Stelinski, Microbiology And Cell Science, Microcell, Nian Wang, Nifa, Plant Pathology, UF/IFAS Citrus Research And Education Center, USDA-NIFA
Close-up of a tree with orange fruits and bright green leaves.

UF scientists study how to breed faster-growing plants

by Samantha Murray
April 15, 2026

LAKE ALFRED, Fla. – In order to improve photosynthesis in plant leaves, two University of Florida scientists will study their roots and stems. More specifically, Christopher Vincent and Fred Gmitter hope to find the optimal relationship ... READ MORE

Category: SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Archive, Carbohydrates, Christopher Vincent, Citrus, Citrus Research, Citrus Research And Education Center, Fred Gmitter, Grant, Leaf Growth, Nifa, Nutrients, Photosynthesis, Plant Leaves, Plants, USDA, Water
Close-up of ripe oranges on a tree with green leaves and a blue sky in the background.

Center scientists aim to solve devastating citrus greening, first, then other crop diseases

by Brad Buck
March 6, 2026

University of Florida scientists are joining forces at the Crop Transformation Center (CTC) to wage a high-tech war against pests and diseases threatening Florida’s crops – arming farmers with cutting-edge solutions to protect the state’s ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, UF/IFAS
Tags: Alfred Huo, Bioinformatics, Charlie Messina, Citrus, Citrus Greening, Citrus Research And Education Center, Crop Transformation Center, Gene Editing, Genetics, Growers, Horticultural Sciences, Huanglongbing (HLB), Michael Rogers, Mid-Florida Research And Education Center, Single Cell Sequencing, Transgenic

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