University of Florida citrus and vegetable researchers will present the latest scientific findings for food production at the 78th Florida Citrus Show on April 3.
UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center partners with AgNet Media and the Indian River Citrus League
A line up of educational seminars will build on last year’s extraordinarily successful show, organized by AgNet Media, an agricultural production news leader, and co-sponsored by the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center (UF/IFAS IRREC) and the Indian River Citrus League. The 2024 show will feature a tailgate-style breakfast and lunch tradeshow and an event-long festival-like atmosphere flanked by the UF/IFAS IRREC located at 2199 South Rock Road and the adjacent United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Horticultural Research Laboratory. Citrus and vegetable growers and industry-agency members who wish to attend may register with the show’s sponsor, AgNet Media, at this link.
“Given that Indian River District growers are known to produce the world’s peerless grapefruit, we demonstrate UF/IFAS’s unwavering support and devotion to Florida’s citrus industry and vegetable production by co-hosting the 2024 Florida Citrus Show,” said IRREC Director Ronald Cave. “Florida is our nation’s yearlong vegetable production source.” 
78th Florida Citrus Show expands on successful 77th Florida Citrus Show new format
Expansions to the 78th Florida Citrus Show’s educational seminars will offer growers opportunities to hear from a panel of citrus growers on their techniques to manage citrus greening in their operations. Session leaders are IRREC professors and scientists Sandra Guzmán, an expert in smart irrigation and hydrology, Mark Ritenour, an expert in postharvest technology, Flavia Zambon, an expert in citrus horticulture, Anna Mészáros, extension agent in commercial horticulture, and Erin Rosskopf, USDA microbiology research leader.
“Presentations for the 78th Florida Citrus Show will address growers’ most urgent needs and support their operations so that we may lead profitable food production operations that serve our nation with safe, nutritious and high-quality food,” said Amir Rezazadeh, UF/IFAS multi-county tree crops extension agent.
Panel of Heritage and new, innovative citrus growers
Heritage citrus growers George Hamner Jr. and Pat Schirard and inventive rising producers Timothee Salin and Matt Machata will serve as panel members.
Panel of UF/IFAS citrus tree plant breeders
A second panel of leading citrus breeders will discuss new techniques and recommendations to advance crops that tolerate disease. Panel members will be UF/IFAS plant breeders John Chater and Jude Grosser. Representing the USDA will be Matt Mattia and Kim Bowman.
Interactive table displays between sessions
This year the vegetable session will have interactive table displays accompanied by IFAS educational talks covering producer needs in southeast Florida and new technologies available for vegetable production.
Trunk injection therapy performance.
New therapies.
Water farm research updates.
Sweet orange definition to offset HLB.
Pectin extraction and characterization.
Citrus IFAS fertilizer recommendations update.
Post-harvest fungal disease management.
Nanoparticles to enhance soil amendment performance.
Vegetable production sessions will include:
Food safety update.
Technologies and tools for vegetable production, including soil moisture sensors and drones.
Weed ID and management.
Nematode management by anaerobic soil disinfestation.
Name that vegetable virus.
T. parvispinus ID trapping, monitoring and management.
Prior to each session, attendees may visit interactive demonstrations of leading-edge irrigation technology and soil moisture sensors.
“The education sessions are well attended because the topics are chosen based on potential industry impact and presented within 10 minutes each to focus on the most important ‘take-home’ messages for each talk,” Ritenour said. “
For more information about the 2024 Florida Citrus Show educational sessions, please contact Mark Ritenour, ritenour@ufl.edu, Sandra Guzmán, sandra.guzmangut@ufl.edu, or and Flavia Zambon, f.zambon@ufl.edu
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