California Ag Network

Category: Citrus Industry

  • New Avocado Study Outlines Costs & Returns of High-Density Plantings

    Growers considering producing avocados in San Diego County with high-density plantings now have help to determine the economic feasibility. A new study on the costs and returns of establishing and producing avocados in San Diego County has been released by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Cooperative Extension, UC Agricultural Issues Center and the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

    A worker prunes weak tree branches to improve sunlight penetration in a high-density avocado orchard.

    Avocado has been one of the prominent crops produced in Southern California since the early 1950s. California avocado production peaked in 1987-88 with about 76,300 acres. San Diego had been the leading producer accounting for about 60% of the acreage.

    “Beginning in the early 1980s, there has been a continuous decline of acreage and production of avocados in San Diego County, said Etaferahu Takele, UC Cooperative Extension farm management advisor for Southern California and co-author of the study. “This is mainly because of the expansion of urban development that has increased the cost of producing the crop and especially the cost of water, reaching to up to $2,000 per acre feet in 2020.”

    The same amount of water was sufficient for the high-density avocados as it was for the traditional planting (Photo by Gary Bender).

    High-density planting increases profitability of avocado production given there is suitable land for high-density orchard development.

    Although the cost of water accounts for 44% of the total production cost in the high-density planting, the water cost is proportionally less than in the conventional planting of 145 trees per acre when distributed over a higher yield per acre, the authors write.

    Their cost analysis describes production operations for avocados planted at 430 trees per acre, with an expected life span of 40 years. The study includes a detailed summary of costs and returns and a profitability analysis of gross margin, economic profit and a break-even ranging analysis table, which shows profits over a range of prices and yields. Growers can identify their gross margin and returns to management based on their yield and prices received.

    UC Cooperative Extension advisor Gary Bender checks sunlight penetration in a high-density avocado orchard.

    Input and reviews were provided by a UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor and grower cooperators in San Diego County. The authors describe the assumptions used to identify current costs for avocado establishment and production, material inputs, cash and non-cash overhead.

    The new study, “Avocado Establishment and Production Costs and Profitability Analysis in High Density Planting, San Diego County-2020,” can be downloaded for free from the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics website at http://coststudies.ucdavis.edu and UCCE Riverside County Farm Management website at https://ucanr.edu/sites/Farm_Management/Costs_and_Returns. Sample cost of production studies for many other commodities are also available on the websites.

    For additional information or an explanation of the calculations used in the studies, refer to the “Assumptions” section of the report or contact Takele at (951) 683-6491 Ext. 243 or ettakele@ucanr.edu or Donald Stewart at the UC Agricultural Issues Center at destewart@ucdavis.edu. — By Pamela Kan-Rice, UCANR

  • Stay Vigilant with Asian Citrus Psyllid Finds on the Rise

    In the past few months, we have seen sporadic Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) detections popping up across California. While the citrus industry’s efforts have thus far kept Huanglongbing (HLB) out of commercial groves, these recent ACP detections are a reminder that we cannot let our guard down. The most effective way to prevent the spread of HLB is to keep psyllids out of our orchards.

    After ACP detections in multiple counties (Kern, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Tulare, Contra Costa and others) were confirmed earlier this fall — including areas with historically low ACP activity — the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee is encouraging all growers to stay informed, scout for ACP and treat when advised.

    The recommendations outlined in the Voluntary Grower Response Plan, developed collaboratively by growers and scientists, represent the most effective tools known to the citrus industry at this time and are meant to supplement the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s required regulatory response. You can help prevent the spread of ACP by following these best practices, participating in recommended winter treatments and ensuring haulers and transporters are tarping loads.

    While we should expect to see this type of “flare up” occasionally, we need to remain vigilant – even when things are quiet – to ensure we continue to stay on top of this elusive pest and the dangerous disease it spreads. The upfront cost to manage ACP is much less than the potential hit to our industry if HLB spreads throughout the state. To date, HLB has only been identified in backyard citrus trees in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and hasn’t made its way into a commercial citrus grove yet. To keep HLB out of commercial citrus, psyllid control is especially critical this season with warmer weather encouraging more pests.

    Here is what you can do:

    • Follow the best practices outlined in the Voluntary Grower Response Plan for Huanglongbing
    • Participate in treatment strategies recommended by the University of California (UC)
    • Adhere to tarping regulations that help keep pests from hitching a ride to new areas of the state

    Visit citrusinsider.org for more information and resources on the voluntary grower best practices, tarping regulations and UC treatment recommendations.

    Questions?
    Contact your regional grower liaison for the latest information on detections near you and coordinated or area-wide treatment schedules. Find your grower liaison here.

    Let’s work together to protect California citrus for your businesses, neighbors and generations to come.

    Sincerely,
    Jim Gorden
    Chair, Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee

  • Root Bacteria Could Help Defeat Fatal Citrus Disease

    A UC Riverside-led team is looking at tiny underground microorganisms for a way to prevent a huge problem — Huanglongbing, a disease with no cure that has decimated citrus orchards worldwide.

    The disease, also known as HLB or citrus greening, has multiple names but the same ultimate result: bitter and worthless citrus fruits. By some estimates, the end of citrus orchards in California and Florida could amount to $14 billion in lost commercial revenue.

    Fruit affected by Huanglongbing. (UCR)

    “Often times, it is thought of as an above-ground disease of the fruits, leaves, and stems,” said Caroline Roper, plant pathology professor and director of the new research effort. “However, we have seen the roots of trees decline with infection, and we want to understand why.”

    The National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded the UCR-led team $10 million over the next five years to investigate the role of soil and root microbes in the disease.

    Roper said data from previous studies shows the microbiome of the infected tree — which includes bacteria and fungi as well as protozoa and viruses — plays a role in the disease.

    “We have seen a shift in the root microbiome as trees get sicker,” she said.

    The microbiomes shift to contain more potentially parasitic organisms that may act as secondary invaders to a tree that is suffering from HLB, according to Roper. The invasion of these root pathogens may be causing trees to die faster when they have HLB.

    Part of this new research effort will test whether soil amendments like manure and compost might suppress parasitic microorganisms in the roots as well as the soil, and give the trees more strength to combat diseases including HLB.

    In addition, the research team will try to determine the molecular basis of HLB resistance shown by citrus root stocks developed in Florida. They’ll then see how those rootstocks perform in California, which has different soil and climate conditions.

    The research team will examine both younger trees, because a lot of citrus growers have had to re-plant their orchards after infection, as well as older trees to see if mature groves can recover.

    It will also be important to note how well root stocks from Florida, where there has been a heavy infestation of HLB, perform in California, where much less of the disease has been detected.

    “One of the great things about this grant is that we’re able to leverage existing field trials being done by our collaborators in Florida and at the UC’s Lindcove Research and Extension Center in central California,” Roper said. “This may lead to faster results than we’d otherwise have had.”

    Collaborators on the project include UC Davis; California State University, Sacramento; the University of Florida; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in Ft. Pierce, Florida. — By Jules Bernstein, UC Riverside

  • 2021 CA Avocado Crop Estimate & Harvest Projections

    The California Avocado Commission has published the 2021 California Avocado Pre-Season Crop Estimate and weekly harvest projections for the calendar year (January 1st through December 31st). The estimate and projections are the result of handler surveys submitted in early December 2020 and represent the industry’s best information on the coming season’s crop at this time.

    Further details of the estimate and harvest projections can be found online and includes the following information:

    • Pre-season industry volume estimates, broken down by variety, based on AMRIC Handler survey responses
    • Weekly harvest forecast utilizing AMRIC Handler Survey percentages for Hass variety (4-year historical forecast used for Lamb, 2-year historical used for Gem and other)
    • Weekly harvest forecast comparison of 4-year historical forecast versus AMRIC Handler Survey

    The Commission staff will remain in contact with growers, handlers and grove managers throughout the season, via surveys and telephone conversations, to track harvest strategy and will provide updated forecasts to the industry as they become available. As we have done in the past, CAC will plan to follow up with the handlers in February to discuss crop volume and harvest plans before the season gets underway.

    In addition to handler surveys and discussions, the annual grower crop survey and acreage inventory survey will be conducted in Spring 2021, with a mid-season crop estimate update available mid-May 2021.

  • $6.3 Million to Help UC Riverside Save Avocado Orchards

    New grants totaling $6.3 million will help UC Riverside solve problems facing American avocado orchards, including a lethal fungal disease called Laurel Wilt.

    Laurel Wilt can destroy an entire avocado orchard in a couple of weeks once symptoms develop. It is already present in Florida. Without effective treatments, it will inevitably spread to California, which is the nation’s leading producer of avocados.

    Laurel Wilt is caused by a fungus, Raffaelea lauricola, that the non-native redbay ambrosia beetle introduces in trees of the Laurel family, which includes avocado.

    The non-native redbay ambrosia beetle, which carries the fungus causing deadly Laurel Wilt. (UCR)

    “When the beetle attacks, the fungus enters and colonizes the tree’s vascular system, and within weeks, the tree wilts and dies if not managed properly,” said Patricia Manosalva, director of this project as well as UCR’s Avocado Rootstock Breeding Program.

    In addition to Laurel Wilt, avocado growers face numerous production challenges including devastating diseases such as Phytophthora root rot, or, PRR, and soil salinity, which in combination cause severe reduction in fruit yield and quality. This combination can also completely destroy avocado orchards.

    Avocado roots darkened and killed by Phytophthora root rot. (David Rosen/UCR)

    Avocado is also highly sensitive to salinity. Increasing levels of salinity in water and soil due to drought and the use of reclaimed water for crop irrigation purposes threatens avocado production worldwide.

    To combat the threats, the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative has awarded UC Riverside $4.4 million. The grant will enable the development of next-generation technological solutions to these problems over the next four years in partnership with scientists at the universities of Hawaii, Florida, Texas, and Milan.

    The same grant will enable research on both short- and long-term solutions for managing avocado PRR, the major hindrance for avocado production worldwide, Manosalva said.

    “Under this grant we will select rootstocks harboring resistance to the current pathogen population and we will register new fungicides with different modes of actions to reduce avocado losses to this destructive oomycete pathogen,” Manosalva said.

    The UCR rootstock breeding program has already identified advanced rootstock lines that are tolerant to salinity and P. cinnamomi, the pathogen that causes PRR. These rootstocks may also confer resistance or tolerance to Laurel Wilt when grafted with different varieties. Field trials of these rootstocks will be conducted in California, Florida, Texas, Hawaii and Puerto Rico and will be screened for resistance at University of Florida.

    Another approach to mitigating avocado threats will be the further development of remote field sensors that can detect and differentiate drought from high salinity and Phytophthora root rot. UCR initially developed prototypes of these sensors and tested them in greenhouses. This grant will enable researchers to improve the sensors and test them in fields.

    Manosalva notes that UC Riverside is unique in having a highly recognized avocado breeding program first developed 70 years ago.

    “We’ve been developing agricultural science for a long time,” she said. “This grant will allow us to keep moving the UCR rootstock breeding program forward and continue developing hearty avocado rootstocks.”

    Through the Office of Technology Partnerships, UCR currently has three rootstocks available for licensing in the U.S. and may have up to five new rootstocks available in the next few years. The new rootstocks could provide increased tolerance to diseases, drought, heat, and soil salinity.

    In a related grant, the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative awarded $1.9 million to a team of 15 scientists from five universities and the USDA Agricultural Research Service, or USDA-ARS. The grant will allow the researchers to study whether essential oils can help suppress certain pathogens and pests.

    Researchers from the University of Florida, Clemson University, the University of Georgia, the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the USDA-ARS as well as UC Riverside will collaborate on the project.

    Producers of essential oils claim their products may be able to treat plant pathogens such as gray mold, powdery mildew, algal stem blotch and brown rot as well as insects including mites, thrips and scales. This grant will enable the team to evaluate those claims.

    Manosalva said both grants underscore the importance of funding basic research in agricultural science. “California’s produce feeds the nation, and the world,” she said. “Our science will help feed people and empower growers everywhere.” — By Jules Bernstein, UC Riverside

    About UC Riverside

    The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California’s diverse culture, UCR’s enrollment is more than 24,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of almost $2 billion. To learn more, email news@ucr.edu.

  • 2020 CA Avocado Acreage & Condition Report

    To ensure the California Avocado Commission can make informed marketing and budgeting decisions, it has partnered with LandIQ to conduct statewide spatial land use surveys via digital satellite imagery, aerial photography and analytical tools. This data is compiled in a comprehensive land use database and an annual summary is prepared. The 2020 Statewide Avocado Acreage and Conditional Analysis is now available online.

    Highlights from this year’s survey are as follows:

    • Planted avocado acreage in the state totaled 54,017
    • The planted avocado acreage for avocado growing counties is as follows:
      • Riverside — 5,046
      • Santa Barbara — 6,741
      • San Diego — 16,488
      • San Luis Obispo — 4,043
      • Ventura — 19,754
      • Minor county total (Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, San Bernardino, Tulare) — 1,945
    • As concerns the growing regions, their acreage is divided as follows:
    • The report also has tables detailing acreage by zip code, new acres by county and planting year, a breakdown of avocado acreage by planting density (high density versus standard), the net change in producing/young/stumped acreage by county, and various maps noting the acreages of avocados planted.
    • The age of planted acreage breaks down as follows:
      • Planting to 4 years — 4,417 acres (8%)
      • 5 – 8 years — 9,289 acres (17%)
      • 9 – 15 years — 7,717 acres (14%)
      • 16 – 20 years — 8,989 acres (17%)
      • 21 years + — 23,604 acres (44%)

  • CA Avocado Commission Reduces Assessment Rate & Elects New Leaders

    At the October 7, 2020 meeting, the California Avocado Commission Board of Directors took action to approve the assessment rate for the upcoming 2020-21 fiscal year, reducing the assessment rate to 1.75% of the gross dollar value of fruit sold. The new assessment rate is effective from November 1, 2020 through October 31, 2021. The CAC Board and management are committed to prudently managing growers’ assessment dollars, with the current rate reflecting a quarter percent reduction from the 2019-20 assessment rate of 2.00% and more than one-half a percent reduction from the 2018-19 assessment rate of 2.30%. During these past two years, despite the reduction in assessment rate, a larger percentage of the budget has been allocated toward marketing activities, with 2020-21 representing the highest allocation ever at more than 70% of the total budget. We thank the outgoing 2019-20 CAC Board, under the direction of Chairman John Lamb, for their work to build balanced budgets and prioritize spending.

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture seated newly elected California Avocado Commission board members at the Commission’s November 19, 2020 board meeting. The following new members shall serve a two-year term (November 1, 2020 through October 31, 2022).

    District 1 Member: Jessica Hunter (Re-elected; existing District 1 Member)

    District 2 Member: John Cornell (New Member; previously District 2 Alternate)*
    District 3 Member: John Lloyd-Butler (New Member; previously District 3 Alternate)*
    District 4 Member: Rachael Kimball Laenen (New Member)
    District 5 Member: Andrew Prechtl (New Member)
    Handler Member: Gary Caloroso,  Giumarra (Re-elected; existing Handler Member)
    *With previous alternates assuming member seats in District 2 and District 3, there now exist vacancies for alternate seats in these two districts. These vacancies will be filled by a majority vote of the board at an upcoming Commission board meeting.
    The following newly elected Executive Officers shall serve a one-year term (November 1, 2020 through October 31, 2021).
    Chairman – Rob Grether, District 3 Member
    Vice-Chairman – Ryan Rochefort, District 2 Member
    Treasurer – Jason Cole, District 4 Member

    Secretary – Jessica Hunter, District 1 Member

  • UC ANR Study Outlines Costs & Returns of Producing Lemons in Southern CA

    A new study on the costs and returns of establishing and producing lemons in Ventura County has been released by UC Cooperative Extension in Southern California and UC Agricultural Issues Center, both part of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.

    “Coastal agriculture is always in transition and as strawberries and vegetables become less profitable due to markets and labor availability, lemons have returned as a potentially profitable alternative to those crops,” saidBen Faber, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Ventura County and coauthor of the study.

    California lemon acreage was at roughly 47,000 acres in 2018-19, of which Ventura County accounts for 31%, according to the 2019 Ventura County Crop Report. Ventura County was growing lemons on 14,407 acres in 2019.

    “The profitability of lemon production depends on the price of land,” said Etaferahu Takele, UC Cooperative Extension farm management advisor for Southern California, another coauthor of the study. “If the price of land continues in its current trend, it could be prohibitive for new entrants to make a profit and limit further expansion of lemon production in the county.”

    Their cost analysis describes production operations for Eureka lemons on macrophylla rootstock, which are planted at 155 trees per acre with an expected life span of 40 years.

    The study includes a detailed summary of costs and returns and a profitability analysis of gross margin, economic profit and a break-even ranging analysis table, which shows profits over a range of prices and yields.

    Input and reviews were provided by Ventura County farm advisor and grower cooperators. The authors describe the assumptions used to identify current costs for lemon establishment and production, material inputs, cash and non-cash overhead.

    The new study, “2020 – Sample Costs to Establish and Produce Eureka Lemons in Ventura County,” can be downloaded for free from the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics website at http://coststudies.ucdavis.edu and the UCCE Riverside County Farm Management website at https://ucanr.edu/sites/Farm_Management/files/338947.pdf. Sample cost of production studies for many other commodities are also available on the websites.

    For additional information or an explanation of the calculations used in the studies, refer to the section of the report titled “Assumptions” or contact Takele at (951) 683-6491 Ext. 243 ettakele@ucanr.edu or Donald Stewart at the UC Agricultural Issues Center at (530) 752-4651, destewart@ucdavis.edu.

    For information about production of lemons in Ventura County, contact Faber at bafaber@ucanr.edu. — By Pamela Kan-Rice, UCANR

  • Fruit World Enters Citrus Season with New Sustainable Packaging and Increased Volume of Organic and Conventional Offerings

    Fruit World, a family-owned, flavor-focused grower-shipper of organic and conventional fruit, enters their 2020 citrus season with bold, new recyclable packaging and increased availability of 100% California-grown organic and conventional mandarins, along with organic oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and sweet limes.

    “We’re really excited about our new fun and colorful conventional mandarin packaging design, especially because it’s fully-recyclable,” said Bianca Kaprielian, Fruit World co-founder and CEO. “We love the extension of the Fruit World brand, and how these bags add to the sustainable values which are core to our company.” All Fruit World cartons and bags are bright, bold and distinctive, and perfect for creative retail displays. 

    Fruit World is one of few growers with uninterrupted season-long programs for both their organic and conventional mandarins. “While orchard yield per acre across the state is expected to be on par with the past few years, we’re excited to be entering mandarin season with increased availability from our own farms and growers,” said CJ Buxman, co-founder of Fruit World and an organic mandarin grower. “On the conventional side, our proprietary sweet Early Dulce and Dulce mandarins will be first to market in mid-October, followed by organic and conventional Satsuma mandarins, then Clementines. We’ll go all the way into June with our Gold Nugget and proprietary Klondike varieties.” By mid-November, all Fruit World mandarin varieties will be available as either stem & leaf or bald fruit.

    Fruit World has just started shipping new crop organic Rio Red grapefruit, available in bright header bags and the company’s signature bold cartons. Organic navel oranges are close behind, shipping in mid- to late-October once Valencia oranges are finished packing. “Navel orange yield is expected to be down 5% this season,” said Buxman. “However, we have added some acreage to our mix, so our supply will increase by about 15%.” Additionally, Fruit World has a year-round organic lemon program with promotable volumes starting with desert-grown lemons in early November, through the end of the Central Valley harvest in March.

    “We’re committed to providing the most flavorful fruit, and the best customer service possible,” said Kaprielian. “We excel at working with our retail and wholesale partners and tailoring programs to their needs, so they can best serve their customers.”

    For more information or to place an order, call (559) 650-0334, or visit fruitworldco.com to learn more about the Fruit World story.

    About Fruit World
    Fruit World is a fresh and creative produce company with generations of history. Fruit World grows and ships the most flavorful fruit in California—including organic and conventional citrus, organic grapes, organic stone fruit, and more—and works with customers who share a passion for quality and taste. They’re all about honoring their growers, staying true to their farming heritage, and keeping family farming thriving into future generations. Visit fruitworldco.com.

  • $45 Million in Funding for Citrus Research Awarded

    A total of $45 million in funding for citrus research during the 2020-21 fiscal year was awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension (ECDRE) Program. The ECDRE Program addresses priorities identified by the Citrus Disease Sub-Committee of the National Agricultural Research, Education, Extension, and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board by sponsoring research projects designed to provide solutions to the U.S. citrus industry. For the 2020 fiscal year, the ECDRE program selected 12 projects to receive awards.

    With funding support from the Citrus Research Board (CRB), Pepsi Co and Coca-Cola, and a consortium led by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), NIFA awarded a $10 million grant for their on-going coordinated agricultural project with Bayer Crop Science. The project seeks to identify and develop therapeutics for HLB and the presumed HLB pathogen ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas). Researchers are investigating synthetic and microbial therapeutics for further characterization and optimization, intending to develop therapeutics for commercialization.

    According to the CRB President, Marcy Martin, “Success with this project will help all citrus growers, not just those from a particular state. We like that CRDF and CRB were able to team up on this worthy project.”

    Among this year’s awardees, three current and past CRB-funded California researchers from the University of California were awarded $12.5 million between three projects. CRB-funded researcher Chandrika Ramadugu, Ph.D., was awarded $4.7 million to lead efforts to evaluate novel citrus hybrids for tolerance/resistance to HLB in multi-state field trials in California, Texas, and Florida. Caroline Roper, Ph.D., received $6.5 million to unravel the underlying mechanisms of tree health in HLB impacted groves and develop a set of best practices for extending the life and productivity of citrus groves. Past-funded CRB researcher Yen-Wen Kuo, Ph.D., was awarded $1.41 million to explore utilizing insect-specific viruses to manipulate the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and its associated microbes to limit psyllid activity and disease spread potentially.

    CRB-funded researchers Vivian Irish, Ph.D., from Yale University, Anne Simon, Ph.D., from the University of Maryland, and Robert Shatters, Ph.D., from the USDA Agricultural Research Service also received awards. Irish is spearheading research with a $1.5 million award to identify HLB susceptibility genes in citrus, which will assist in future breeding efforts. Simon received $1.5 million to lead efforts to develop a phloem-restricted viral vector that could be used to directly target CLas in the phloem or modulate citrus host responses. Shatters has received $9.4 million to explore the development of an in-field therapeutic screening system with accompanying delivery systems. Past-funded CRB researcher Goutam Gupta, Ph.D., was awarded $4.8 million to lead efforts in developing novel therapies for the prophylactic and curative treatment of HLB.

    Additionally, researchers from the University of Florida and the University of Maryland received awards to study CLas, ACP and HLB strategies.

    Click here for more information on project scope and activities can be found at. The CRB congratulates all awardees for the 2020 fiscal year cycle and looks forward to seeing the results from these studies.
     
    About the Citrus Research Board

    The CRB administers the California Citrus Research Program, the grower-funded and grower-directed program established in 1968 under the California Marketing Act as the mechanism enabling the state’s citrus producers to sponsor and support needed research. More information about the Citrus Research Board may be found at www.citrusresearch.org.