UF/IFAS plant pathologist Megan Dewdney recommends Florida citrus growers check their groves for postbloom fruit drop, because it has been detected.
Postbloom fruit drop, or PFD, has been a big problem in the past for Florida citrus growers, but conditions have been favorable for keeping it at bay for the last few seasons. Unfortunately, it has been detected already, according to a Citrus Industry article. In the article, UF/IFAS plant pathologist Megan Dewdney advised growers to be on the lookout for PFD. See the details below.
Postbloom Fruit Drop Details
“We have actually observed some diseased flowers…We’ve had several waves of bloom so far,” Dewdney said. She shared that the instances of PFD were in groves that have had issues with PFD in the past. She advised that growers who have had issues with PFD in the past should be hyper-vigilant.
“PFD really likes leaf wetness as much as it likes rain. Rain helps spread the disease” Dewdney said in the article. She added that it will likely come down to the temperatures Florida will see in the coming weeks. “If we get cold weather with the rain, then like last year we should be safe,” she said in the article, and if it’s warm weather with rain instead, then “we could be set up for a really bad year,” she added.
Dewdney also advised that grower should consider removing trees that are declining due to citrus greening, such as those that are “not producing more than about half a box,” Dewdney said.
Growers were advised to visit Agroclimate.org, with a Citrus Advisory System, to find out if applying fungicide is advised for the grove’s area. “Keep your eyes peeled and don’t let it (PFD) get away from you if we get warm weather and rain,” Dewdney said.
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.