Citrus production
While the origin of citrus fruits cannot be precisely identified, researchers believe they began to appear in Southeast Asia at least 4,000 BC.
During the period of the Roman Empire, demand by higher-ranking members of society, along with increased trade, allowed the fruits to spread to southern Europe.
Citrus fruits spread throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, and were then brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers.
[3]: 5 According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), citrus production grew during the early 21st century mainly by the increase in cultivation areas, improvements in transportation and packaging, rising incomes and consumer preference for healthful foods.
Demand for fresh and processed oranges continues to rise in excess of production, especially in developed countries.
While not harmful to human consumption, the fruit becomes too unsightly to be sold, and entire orchards are often destroyed to protect the outbreak from spreading.
Citrus greening is being attributed for a total output impact of −4.51 billion, and a loss of 8,257 jobs within Florida.
This fact is crucial as it protects the spring flush, which accounts for over 70% of new leaves for the year, from the infectious psyllid attacks.
[20] More aggressive citrus grove care-takers may employ a wide host of pesticides to try to keep psyllid populations low year round.
Unfortunately, at this time it is inevitable that a commercial citrus grove will reach 100 percent infection rates even with aggressive sprays.
Inspiration for the mixture of foliar nutrients was drawn from a local citrus grower, Maury Boyd.
Mr. Boyd was the first to try a strategy of not removing greening positive citrus trees, and instead attempt aggressive nutritional sprays.
His grove was as a result the first to remain economical with a high percentage rate of greening disease infection.
In two-year studies carried out by the University of Florida’s IFAS department a combination of sulfur, zinc, manganese, iron and boron applied three times a year to the base of the tree are promising.
[20] After the introduction of citrus greening disease, all commercial nurseries, where new young trees are purchased, were relocated indoors and a bud wood registration program was enacted.
[17] A total management approach appears to provide the best hope of reducing financial impact of this disease.
The challenge for the commercial producer is to identify low cost strategies that can prolong infected trees until they can be replaced.
Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are the main macronutrients needed in citrus production, as well as calcium, magnesium and sulfur.
