The All In For Citrus Podcast

All In For Citrus, Episode 12 August 2019

August's All In for Citrus podcast includes some exciting updates from the recent Citrus Expo!

First, Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center, summarizes the good grower responses that UF/IFAS has received regarding the seminar program at Citrus Expo. He discusses the new Hands-on session that attracted a full house on the second day of Expo. “They (growers) thought it was very worthwhile to stick around and participate,” he says. Finally, Rogers summarizes a new program he introduced at Expo, in which UF/IFAS will fund some nutrition sampling to encourage growers to conduct soil and leaf samples.

Then, Multi-County Citrus Extension Agent Mongi Zekri discusses the effectiveness of tree covers on young trees in the fight against citrus greening. Zekri talks about the material of the tree cover, as well as if he thinks it's worth the extra cost for growers.

Lastly, Ute Albrecht, a citrus physiologist at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, gives an in-depth look to her work with rootstocks. She talks about what rootstocks are and why growers should keep an eye on this work. She also goes over the presentation she gave at the recent Citrus Expo. If you could not make it to her presentation at Expo, listen to the August program to get up-to-date.

All In For Citrus, Episode 11 July 2019

Researchers at the University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center are gearing up for the 2019 Citrus Expo! Get a sneak peek of what to expect at during the citrus program on July’s All In for Citrus podcast. Also, growers will also hear an update on a recent pest alert on this month’s program.

Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center, discusses new opportunities for growers to learn in interactions with researchers at Citrus Expo on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 15. He discusses numerous topics that will be addressed at each of several stations where growers will participate in “hands-on” activities. At the same time, researchers at round tables will talk with growers in “meet the specialist” sessions, he says.

Citrus Expo educational seminars are addressed by horticulturist Tripti Vashisth, who is organizing the Aug. 14-15 citrus seminars. She lists all the presentations that will be made and reports in-depth on a talk she’ll make Aug. 14 regarding fruit drop. She has found that fruit drop is heavily related to fruit size and says growers who improve fruit size with good irrigation and nutrition can reduce drop.

Entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock provides a thorough update on the lebbeck mealybug, the latest citrus pest found in Highlands County groves in June. She discusses the potential heavy damage this pest can cause, immediate steps growers can take to reduce its spread, and possible long-term control measures. She tells who growers should contact if they suspect they have the lebbeck mealybug in their groves.

Be sure to register for the 2019 Citrus Expo, happening Aug. 15-16 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, FL. All pre-registered growers will automatically be entered to win a John Deere gun safe courtesy of Everglades Equipment Group. The seminar schedule will be coming soon. Visit CitruExpo.net for more information or to register.

All In For Citrus, Episode 10 June 2019

June's All In for Citrus Podcast is filled with updates on University of Florida citrus research

First, Michael Rogers focuses on a recent Florida visit by some USDA administrators who make the decisions on how millions of dollars in Farm Bill citrus research money are allocated. He explains that the visit was very valuable for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture officials because they got to learn what research growers need, and what research is already being conducted.

Following that, Kelly Morgan, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) director, gives listeners an update on citrus research happening at the center. Morgan was a guest on the first All In for Citrus Podcast in 2018 where he laid the framework of what was to come for the center in 2019, and this month he gives a break down on how those projects are going so far.

Lastly, Ozgur Batuman, assistant professor of citrus pathology at SWFREC, talks about a project he's been working on since he came on the SWFREC staff in 2016. The project revolves around creating a robotic arm that can help citrus growers apply chemicals in their groves. He discusses the beginnings of the project and how it may be a game changer in growers' production systems.

A reminder that grower registration for the 2019 Citrus Expo is now open! The Citrus Expo will be held August 14-15 at the Lee civic center in North Fort Myers, Florida. All registered growers will automatically be entered to win a John Deere gun safe courtesy of Everglades Equipment Group. Visit CitrusExpo.net to register and find more information.

All In For Citrus, Episode 9 May 2019

May's All In for Citrus podcast gives growers the latest updates on everything citrus research. First, Michael Rogers, Citrus Research and Education Center director, focuses on recent media coverage, mostly negative, about antibiotic use in citrus. He talks about the safety measures in use for antibiotics, commonly referred to as bactericides, which many have used as a tool against HLB. He tells why the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has no guidelines for antibiotic use. Finally, he reminds growers to plan on attending Citrus Expo August 14-15 in North Fort Myers.

Following that, listeners will hear from Scott Angle, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Angle took his seat as director in October 2018, and one of his first stops was to Florida. During the interview, conducted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences communications team, he discusses some of the things he saw and his hopes for the future.

Lastly, Arnold Schumann, professor of soil science at the Citrus Research and Education Center, reports on his 5 years of research into citrus under protective screen (CUPS) for fresh fruit. He says CUPS, used to exclude the psyllids that spread HLB, requires a different production system than conventional outdoor growing systems but offers excellent yield and fruit quality. Schumann discusses the startup and ongoing production costs for CUPS, and his optimism that growers can be profitable with CUPS.

A reminder that pre-registration for the 2019 Citrus Expo opens on June 1. All pre-registered growers will automatically be entered to win a John Deere gun safe courtesy of Everglades Equipment Group. Join AgNet Media on August 14-15 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida for another great gathering of citrus leaders.

All In For Citrus, Episode 8 April 2019

April’s All In for Citrus Podcast has a different set up than previous programs. This month’s podcast kicks-off with a message from Michael Rogers, center director at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC).  He gives a summary of the recent Citrus Growers Institute that took place at the beginning of April in Avon Park.

Following his message, All In for Citrus Host Abbey Taylor and Southeast AgNet’s Ernie Neff sit down with three citrus researchers from the CREC, Tripti Vashisth, Lauren Diepenbrock and Megan Dewdney. This month, Taylor and Neff complete a roundtable interview with the three scientists as they recap findings from a recent citrus conference in California. They reported these findings at the Citrus Growers Institute.

All In For Citrus, Episode 7 March 2019

March's All In for Citrus podcast brings multiple citrus research updates to Florida's citrus growers.

First, Michael Rogers, center director of the University of Florida's (UF) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), discusses the upcoming Citrus Grower's Institute. He discusses the planned seminar program, which is jam-packed with citrus greening management methods. Also included in the program is presentations regarding citrus weed management and a regulatory update. The Citrus Grower's Institute will take place on April 2 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the South Florida State College's Alan Jay Wildstein Center for Performing Arts in Avon Park. Interested attendees can register here.

Then, listeners will hear from Amir Rezazadeh, a new citrus multi-county Extension agent with UF. Rezazadeh introduces himself to growers, discussing his background and his goals in his new position.

Following Rezazadeh will be Yu Wang, an assistant professor at the UF CREC. Wang's job focuses on citrus flavor and consumer preferences for citrus flavor. She goes over how she gathers consumer likes and dislikes, then how she communicates her findings to the research community. She also discusses juice quality and how citrus greening has played a role in that.

Finally, March's podcast wraps up with Rhuanito "Johnny" Ferrarezi, an assistant professor of citrus horticulture at the UF Indian River Research and Education Center. He gives listeners updates on a couple of projects he has been working on. First, he discusses his grapefruit variety trials and gives some updates on recent findings. Then, he talks about a continuing project on Citrus Under Protective Screens or CUPS.

All In For Citrus, Episode 6 February 2019

In February's All In for Citrus podcast, learn about the new faces with the University of Florida's citrus research staff, a winter weather watch program, flowering models and how fertilization impacts fruit quality.

All In For Citrus, Episode 5 January 2019

The January All In for Citrus Podcast includes a breakdown of what's planned for citrus research in 2019, an update from citrus Extension, a good-bye message from an industry leader and the newest cutting-edge research in fighting citrus pathogens.

All In For Citrus, Episode 4 December 2018

December's All In for Citrus podcast begins with a year in review with Dr. Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center. Then, microbes and food safety are discussed by University of Florida citrus researchers.

All In For Citrus, Episode 3 November 2018

November's All In for Citrus podcast is heavily focused on production with topics such as, what to plant now, the economics of planting and nutrition management.