Some citrus growers, especially those who grow fresh fruit for export, are familiar with MRLs, or Maximum Residue Levels. MRLs are the amounts of various agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides, that are allowed in food products in numerous nations. MRLs will eventually be enforced on all citrus products, not just fresh fruit, FFVA’s Mike Aerts told production managers at a recent Bayer CropScience citrus conference near Orlando. Southeast AgNet’s Ernie Neff attended this conference, interviewed Aerts about this, and gives us the following reports.
Bayer Crop Science held a citrus conference Thursday near Orlando, FL and Southeast AgNet’s Ernie Neff was there. In the first report Ernie reports about the three keys to greening which was discussed. The second report is dealing with MRL’s.
Greening report:
MRL’s report:
Recent discussions among industry and grower leaders trying to move forward to solve the so-called “free-rider” issue continue to bring new options to the table. In this report, Florida Citrus Commission Chairman Ben Albritton Jr discusses the main options on the table right now and in his words the different angles of each to consider. Albritton says it is growing closer to a time when the talks need to end and decisions need to be made.
Researchers continue to look for new and better ways to detect and confirm the presence of citrus greening. Meanwhile, a process known as the “PCR Test” is recognized as the best available method so far, albeit not 100 percent reliable as yet according to the research community. In this report, horticulturist Dr Tim Spann at University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center is asked just what the so-called “PCR” test is and how it works.
In this report, comments from Dr Tim Spann, Horticulturist at UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center at Lake Alfred, FL, about what is being learned in the area of discovery of citrus greening. Spann was a recent speaker at the Re-Scheduled Citrus Expo Seminars. In fact, he was a key player on the Citrus Expo Committee this year who assembled and handled the logistics for the seminar speakers lineup overall. And you can also now find the power point presentations from most of the presentations on line by clicking here. Now click the icon below to hear Spann’s comments in this report.
In these two features on this subject with soil scientist Arnold Schumann at the Citrus Research and Education Center at Lake Alfred, he describes different methods and technologies involved, and talks about the costs to get into variable rate fertilization techniques. Schumann was one of the featured presenters at the recently re-scheduled Citrus Expo seminars at Lake Alfred.
According to soil scientist Arnold Schumann in his talk at the recent Citrus Expo Seminars, variable rate fertilization could save citrus growers a lot of money in fertilization costs. Additionally, he says growers should not over-apply fertilizers either, since doing so could actually cause higher pest populations, including more citrus psyllids to deal with. Hear Schumann’s comments in these reports.
In this report, more from UF entomologist Dr Michael Rogers about what is being learned about the citrus psyllid. Rogers was a presenter at the recently Re-Scheduled Citrus Expo Seminars on September 4, after the original Citrus Expo in late August had to be cancelled due to Tropical Storm Fay. Rogers says much of what is being learned will be valuable for growers trying to best manage the spread of HLB, or citrus greening disease, in Florida citrus groves.
Researchers are learning a lot about citrus psyllids these days. In these reports, Entomologist Lukasz Stelinski at UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center at Lake Alfred discusses what is being learned in several areas of psyllid research, including among others the speed and movement of psyllids, effectiveness of different droplet sizes when applying control products, guava’s possible repellant traits and its possible toxic impact on psyllid populations, and more. Stelinski was one of the presenters at the recently re-scheduled Citrus Expo Seminars at Lake Alfred.
One of the pointed messages from the recently rescheduled Citrus Expo Seminars at Lake Alfred was delivered by Jamie Yates, who coordinates the canker and greening extension education program for UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center. One of the first speakers on the program, and also a key player in helping AgNet put the rescheduled seminar programs together at Lake Alfred, Yates told growers that scouting groves at regular intervals for the presence of psyllid and greening disease should be considered an ongoing part of the grove management plan. Hear more in this report:
In this report, a research update about citrus psyllid control. Entomologist Lukasz Stelinski at UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center at Lake Alfred discussed the topic at the recently re-scheduled Citrus Expo Seminars, telling growers that temperature matters when applying different types of products to control citrus psyllid populations.
In these reports, comments from Charlie Lucas of Consolidated Citrus who was on hand for the recently re-scheduled Citrus Expo Seminars. Lucas comments on the high water situation in some of the Consolidated groves around the state, and on what he learned from the fertilizer talks at the seminars.
In these reports, comments from Dr Jim Graham at UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center at Lake Alfred, about dealing with the spread of citrus canker resulting from the passing of tropical storm systems like Fay recently. Graham spoke on the topic at last week’s re-scheduled Citrus Expo Seminars at Lake Alfred.
Comments in this story from Ben Albritton, wearing his grower and grove caretaker hat when asked what he would say to growers having to deal with standing water in their groves from recent storm activity. Albritton is also Chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission right now, and was among several hundred citrus growers attending the re-scheduled Citrus Expo Seminars Thursday at UF/CREC at Lake Alfred.
In this report we share reaction comments from citrus grower & caretaker, who’s also Citrus Commission Chairman Ben Albritton of Wauchula, who offers these comments about the re-scheduled Citrus Expo seminars attended by about 350 growers and others Thursday September 4. To Ben and all the other 350 or so growers who participated at both locations we also say “Thanks” for coming out on what was a beautiful day at UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) at Lake Alfred, and the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) in Immokalee.
Citrus Growers voted with their attendance this week at the re-scheduled Citrus Expo Seminars. About 300 at Lake Alfred and 50 or so in Immokalee attended the day long series of talks, focusing on the very latest research information about citrus greening. Bayer CropScience also used the event to help launch their new product “Movento”, and attendees enjoyed Love Boat Ice Cream at Bayer’s Ice Cream Social throughout the day. Stay tuned as we bring you interview clips with many of the speakers and other news gathered at this year’s Citrus Expo Seminars. A special thank you for all who attended, and all who helped set up for these events at both the CREC in Lake Alfred, and SWFREC in Immokalee. Hear more, and some grower reactions, in these two reports.
Lots of people have participated in the effort to re-schedule this year’s Citrus Expo Seminars after the blowout of the originally scheduled Expo event by Storm Fay a couple weeks back in Ft Myers. The folks at University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) at Lake Alfred (photo) have been a huge help in preparing the Ben Hill Griffin Auditorium at CREC for hundreds of growers, and UF’s Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) at Immokalee is also set for a full house too. The seminars will be available at both locations via two-way closed circuit broadcast, and full meals will be served for both lunch and dinner at both locations for all who attend.
The re-scheduled Citrus Expo Seminars this Thursday Sept 4 are still on, as Hanna still meanders trying to figure out which way she wants to go. Growers will get plenty of CEU credits for this full day of seminars, and all who attend should get plenty to eat too. Tell your grower neighbors, and find seminar listings and more details about this Thursday’s seminar program in Lake Alfred and Immokalee at www.CitrusExpo.net. You can also hear more in the two radio network reports posted below.
A new tropical weather system, Hanna, may threaten this week’s re-scheduled Citrus Expo Grower Seminars. As the time of this post Monday the re-staged seminars are still set for Thursday this week at Lake Alfred Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), with ‘live’ video hookup to the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) in Immokalee. The full-day seminar schedule is still planned as of this writing but should forecasts turn more ominous a final determination will be made and confirmed no later than 9 a m this Wednesday morning. Stay tuned to Southeast AgNet citrus news radio stations, to this website, or to www.CitrusExpo.net for the very latest. Meanwhile, hear more in these two reports.
Indian River citrus growers are dealing with more water than some of them have ever seen in their groves. In these reports, news and comments from Florida Citrus Packers Association spokesman Richard Kinney as growers now keep an eye on forecasts for the latest storm threat to the region, Hanna. Also in these reports, comments on what growers can expect at this week’s single day of re-scheduled Citrus Expo seminars, set for Lake Alfred and Immokalee for this Thursday, unless Hanna decides to become more ominous in the meantime, stay tuned. Click Here for the latest on re-scheduled Expo seminars
Citrus growers are reminded about the Citrus Expo Seminar coming up next Thursday, September 4th as Harold Browning with the CREC says they have a great program lined up.
To learn more about the Citrus Expo Seminar Day, click Here
Citrus growers are invited to attend the Citrus Expo Seminar coming up next Thursday, September 4th where a variety of topics will be discussed including greening and an update on psyllid management.
To learn more about the Citrus Expo Seminar Day, click Here
One of the newest members of the Citrus Research and Education Center staff at Lake Alfred is Megan Dewdney, who will be at the Citrus Expo Seminar on September 4th discussing her work with greening.
To learn more about the Citrus Expo Seminar next Thursday, click Here
More details are continuing to be confirmed for the special day of Citrus Expo replacement seminars planned for Thursday September 4. The seminar talks will be presented at UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center, with live video tie-in to SWFREC in Immokalee. Find details on the seminars and other festivities planned for this event, and learn how to RSVP for the Immokalee location by visiting the CITRUS EXPO website directly.
We have been telling you ever since the 2008 Citrus Expo was cancelled earlier this week efforts have been underway to try and schedule a day when the seminar only portion of the program could still take place. And that date has been set for September 4th.
For complete details of when where and what time click Here
Since the forced cancellation of Citrus Expo this week due to official storm warnings and related factors, Citrus Expo has been working hard to research and secure some way of providing the important research updates and other materials readied for presentation to the grower and industry community. The Citrus Expo Seminars Day in this post will combine both days of Citrus Expo Seminars into a SINGLE FULL DAY. Note: CEU credits for both days of seminars that had been planned for Citrus Expo will be offered for those participating in this full day of re-scheduled presentations.
READ ON for more information on date, time, place, and other Citrus Expo Seminar Day festivities. Read the rest of this entry »