The Tropical Fruit Forum

The efficiency of a foliar spray as far as nutrient absorption into the leaf is highly dependent on the contact angle of the liquid solution that is sprayed on the leaf.  The lower the angle of the liquid to the leaf surface, the more thorough is the coating of the leaf's epidermis, and the better translocation of dissolved nutrients into the leaf's cells is observed.  The value of the droplet's angle can be successfully decreased by the application of a good surfactant, such as TW-20 (Tween-20) which reduces the surface tension of the droplets, into a film over the entire surface of the leaf .   An application of a surfactant can increase the efficiency of the foliar spray by as much as 60 percent.  - Millet

Today, almost all Ugli Tangelos are still grown only on the island of Jamaica.  Because Jamaica is a tropical location, the fruit does not turn completely orange when mature.  Jamaican Ugli fruit are a motley green and orange splotchy coloration.  When Ugli fruit are grown in more temperate areas the fruit turns an even orange.  - Millet

Citrus loss - $120 million plus

It was no wonder that some perishable citrus arrived in poor condition after floating around the California coast non-refrigerated for 8-10 weeks. Joel Nelsen, president of California Citrus Mutual in Exeter, which represents growers and packers, estimated losses to the citrus industry conservatively at $120 million.  Labor relations and bargaining between the longshoremen and the dock owners are not covered by the venerable Taft-Hartley law that oversees most of the bargaining efforts by employers and employees in other industries in the country. Policy requires other means for ending extended or out-of-control disagreements between the two parties, namely federal intervention. Remember the case of the air traffic controllers in 1981 where similar rules applied. President Ronald Reagan’s stern intervention preserved the industry, as striking traffic controllers were told to get back to work or get out. Tough times require tough action.Federal intervention in the case of the longshoremen’s shutdown did not occur. Nobody in authority seemed to care enough about our country’s agricultural trade commitments to take necessary action, and the illegal dispute continued for months. News stories reported that longshoremen’s ANNUAL SALARIES HOVERED IN THE  $160,000 range.  They also pointed out that much of the back-breaking labor demands on the docks have been replaced by power equipment and packaging improvements to practically eliminate heavy lifting.  Labor interests don’t seem to get it. Crying publicly and withholding services does not attract public sentiment. Instead, it destroys confidence in those services and undermines longstanding trade commitments. In this case, the emotional display destroyed trust in America’s ability to conduct free trade. It was a rotten deal. Another year and another season, and the agricultural industries involved will begin to recover.  But the country’s reputation for fair and open trade has suffered severe damage that will not be quickly regained.  The patriotism and commitment to free trade by America’s labor interests need an overhaul.

Millet
Editors Note:  They don't care how badly anyone else is hurt, as long as they get what they want.

Italy's citrus production for the 2014-2015 season is expected to take a hit due to a lack of water and the Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV). Italian orange production for the 2014-2015 season is expected to be 24 percent lighter than production from the previous season.
Millet

http://www.authenticprovence.com/french_caisse_de_versailles.cfm?idpro=7715&catid=151&cat2id=180&num_pag=1&keyword=&sort=Item_size_letter,%20SORT_NUM,%20ITEM_IDENTIFIER
Millet

Citrus varieties that are quite cold hardy, yet produce really excellent tasting fruit Satsuma's are king.   Xie Shan (pronounced She Shan)
is an early maturing Satsuma giving mature ready to eat fruit as early as September in most locations.   At the 2013 Citrus Expo's taste testing contest, Xie Shan won 1st place .   I have 3 Xie Shan Satsuma trees, because they produce such wonder fruit. - MIllet

The disease that threatens to destroy Florida’s $10.7 billion citrus industry appears to have its own mechanism to promote its spread, making it harder to control. A recent study by five University of Florida researchers shows Asian citrus psyllids fly earlier in their life cycles, more frequently and farther when they are infected with the citrus greening bacterium. Adult psyllids have a lifespan of about 40 days at 77 degrees Fahrenheit, reaching sexual maturity and maximum flight capacity four days after emerging from their nymphal stage. Pelz-Stelinski and her team used psyllids ranging in age from five to 15 days after emergence for their experiments in a controlled, quarantined lab. Pelz-Stelinski says male adults are more attracted to female psyllids when she is carrying the greening bacterium.  But the females are more attracted to plant odors than to males and prefer uninfested new vegetation over infested vegetation because it is more nutritional. In addition, females are repelled by high densities of other psyllid females. - Millet

 Additional discoveries of the devastating tree disease huanglongbing in urban neighborhoods in the Los Angeles area have California citrus growers on high alert. University of California Cooperative Extension advisers are urging all citrus growers to monitor their trees for disease symptoms as they conduct research on possible solutions. For instance, a team at UC-Davis is working to fuse two immunosuppressive genes that attack the disease in different ways to make the plant more effective in fighting the disease, while scientists at UC-Riverside are working with Florida researchers to develop a rootstock with natural resistance to HLB.
Millet

The fruit is just starting to change from dark green to lighter green .  Next is the turn to yellow.  I'll post when it is ready for seed. = Millet

It has quickly risen to 5 trees.

Two new confirmed cases of Huanglongbing were revealed in the same San Gabriel, Calif. neighborhood, bringing the total to five the number of trees infected by the bacterial disease in citrus since 2012. Four of those cases were confirmed within days of each other in July. The announcements forced the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to effectively double its regulatory quarantine within the region to 180 square miles. That region now effectively covers a zone from Pasadena to LaHabra in the counties of Los Angeles and Orange. According to the CDFA, HLB was confirmed July 10 in a kumquat tree in San Gabriel using standardized testing procedures. A lime tree in a neighbor’s yard was confirmed within a couple days and shortly thereafter confirmations were made in nearby calamondin and mandarin trees. So far the disease has been limited to residential neighborhoods with non-commercial citrus.

Millet

http://www.freshplaza.com/article/143294/Bright-future-for-citrus-thanks-to-citrus-wash-line?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_medium=ed1&utm_source=s2

Millet

Last October I cut back an 8-foot tall Marisol Clementine to bare branches, leaving not one single leaf.  After a week or so it begin regrowing new foliage,   Today. eight months later, the new growth is about 30 inches in length.  However, bear cutting a citrus tree uses up a lot of the tree's carbon, so I would not do it very often. - Millet

When a citrus grove is flooded, root damage does not start until about the second day of being under water (48 hours).  I frequently water my container trees by submerging the entire container under water over night to give them a good drink. There has never been any sort of problem doing so.  An over night soak should take care of your ant problem. - Millet