The citrus research team at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) generates a lot of information from the trials and experiments they conduct each year. That information can be a valuable resource to growers who are seeking production guidance for their groves.

In the June episode of the All In For Citrus podcast, Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center, was excited to announce a new redesign of the citrus research team website. Visit citrusresearch.ifas.ufl.edu to see the new look.

Rogers said the redesign is intended to make relevant citrus research easier to find through intuitive drop-down menus and highlighted sections. In addition, the new design includes a section on new citrus cultivars, which was previously unavailable online.

He added that the team in charge of the redesign put a lot of thought, time and effort into creating something that should be more useful to growers seeking information. The website will be regularly updated and improved with feedback from users.

Also in the June episode of the podcast, Lauren Diepenbrock, UF/IFAS entomologist, discusses another item that is getting a makeover. The Florida Citrus Production Guide, which has been a hardbound book, will now come in a three-ring binder format for easier use and organization. It should also make it easier for UF/IFAS researchers to update relevant sections from year to year.

The new Florida Citrus Production Guide will be available for free at the UF/IFAS citrus research team booth during the Citrus and Specialty Crop Expo on Aug. 12-13. The event will be held at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center and adjoining Luminary Hotel in downtown Fort Myers.

The podcast is a partnership between UF/IFAS and AgNet Media.

After significant drought in many parts of Florida, some much-needed rainfall began in May as the rainy season approaches. That seasonal transition, from a grove management perspective, is the focus of the May episode of the All In For Citrus podcast.

Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, reminds growers that spring is a critical time of year to manage the fruit set occurring in groves for next season’s crop. He emphasizes the importance of proper irrigation and fertigation during mid-May as drought conditions persist, noting that grower decisions now will determine fruit set and yields for the rest of the year.

Without adequate fertilizer applications during this window, fruit will not size up properly, and fruit retention will be reduced. Frequent irrigation during the dry period is critical to help trees meet the demands of the fruit set period and avoid stress.

Sandra Guzmán, UF/IFAS assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering, offers a timely discussion on a software platform she and her team have developed called IrrigMonitor. The system helps growers determine optimal watering times to avoid both over-irrigation and under-irrigation during drought or rainy periods. The software works with tools like soil moisture sensors and weather stations that growers already have on their farms.

Guzmán said IrrigMonitor is a decision support platform designed to help growers determine whether trees need water based on combined data from soil moisture, weather forecasts and irrigation schedules. She describes the tool as a "weather app for irrigation" that provides real-time guidance for irrigation decisions.

For growers interested in learning more about IrrigMonitor, Guzmán can be contacted at sandra.guzmangut@ufl.edu.

Also in the May podcast, Fernando Alferez, UF/IFAS associate professor of citrus horticulture, shares new data from his research on the use of individual protective covers (IPCs) and brassinosteroids to protect and rejuvenate trees impacted by HLB. He also discusses new research data on citrus canker management.

The podcast is a partnership between UF/IFAS and AgNet Media.

In April, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted its annual Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park. The event is the subject of discussion in the April All In For Citrus podcast episode.

Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), says the Institute is among the big three citrus events each year. The others are the Florida Citrus Show held in March and the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo scheduled for Aug. 12–13 in Fort Myers.

The morning session of the Institute included timely presentations from UF/IFAS citrus researchers. After lunch, a meet-and-greet format gave growers the opportunity to converse with scientists one-on-one.

Rogers discusses a presentation by Ute Albrecht, UF/IFAS associate professor of plant physiology, which laid out data from her ongoing research on trunk-injection of oxytetracycline. Her trials over three years show steady improvement in yields, and fruit-quality improvements are beginning to show up.

Rogers also emphasizes the importance of the presentation given by Matt Smith, UF/IFAS Extension commercial crop production and food systems agent for Lake and Orange counties. His talk outlined new pesticide regulations related to the Endangered Species Act. Growers need to understand what these rules mean and how they impact herbicides and insecticides. Fungicide regulations are coming soon.

The podcast also includes an interview with Smith on the scene at the Institute. He discusses pesticide use limitation areas (PULAs) in detail. PULAs are part of the new rules for pesticide application. Smith says this is no longer a regulation coming soon; it is a regulation that is in place.

Also included in the podcast are interviews with UF/IFAS entomologist Lukasz Stelinski and UF/IFAS weed scientist Ramdas Kanissery, conducted at the Institute.