LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — Citrus growers depend on the latest information regarding the best irrigation and nutrition strategies for growing productive trees. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers will share recent results for optimal crop management at a workshop and field visit opportunity on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, Florida.
Davie Kadyampakeni, assistant professor of soil and water sciences and Chris Oswalt, UF/IFAS Extension citrus agent along with other UF/IFAS researchers will present their findings for integrated nutrient management and crop protection strategies to improve root health, canopy size, juice quality and fruit yield in bearing orange trees. The workshop will provide information on optimal irrigation scheduling and fertilizer timing strategies and irrigation/fertilizer application amounts for both young and mature trees.
The morning session includes presentations on a smartphone irrigation app for young tree irrigation scheduling, irrigation management strategies for mature trees affected by HLB, season-long timing of fertilization to match citrus trees’ nutrient demands, and impacts of macro and micronutrients on root health, yield and juice quality. The afternoon will include a field visit to view how these strategies are used in a grove.
This workshop is designed for commercial citrus growers. The fee is $40 and includes refreshments, BBQ lunch and printed workbook of materials. It begins at 9:30 a.m. and runs to 2:00 p.m. To register visit, https://feb22citrusmanagement.
–Ruth Borger, UF/IFAS
