See recommendations for fruit drop from Tripti Vashisth, an assistant professor of horticulture with UF/IFAS, for Florida citrus growers.

Fruit drop is continuing to be a problem for Florida citrus growers this growing season. A Citrus Industry article reported heavy fruit drop, with some growers seeing 50 percent of fruit dropping. UF/IFAS’s Tripti Vashisth, an assistant professor of horticulture with the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center, shared recommendations for fruit drop for Florida citrus growers at the first presentation of the new OJ Break meeting webinar series hosted by UF/IFAS. See the recommendations for dealing with fruit drop below.

UF/IFAS Recommendations for Fruit Drop

Vashisth shared the following points during the OJ Break, taken from the article:

  • “There is no single cause for the fruit to drop, rather a multitude of factors.”
  • “Small-sized fruit are more likely to drop,”
  • “Good tree canopy resulted in less fruit dropping.”
  • “Increased drop is not associated with starvation of carbohydrates in fruit. Therefore, it is recommended that growers continue good irrigation and nutrition practices throughout the fruit-development stage.”
  • Apply “gibberellic acid (GA) during the fruit-development period to improve fruit set and fruit retention…” and “carefully assess the timing of GA applications to avoid possible yield losses.”
  • “Increased drop in trees displaying HLB symptoms could be attributed to off-blooms, which result in new fruit growth while the current crop is already developing.
  • “Overall, good care of trees along with intensive nutrition and irrigation management throughout the growing season are effective strategies in reducing fruit drop.”
  • Follow the new flower bud advisories for guidance on spraying.

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