LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — Citrus Greening or Huanglongbing (HLB) continues to impact citrus production areas of Florida. The 2022 Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute is an opportunity for Florida citrus growers to come together to learn about effective management of HLB and other challenging diseases affecting the industry.
This year’s institute will be held Tuesday, April 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at South Florida State College, Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts in Avon Park, Florida. The Institute returns to an in-person format after being offered on-line for the past two years.
“We have put together a program that addresses critical needs for Florida citrus growers with information they can use today,” said Chris Oswalt, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension citrus agent.
Topics this year, presented by faculty from the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center and the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, include horticultural management of HLB, citrus pest management and citrus irrigation and nutrition.
The program will kick off with updates from Michael Rogers, director for the UF/IFAS Citrus REC and Richard Dantzler, COO of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation. Citrus black spot and the potential impact of chemical weed control on tree health and fruit drop will be featured in the citrus pest management session.
Presentations on citrus root structures, foliar applications to reduce fruit drop in Hamlin oranges, and an update on gibberellic acid studies will be highlighted in the citrus horticulture session
The citrus irrigation and nutrition section will feature the use of smartphone apps, irrigation scheduling for tree performance, and nitrogen and phosphorous recommendations for HLB-affected trees.
The event is free to grower but requires pre-registration by April 1, 2022. You can register at 2022 Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute Tickets, Tue, Apr 5, 2022, at 8:30 AM | Eventbrite
Continuing Education Units Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) will be offered for holders of restricted use pesticide licenses (RUP) and certified crop advisors (CCA). There will be 4.5 CEU’s available in the following categories: private applicator, agricultural tree crop and demonstration & research for RUP license holders. CEU’s have been requested for CCA’s in the appropriate CEU categories, approval is still pending.
–Brad Buck, UF/IFAS
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