What Florida Citrus Growers Can Do To Help Save Groves After Hurricane Ian
October 7, 2022 Citrus growers in Florida are in full recovery mode after the onslaught from Hurricane Ian. While initial tree damage and fruit loss assessments are taking place, certain quick actions can prevent even further casualties from occurring in groves.
View all
Citrus experts from UF/IFAS have compiled some helpful tips on what growers should look for and some recommended steps to take after the storm.
Check out what they have to say:
Flood waters resulting from heavy rains can severely impact roots already diminished because of HLB. Phytophthora is a pathogen that attacks citrus tree roots, which are already weakened by HLB. Wet conditions, especially flooded groves, increase the possibility of phytophthora infection in groves with historical problems. If standing water has occurred in groves with phytophthora problems, growers should evaluate for root damage and treat accordingly.
Hurricane Ian caused fruit to drop from trees but also weakened fruit left on trees. Tripti Vashisth, Associate Professor of horticulture, recommends applying gibberellic acid in the next few weeks and prior to October 30 to support the tree’s ability to hold on to its fruit.
“Extensive leaf loss is going to stress already stressed trees,” she says. “It is quite likely that extensive leaf loss with good soil moisture will induce new growth. GA application at this time can help with rehabilitating the trees and improve the leaf growth.”
Some growers are already using GA in a series of applications to improve fruit production and should continue to do so. Growers not using GA in this way are encouraged to make at least one application to encourage leaf growth lost to the hurricane, which will support future fruit production.
Tree defoliation also poses the risk of Asian citrus psyllids being attracted to any new flush that the trees will produce. It would be wise to watch for pest flareups associated with intense flushing later in October in those areas that were heavily defoliated by Ian.
UF/IFAS is engaged in several efforts related to disaster response and recovery in the aftermath of natural disaster events, including Hurricane Ian. One of those efforts is to collect and provide information on the impacts of natural disasters on affected agricultural operations. The UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program has deployed an updated, streamlined version of its assessment tool to assess the impacts of Hurricane Ian.
In addition, producers are encouraged to fill out the UF/IFAS Agricultural Damage and Loss Assessment survey. This assessment tool will be open for several weeks to allow for data to continue to come in from areas that have experienced the most intense impacts.
For additional information regarding post-hurricane measures, including information on insurance and disaster relief claims, click here.
Loading ...Subscribe Today For
