Here’s Your Chance To Size Up New Citrus
October 1, 2012 
The 2012-2013 UF/IFAS citrus variety display dates have been locked in. Nurseries and growers should put these dates (see sidebar below) on their calendars and plan to attend. Attendees are asked to complete a survey of the selections on display and to sample as many of the varieties as possible (peel, section, eat, and drink). Some of the material displayed will be new items just discovered in the UF/IFAS field plots and others will be less juvenile samples of previously submitted selections.
It takes about 45 minutes to tour the tables and complete the survey. The information gleaned from this program is provided to the UF/IFAS Plant Improvement Team and used as a guide for variety release. These events are open to everyone. We need growers, packers, processors, and — most importantly — nurseries to attend and participate. Your participation will help assure that variety releases will be applicable to your needs. To get on the eMail invitation list, simply send me an eMail with your request.
What To Expect
People are interested in knowing more about the 2012-2013 displays and what one might reasonably expect to see. The tables are divided into orange and orange-like, Mandarin/tangerine types, and grapefruit/pummelo. Of course it is difficult to predict everything that will be shown at this year’s displays, but the UF/IFAS staff has provided some insight into what they are expecting:
- A very early seedless mini tangerine that was shown last year. It will be interesting to see the second fruiting of this selection. It garnered a lot of attention last year.
- Mandarin orange hybrids. Some of these are more tangerine-like, while some could clearly fit into the fresh orange category. One that has a pronounced navel was of great interest last year.
- The new Mandarin hybrid releases, highlighted in the June 2012 edition of “Citrus Nursery Source,” will be on display, as will the first dark-red pummelo brought to industry.
- UF/IFAS staff are hopeful that there will be seedless red pummelo to show this year.
- The Valquarius early maturing Valencia orange and other oranges targeted at processing will be on display.
- Of course, anyone looking at planting the Sugar Belle will be able to sample fruit at the December display in Lake Alfred.
- UF/IFAS staff members are always looking for earlier and later grapefruit and grapefruit-like varieties. If any are identified, they will be on display, too.
Symposium Synopsis
Recently, UF/IFAS Sr. Vice President Jack Payne convened a committee to conduct a review of the licensing program to see if it meets the needs of the agricultural community in providing new germplasm as well as meet the needs of the UF/IFAS Agricultural Experiment Station and plant breeders.
In addition, a symposium was held in early August, to give agricultural producers and stakeholders an overview of the current process, legal requirements, and a glimpse at how the licensing process is handled at peer institutions.
The symposium also provided an opportunity for UF/IFAS and Florida Foundation Seed Producers to solicit input from industry stakeholders. The event was well attended, though a small representation from citrus. For a link to the agenda, presentations, and survey information from the event, click here. One of the more interesting postings is a survey conducted by Florida Foundation Seed Producers, exploring how variety licensing is handled at other colleges and universities. Though the list of university respondents is not exhaustive, it is a very informative document. If you were not able to attend the symposium, the link provides helpful information and history on the licensing process.
Subscribe Today For
