Anecdotal evidence and recent study results show that there are many benefits of shade for citrus trees.
Growing citrus under protective screens (CUPS) has added to the belief along with other anecdotal evidence, that shade is good for citrus trees. While Florida is The Sunshine State, the sun can be too powerful for citrus trees at times, negatively affecting production, growth, and tree health. Recent studies looking at the effects of shade on citrus trees, conducted by Christopher Vincent, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of horticultural sciences, indicate that shade likely has many benefits for citrus trees, according to a Citrus Industry article. See the details below.
Benefits of Shade for Citrus Trees
The study utilized shelters that provided varying levels of shade over groups of citrus trees: 30 percent, 50 percent, 70 percent shade, and a control group that had no shade provided.
“We found a pretty dramatic increase in yield in those trees, at least at the lowest shade level. There’s a big difference when you go from no shade to 30 percent shade,” Vincent said in the article.
Benefits of shade suggested from the study, according to the article, include:
- Shade exposure promotes optimal photosynthesis, improved water uptake, increased yields and cooler leaf temperatures.
- Yield nearly tripled after one year of treatment at the 30 percent shade level.
- Shade can also hinder the Asian citrus psyllid’s ability to move from tree to tree, reducing the HLB disease cycle.
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.
