See the do’s and don’ts for weed control in citrus groves from a UF/IFAS weed scientist during a recent UF/IFAS virtual seminar.

Controlling weeds is important consideration for any ag operation. Ramdas Kanissery, a UF/IFAS weed scientist, shared weed control do’s and don’ts for citrus during a UF/IFAS virtual seminar. See the highlights from a Citrus Industry article below.

Weed Control Tips

Kanissery maintained that citrus growers must consider factors like application site, the stage of weed growth, herbicide selection, the amount of herbicide used, spray volume and pressure, and herbicide bandwidth when choosing an herbicide for weed control in the citrus grove. Other tips Kanissery shared during the seminar, taken from the article, include:

  • Use “optimum rates for high weed infestations and weeds in mature growth stages.”
  • Rotate “post-emergent herbicides with different modes of action” to “reduce selection pressure on weed populations and help manage weed tolerance…”
  • “Selection of the adjuvant should be based on various factors, including the herbicide product requirement, mixing and application condition, cost of the adjuvant and availability.”
  • “Sprays should be applied when there is ample sunlight, low wind speed and when weeds are non-stressed and actively growing in the early growth stage.”
  • “Apply residual herbicides to bare soil to ensure maximum soil incorporation, turn on irrigation to activate the residual herbicides in soil and include a compatible post-emergent tank-mix partner if there is minimal weed growth.”
  • “Glufosinate-ammonium, a potential alternative to glyphosate, mixes well with pre-emergent herbicides like indaziflam, flumioxazin and diuron.”
  • “To protect trees, avoid foliage and fruit contact and install protective wraps around the trunk of young citrus trees…”
  • Prevent tree injury “by not using high herbicide rates in new plantings and to always conduct a soil analysis or bioassay before planting new trees.”

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.