Researchers shared updates on injecting bactericides in citrus during the Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute.
Bactericides were thought to be a possible “silver bullet” for combating citrus greening a few years back, but growers did not have high levels of success with them in the field. One explanation was that the bactericides were not reaching the inner parts of the tree with foliar sprays. Research then began into injecting bactericides in citrus to see if researchers could find an easy, economical way to deliver the treatments into the inner parts of the trees. At the recent Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute, Rick Dantzler, COO of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), shared an update on a study into injecting bactericides, which is a CRDF-funded project, according to a Citrus Industry article. See the details below.
Research Into Injecting bactericides in Citrus
The study evaluated different injection methods for oxytetracycline. In the article Dantzler said “We are working with four companies that have four different formulations of oxytetracycline and have four different injection methods of moving the material into trees. Preliminary work is extremely encouraging. Ute Albrecht, with the University of Florida, has been involved with this research and thinks it might be possible to make these applications every other year, which brings the price down considerably.”
The article maintains that concerning injecting bactericides in citrus, “residue tests of oxytetracycline have come back with good results in these treatments.”
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.
