We Believe in Florida Citrus

The new Program Director of Florida’s Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program Tamara Wood gives details on the effort to encourage planting and reveal promising varieties and rootstocks and production practices in the HLB-era. To date, the program is responsible for more than 4,000 acres of new plantings.

Steven Callaham, CEO of the Dundee Citrus Growers Association, joins the podcast to discuss the association’s citrus under protective screen (CUPS) project. More than 300 acres under screen have been constructed to grow citrus in a psyllid-free environment, protecting trees from HLB. CUPS also promotes high-quality fruit and yields up to five times higher than conventional outside production.

With a year under his belt serving as Vice President of Agriculture and Natural Resources with the University of Florida, Dr. Scott Angle discusses ag research priorities at the Land Grant. He says finding solutions to HLB and updating nutrition recommendations reflective of current conditions around the disease balanced with water quality issues are of the highest priority.

Learn how an underperforming variety from the 1970s might find new life in the HLB-era on a new rootstock. And find out how breeders and industry are managing the thousands of potential new varieties in development.

Interview with Peter Chaires, Executive Director of the New Varieties Development and Management Corp.

This year’s award winner Larry Black, a grower and packer from Ft. Meade, weighs in on growing citrus in the HLB-era, variety and rootstocks he’s planting now, and science frontiers he’s excited about in the fight against HLB.