Source: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA submitted to NRP
SCALING MICROIRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES TO ADDRESS THE GLOBAL WATER CHALLENGE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1015783
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
W-3128
Project Start Date
Mar 12, 2018
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2019
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
G022 MCCARTY HALL
GAINESVILLE,FL 32611
Performing Department
Indian River Research and Education Center
Non Technical Summary
Agricultural operations traditionally use large quantities of water and fertilizer in order to maximize plant growth, product quality, and profits. Irrigation is typically based on microjets in citrus groves, and frequency relies on a pre-determined schedule or visual evaluation of plant water status. These approaches lead to over-watering, which causes leaching and runoff. The release of water and nutrients results in surface and groundwater contamination and may contribute to environmental degradation.Precise irrigation management provide a less-limiting environment to roots while minimizing over irrigation and leaching of nutrients. Drip irrigation and sensor-based irrigation can be used to minimize or eliminate leaching by precisely regulating the amount of water applied compared to microjets, applying water more constantly and slowly. This concept can improve tree growth in the presence of huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening due to the reduced root system, and help optimize water and nutrient use. Higher tree density can also increase water use efficiency, resulting in higher fruit yield per area under high HLB pressure.Our hypothesis is that drip irrigation and sensor-based soil moisture monitoring or weather-based irrigation monitoring will provide an accurate tool to apply water based on plant demand. That address research project objectives 1 (Develop robust and appropriately-scaled methods of irrigation scheduling using one or more soil-, plant- or weather-based approaches) and 2 (Develop microirrigation designs and management practices that can be appropriately scaled to site-specific characteristics and end-user capabilities).The project goal is to determine the efficiency of irrigation methods on 'Ray Ruby' grapefruit and 'Valencia' production under different irrigation systems, fertilization methods and tree density. Specific objectives are related to study 1) Grapefruit production using different irrigation systems and plant density under open hydroponics, 2) Round orange production using different dry granular fertilizer blends, irrigation systems and plant density, and 3) Evaluate the water and nutrient use efficiency and plant growth. Soil moisture sensors will be installed to make irrigation decisions.
Animal Health Component
70%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
30%
Applied
70%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1020999106050%
1110999106050%
Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 111 - Conservation and Efficient Use of Water;

Subject Of Investigation
0999 - Citrus, general/other;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);
Goals / Objectives
Develop robust and appropriately-scaled methods of irrigation scheduling using one or more soil-, plant- or weather-based approaches. Develop microirrigation designs and management practices that can be appropriately scaled to site-specific characteristics and end-user capabilities.
Project Methods
Objective 1 (Grapefruit production using different irrigation systems and plant density under open hydroponics)We are testing 'Ray Ruby' grapefruit (for fresh fruit) on a combination of rootstocks {'Sour orange' [C. aurantium] and 'US897' [Cleopatra (C. reticulata) × Flying Dragon (Poncirus trifoliata)]}, tree spacing {standard [3.8 × 7 m, 358 trees/ha] and high density staggered [(2.74 × 1.5 × 0.9 m) × 6.1 m, 953 trees/ha) (HDS)]}, fertilization [16N-2.2P-8.3K dry granular and 15N-2.6P-22.4K water-soluble fertilizer (WSF)], and irrigation systems (3.8 LPH drip and 40.5 LPH micro jet), arranged on five treatments: T1) 'Sour Orange' + standard spacing + dry granular fertilizer + micro jet, T2) 'US897' + HDS + WSF + drip, T3) 'Sour Orange' + HDS + WSF + drip, T4) 'Sour Orange' + HDS + WSF + micro jet, and T5) 'US897' + HDS + WSF + micro jet. The experimental design is a completely randomized with five replications. Trees were planted in Sept/2013 (total 2,769 trees/3.23 ha).Objective 2 (Round orange production using different dry granular fertilizer blends, irrigation systems and plant density)We are testing 'Valencia' round oranges (for juice processing) on a combination of fertilizer blends {"Orange": Harrell's Grower Standard 16-3-20 + IFAS minor recommendation and "Yellow": Harrell's Improved NPK 12-3-9 (50% coated muriate of potash [potassium chloride] + 50% soluble potassium sulfate, coated calcium nitrate) + 2.5-3x micros using Tiger-Sul Fe, Mn, Zn and B}, and three tree spacing {"Blue": Standard tree spacing (12' 6" × 23' 6", 144.5 trees/acre, 189 trees total [8 plots]) + dry granular fertilizer + micro jet irrigation (microsprinkler 50 green nozzle size, 16.7 GPH @ 20 psi) (Bowsmith, Exeter, CA); "Green": High Density staggered ([9' × 5' × 3'] × 20', 385.5 trees /acre, 512 trees total [8 plots]) + fertigation + micro jet irrigation (microsprinkler 50 green nozzle size, 16.7 GPH @ 20 psi) (Bowsmith, Exeter, CA); and "Red": High Density staggered ([9' × 5' × 3'] × 20', 385.5 trees /acre, 511 trees total [8 plots]) + fertigation + drip irrigation (Emitterline 0.58 GPH @ 10 psi, 12 inch spacing) (Jain Irrigation, Fresno, CA). The experimental design is a completely randomized with four replications. Trees were planted in Sept/2013 (total 1,212 trees/1.3 ha).Objective 3 (Evaluate the water and nutrient use efficiency and plant growth)The technology may provide proven water savings and reductions in production costs (due to reduced fertilizer losses and fuel costs associated with irrigation use) and possible yield improvements.

Progress 03/12/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this work are the scientific community, local farmers and other players in the citrus industry, such as processors and crop advisors. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The Citrus Horticulture Laboratory team visited the CREC CUPS once in 2019, hosted several tours for growers and visitors. The masters student attended a special course in root biology sponsored by the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Ferrarezi Lab organized the 2019 Florida Citrus Show to bring new information to more than 800 local growers. We prepared publications for citrus trade journals (Citrus Industry Magazine) and the UF/IFAS Citrus Production Guide. Abstracts were also presented in scientific conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1 "Grapefruit production using different irrigation systems and plant density under open hydroponics" Precise irrigation and fertigation management provide a less-limiting environment to roots while minimizing over irrigation and leaching of nutrients. This concept can improve tree growth in the presence of HLB and help optimize water and nutrient use. Higher tree density can increase fruit yield per area under high HLB pressure. We conducted a study to evaluated the efficiency of open hydroponics on 'Ray Ruby' grapefruit production under different irrigation systems and tree density. We tested a combination of rootstocks (Sour orange and US897), tree spacing [standard and high density staggered (HDS)], fertilization (dry granular and fertigation), and irrigation systems (drip and microjet). Objective 1 "Evaluation of water and nutrient use efficiency" Irrigation systems are designed to maximize crop productivity and optimize uniform water application. The amount of water applied is usually determined by empirical methods, which are based on timers instead of the actual crop requirements. Several technologies have recently been developed looking for alternative methods to improve water management efficiency based on weather and soil sensing methods. One of the most relevant advances are the capacitance sensors, offering a great potential to estimate soil volumetric water content (VWC) and electrical conductivity. We conducted a laboratory study to evaluate the accuracy of data collected from several commercial capacitance sensors and establish a calibration equation for different soil types. Tested treatments were five sandy soils (Pineda, Riviera, Astatula, Candler and Immokalee) divided in two depths (0-30 and 30-60 cm) representing the majority of Florida soils used for citrus production. Objective 2 "Round orange production using different dry granular fertilizer blends, irrigation systems and plant density" Sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis) are impacted by huanglongbing (HLB), a disease associated with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The disease is threatening the citrus industry, with devastating effects on fruit production. Higher plant density can increase fruit yield per area under high HLB pressure, maximizing income and extending grove survival until a definite cure is found. This study evaluated the effect of tree planting density, fertilizer type and and irrigation systems on fruit yield and quality. 'Valencia' orange on 'Kuharske' citrange (C. sinensis × Poncirus trifoliata) trees were planted in Sept/2013 (2,995 trees in 1.61 ha). We tested three treatments: standard tree spacing (3.8×7 m, 357 trees/ha) + dry granular fertilizer + microsprinkler irrigation (one emitter per tree; microsprinkler 50 green nozzle, 16.7 GPH at 20 psi) (Bowsmith, Exeter, CA), high density staggered ([2.7×1.5×0.9 m]×6.1 m, 953 trees/ha) + fertigation + microsprinkler irrigation (one emitter per two trees), and high density staggered + fertigation + drip irrigation (two lines per row; Emitterline 0.58 GPH at 10 psi, 12-inch spacing) (Jain Irrigation), in a complete randomized block design with eight replications.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: CARVALHO, S. A.; GIRARDI, E. A.; MOUR�O FILHO, F. A. A.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; COLETTA FILHO, H. D. 2019. Advances of citrus propagation in Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Fruticulture.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R.S.; RODRIGUEZ, K.; SHARP, D. 2019. How historical trends in Florida all-citrus production correlate with devastating hurricane and freeze events. Weather. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/wea.3512
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; BAILEY, D. 2019. Basil performance evaluation in aquaponics. HortTechnology 29(1): 1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH03797-17
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2019 Citation: DALA-PAULA, B. M.; PLOTTO, A.; BAI, J.; MANTHEY, J. A.; BALDWIN, E. A.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; GL�RIA, M. B. A. 2019. Effect of Huanglongbing or greening disease on orange juice quality, a review. Frontiers in Plant Science 9(1976): 1-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.01976
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: HUANG, J.-H.; XU, J.; YE, X.; LUO, T.-Y.; REN, L.-H.; FAN, G.-C.; QI, Y.-P.; LI, Q.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; CHEN, L.-S. 2019. Magnesium deficiency affects secondary lignification of the vascular system in Citrus sinensis seedlings. Trees: Structure and Function 33(1): 171-182. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-018-1766-0
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; SCHIRARD, P.; BOURNIQUE, D.; HODGES G.; ROSSON, B. 2019. Evaluation of potential HLB-tolerant grapefruit rootstock/scion combinations in the Indian River. River Ramblings March newsletter. URL: http://ircitrusleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IRCL-NL-3-19.pdf
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: KELLY-BEGAZO, C.A.; FERRAREZI, R.S.; COLE, D.C.; MUNROE, L.N. 2019. Agricultural worker safety day  A time for fun and games. National Association County Agricultural Agents (NACAA), 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Ft. Wayne/IN, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; MEADOWS, T.; STEPHENS, J.; JAMES, T.H.; ECKMAN, M.; MACAN, N. P.; GROSSER, J. W.; ALFEREZ, F.; GAST, T. 2019. Accelerated production of citrus nursery liners using automated ebb-and-flow subirrigation. American Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Las Vegas/NV, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: PHUYAL, D.; MEADOWS, T.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; KADYAMPAKENI, D.; MORGAN, K. 2019. Tree density and micronutrient application on grapefruit affected by Huanglongbing. American Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Las Vegas/NV, United States.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: BIZARI, D. R.; FERRAREZI, R.S. 2019. Biomass loss of corn mulching under no tillage system for irrigated common bean production. Irriga.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; THOMASON, K. A.; RITENOUR, M. A.; WRIGHT, A. L. 2019. High-density grapefruit production in open hydroponics system. American Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Las Vegas/NV, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: DEMARD, E. P.; DOKER, I.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; QURESHI, J. A. 2019. Pest and predacious mite complex of Citrus Under Protective Screens (CUPS). Florida Entomological Society, 2019 Annual Meeting July 21-24, 2019 (Abstr.). Jupiter/FL, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: DEMARD, E. P.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; QURESHI, J. A. 2019. Abundance and distribution of the citrus rust mite (Phyllocoptruta oleivora) and the citrus red mite (Panonychus citri) in Citrus Under Protective Screens (CUPS). TREC South Florida Graduate Research Symposium (Abstr.). Homestead/FL, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; HERNANDEZ, Y. V.; STEPHENS, J. 2019. Environmental parameters inside the citrus under protective screen system for fresh grapefruit production. Florida Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Maitland/FL, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; PHUYAL, D.; MEADOWS, T.; MORGAN, K.; KADYAMPAKENI, D. 2019. Nutrient management on HLB-affected grapefruit on Flatwoods soil in the Indian River District. Florida Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Maitland/FL, United States.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: CASTLE, W. S.; BOWMAN, K. D.; GROSSER, J. W.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; FUTCH, S. H.; S, ROGERS. 2019. Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide, 4th Edition. EDIS Publication, UF/IFAS Extension, Horticultural Sciences Department, # SP248. URL: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1260
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S. 2019. Citrus Nursery Guide. Chapter 8: Stock Plant and Tree Production: b) Irrigation and Fertilization, EDIS Publication, UF/IFAS Extension, Horticultural Sciences Department, #HS1333. URL: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1333
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; MACAN, N. P.; QURESHI, J. A.; RITENOUR, M. A.. 2019. Yield and fruit quality of Ray Ruby grapefruit cultivated under protective screen. Florida Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Maitland/FL, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; QURESHI, J. A. 2019. Citrus Under Protected Screen (CUPS) for grapefruit production in Floridas East Coast. Sixth International Research Conference on Huanglongbing, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Riverside/CA, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R.S.; THOMASON, K.A.; RITENOUR, M.A.; A.L. WRIGHT. 2018. High-density grapefruit production in open hydroponics system. 2018 Irrigation Show & Education Conference. Long Beach/CA, United States.


Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this work are the scientific community, local farmers and other players in the citrus industry, such as processors and crop advisors. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The Citrus Horticulture Laboratory team visited the CREC CUPS once in 2019, hosted several tours for growers and visitors. The masters student attended a special course in root biology sponsored by the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Ferrarezi Lab organized the 2019 Florida Citrus Show to bring new information to more than 800 local growers. We prepared publications for citrus trade journals (Citrus Industry Magazine) and the UF/IFAS Citrus Production Guide. Abstracts were also presented in scientific conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The project has ended.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1 "Grapefruit production using different irrigation systems and plant density under open hydroponics" Precise irrigation and fertigation management provide a less-limiting environment to roots while minimizing over irrigation and leaching of nutrients. This concept can improve tree growth in the presence of HLB and help optimize water and nutrient use. Higher tree density can increase fruit yield per area under high HLB pressure. We conducted a study to evaluated the efficiency of open hydroponics on 'Ray Ruby' grapefruit production under different irrigation systems and tree density. We tested a combination of rootstocks (Sour orange and US897), tree spacing [standard and high density staggered (HDS)], fertilization (dry granular and fertigation), and irrigation systems (drip and microjet). Objective 1 "Evaluation of water and nutrient use efficiency" Irrigation systems are designed to maximize crop productivity and optimize uniform water application. The amount of water applied is usually determined by empirical methods, which are based on timers instead of the actual crop requirements. Several technologies have recently been developed looking for alternative methods to improve water management efficiency based on weather and soil sensing methods. One of the most relevant advances are the capacitance sensors, offering a great potential to estimate soil volumetric water content (VWC) and electrical conductivity. We conducted a laboratory study to evaluate the accuracy of data collected from several commercial capacitance sensors and establish a calibration equation for different soil types. Tested treatments were five sandy soils (Pineda, Riviera, Astatula, Candler and Immokalee) divided in two depths (0-30 and 30-60 cm) representing the majority of Florida soils used for citrus production. Objective 2 "Round orange production using different dry granular fertilizer blends, irrigation systems and plant density" Sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis) are impacted by huanglongbing (HLB), a disease associated with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The disease is threatening the citrus industry, with devastating effects on fruit production. Higher plant density can increase fruit yield per area under high HLB pressure, maximizing income and extending grove survival until a definite cure is found. This study evaluated the effect of tree planting density, fertilizer type and irrigation systems on fruit yield and quality. 'Valencia' orange on 'Kuharske' citrange (C. sinensis × Poncirus trifoliata) trees were planted in Sept/2013 (2,995 trees in 1.61 ha). We tested three treatments: standard tree spacing (3.8×7 m, 357 trees/ha) + dry granular fertilizer + microsprinkler irrigation (one emitter per tree; microsprinkler 50 green nozzle, 16.7 GPH at 20 psi) (Bowsmith, Exeter, CA), high density staggered ([2.7×1.5×0.9 m]×6.1 m, 953 trees/ha) + fertigation + microsprinkler irrigation (one emitter per two trees), and high density staggered + fertigation + drip irrigation (two lines per row; Emitterline 0.58 GPH at 10 psi, 12-inch spacing) (Jain Irrigation), in a complete randomized block design with eight replications.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R.S.; RODRIGUEZ, K.; SHARP, D. 2019. How historical trends in Florida all-citrus production correlate with devastating hurricane and freeze events. Weather. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/wea.3512
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; BAILEY, D. 2019. Basil performance evaluation in aquaponics. HortTechnology 29(1): 1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH03797-17
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: DALA-PAULA, B. M.; PLOTTO, A.; BAI, J.; MANTHEY, J. A.; BALDWIN, E. A.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; GL�RIA, M. B. A. 2019. Effect of Huanglongbing or greening disease on orange juice quality, a review. Frontiers in Plant Science 9(1976): 1-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.01976
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: HUANG, J.-H.; XU, J.; YE, X.; LUO, T.-Y.; REN, L.-H.; FAN, G.-C.; QI, Y.-P.; LI, Q.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; CHEN, L.-S. 2019. Magnesium deficiency affects secondary lignification of the vascular system in Citrus sinensis seedlings. Trees: Structure and Function 33(1): 171-182. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-018-1766-0
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: BIZARI, D. R.; FERRAREZI, R.S. 2019. Biomass loss of corn mulching under no tillage system for irrigated common bean production. Irriga.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; SCHIRARD, P.; BOURNIQUE, D.; HODGES G.; ROSSON, B. 2019. Evaluation of potential HLB-tolerant grapefruit rootstock/scion combinations in the Indian River. River Ramblings March newsletter. URL: http://ircitrusleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IRCL-NL-3-19.pdf
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: CARVALHO, S. A.; GIRARDI, E. A.; MOUR�O FILHO, F. A. A.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; COLETTA FILHO, H. D. 2019. Advances of citrus propagation in Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Fruticulture.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: KELLY-BEGAZO, C.A.; FERRAREZI, R.S.; COLE, D.C.; MUNROE, L.N. 2019. Agricultural worker safety day  A time for fun and games. National Association County Agricultural Agents (NACAA), 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Ft. Wayne/IN, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; MEADOWS, T.; STEPHENS, J.; JAMES, T.H.; ECKMAN, M.; MACAN, N. P.; GROSSER, J. W.; ALFEREZ, F.; GAST, T. 2019. Accelerated production of citrus nursery liners using automated ebb-and-flow subirrigation. American Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Las Vegas/NV, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: PHUYAL, D.; MEADOWS, T.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; KADYAMPAKENI, D.; MORGAN, K. 2019. Tree density and micronutrient application on grapefruit affected by Huanglongbing. American Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Las Vegas/NV, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; THOMASON, K. A.; RITENOUR, M. A.; WRIGHT, A. L. 2019. High-density grapefruit production in open hydroponics system. American Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Las Vegas/NV, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: DEMARD, E. P.; DOKER, I.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; QURESHI, J. A. 2019. Pest and predacious mite complex of Citrus Under Protective Screens (CUPS). Florida Entomological Society, 2019 Annual Meeting July 21-24, 2019 (Abstr.). Jupiter/FL, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: DEMARD, E. P.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; QURESHI, J. A. 2019. Abundance and distribution of the citrus rust mite (Phyllocoptruta oleivora) and the citrus red mite (Panonychus citri) in Citrus Under Protective Screens (CUPS). TREC South Florida Graduate Research Symposium (Abstr.). Homestead/FL, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; PHUYAL, D.; MEADOWS, T.; MORGAN, K.; KADYAMPAKENI, D. 2019. Nutrient management on HLB-affected grapefruit on Flatwoods soil in the Indian River District. Florida Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Maitland/FL, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; MACAN, N. P.; QURESHI, J. A.; RITENOUR, M. A.. 2019. Yield and fruit quality of Ray Ruby grapefruit cultivated under protective screen. Florida Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Maitland/FL, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; QURESHI, J. A. 2019. Citrus Under Protected Screen (CUPS) for grapefruit production in Floridas East Coast. Sixth International Research Conference on Huanglongbing, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Riverside/CA, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R.S.; THOMASON, K.A.; RITENOUR, M.A.; A.L. WRIGHT. 2018. High-density grapefruit production in open hydroponics system. 2018 Irrigation Show & Education Conference. Long Beach/CA, United States.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: CASTLE, W. S.; BOWMAN, K. D.; GROSSER, J. W.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; FUTCH, S. H.; S, ROGERS. 2019. Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide, 4th Edition. EDIS Publication, UF/IFAS Extension, Horticultural Sciences Department, # SP248. URL: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1260
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; HERNANDEZ, Y. V.; STEPHENS, J. 2019. Environmental parameters inside the citrus under protective screen system for fresh grapefruit production. Florida Society of Horticultural Science, 2019 Annual Conference (Abstr.). Maitland/FL, United States.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S. 2019. Citrus Nursery Guide. Chapter 8: Stock Plant and Tree Production: b) Irrigation and Fertilization, EDIS Publication, UF/IFAS Extension, Horticultural Sciences Department, #HS1333. URL: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1333


Progress 03/12/18 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this work are the scientific community, local farmers and other players in the citrus industry, such as processors and crop advisors. Changes/Problems:Soil moisture sensors installed on Florida sandy soils malfunctioned/did not provide accurate results. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Project endsin 2019

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1 "Grapefruit production using different irrigation systems and plant density under open hydroponics" Precise irrigation and fertigation management provide a less-limiting environment to roots while minimizing over irrigation and leaching of nutrients. This concept can improve tree growth in the presence of HLB and help optimize water and nutrient use. Higher tree density can increase fruit yield per area under high HLB pressure. We conducted a study to evaluated the efficiency of open hydroponics on 'Ray Ruby' grapefruit production under different irrigation systems and tree density. We tested a combination of rootstocks (Sour orange and US897), tree spacing [standard and high density staggered (HDS)], fertilization (dry granular and fertigation), and irrigation systems (drip and microjet). Objective 2 "Round orange production using different dry granular fertilizer blends, irrigation systems and plant density" Sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis) are impacted by huanglongbing (HLB), a disease associated with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The disease is threatening the citrus industry, with devastating effects on fruit production. Higher plant density can increase fruit yield per area under high HLB pressure, maximizing income and extending grove survival until a definite cure is found. This study evaluated the effect of tree planting density, fertilizer type and and irrigation systems on fruit yield and quality. 'Valencia' orange on 'Kuharske' citrange (C. sinensis × Poncirus trifoliata) trees were planted in Sept/2013 (2,995 trees in 1.61 ha). We tested three treatments: standard tree spacing (3.8×7 m, 357 trees/ha) + dry granular fertilizer + microsprinkler irrigation (one emitter per tree; microsprinkler 50 green nozzle, 16.7 GPH at 20 psi) (Bowsmith, Exeter, CA), high density staggered ([2.7×1.5×0.9 m]×6.1 m, 953 trees/ha) + fertigation + microsprinkler irrigation (one emitter per two trees), and high density staggered + fertigation + drip irrigation (two lines per row; Emitterline 0.58 GPH at 10 psi, 12-inch spacing) (Jain Irrigation), in a complete randomized block design with eight replications. Objective 3 "Evaluation of water and nutrient use efficiency" Irrigation systems are designed to maximize crop productivity and optimize uniform water application. The amount of water applied is usually determined by empirical methods, which are based on timers instead of the actual crop requirements. Several technologies have recently been developed looking for alternative methods to improve water management efficiency based on weather and soil sensing methods. One of the most relevant advances are the capacitance sensors, offering a great potential to estimate soil volumetric water content (VWC) and electrical conductivity. We conducted a laboratory study to evaluate the accuracy of data collected from several commercial capacitance sensors and establish a calibration equation for different soil types. Tested treatments were five sandy soils (Pineda, Riviera, Astatula, Candler and Immokalee) divided in two depths (0-30 and 30-60 cm) representing the majority of Florida soils used for citrus production.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2018 Citation: HUANG, J.-H.; XU, J.; YE, X.; LUO, T.-Y.; REN, L.-H.; FAN, G.-C.; QI, Y.-P.; LI, Q.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; CHEN, L.-S. 2018. Magnesium deficiency secondary lignification of the vascular system in Citrus sinensis seedlings. Trees: Structure and Function. Published online on Sept 21, 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-018-1766-0
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: SCHUMANN, A. W.; EBERT, T.; WALDO, L.; HOLMES, D.; MARINER, N.; TEST, G.; OSWALT, C.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; LEMES, R. 2018. Citrus Under Protective Screen. Citrus Industry 11/26/2018. URL: http://citrusindustry.net/2018/11/26/research-update-citrus-under-protective-screen.
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; SCHUMANN, A. W.; WRIGHT, A. L. 2018.Increasing yield through high-density plantings. Citrus Industry 11/19/2018. URL: http://citrusindustry.net/2018/11/19/increasing-yield-through-high-density-plantings.
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S. 2018. Growing citrus under enclosures. UC Berkeley Research Snapshot 04/28/2018. URL: https://berkeley.box.com/shared/static/swyx5cv21fakjjmihzdigrpy0nd5u281.pdf
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: SCHUMANN, A. W.; WALDO, L.; KADYAMPAKENI, D. M.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; OSWALT, C. 2018. Using soil moisture sensors for citrus irrigation. Citrus Industry 10/07/2018. URL: http://citrusindustry.net/2018/07/10/using-soil-moisture-sensors-for-citrus-irrigation
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; WRIGHT, A. L.; MORGAN, K. T.; STANSLY, P. A.; OZORES-HAMPTON, M.; EBEL, R. C. 2018. Foliar nutrition on grapefruit and oranges to extend grove survival under huanglongbing. Citrus Industry 06/03/2018. URL: http://citrusindustry.net/2018/03/06/foliar-nutrition-research-update
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: KADYAMPAKENI, D. M.; MORGAN, K. T.; MONGI, Z.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; SCHUMANN, A. W.; OBREZA, T. A. 2018. Citrus irrigation management: considerations for HLB affected trees and hurricane Irma. Citrus Industry 03/04/2018. URL: http://citrusindustry.net/2018/04/03/current-considerations-citrus-irrigation-management
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: FERRAREZI, R.S.; THOMASON, K.A.; RITENOUR, M.A.; A.L. WRIGHT. 2018. High-density grapefruit production in open hydroponics system. 2018 Irrigation Show & Education Conference. Long Beach/CA, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; BATAGLIA, O. C.; MEDINA, C. L.; FURLANI, P. R.; CARDOSO, F. P. 2018. A comprehensive study of soil physical and chemical properties under no-tillage systems in Brazil. 21st World Congress of Soil Sciences, August 12-17, 2018. Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: FERRAREZI, R. S.; RITENOUR, M. A.; WRIGHT, A. L.; THOMASON, K. A. 2018. Plant density and irrigation systems for sweet orange production at the Indian River District. 2018 ASHS Annual Conference, July 31  August 3, 2018. Washington/DC, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: LESMES-VESGA, R. A.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; ALBRECHT, U.; BOWMAN, K. 2018. Effect of propagation methods on citrus rootstock water uptake. 2018 ASHS Annual Conference, July 31  August 3, 2018. Washington/DC, United States.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: ZEPEDA, S. G. C.; FERRAREZI, R. S.; LESMES-VESGA, R. A.; FUTCH, S. H. 2018. Performance of capacitance sensors to monitor soil moisture in Florida sandy soils. 2018 ASHS Annual Conference, July 31  August 3, 2018. Washington/DC, United States.
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: KADYAMPAKENI, D.; MORGAN, K.; M. ZEKRI; FERRAREZI, R. S.; SCHUMANN, A. W.; OBREZA, T.A. 2017. Citrus irrigation management. EDIS Publication, UF/IFAS Extension, Soil and Water Sciences Department, #SL446. URL: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/SS/SS66000.pdf
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: KADYAMPAKENI, D.; MORGAN, K.; M. ZEKRI; FERRAREZI, R. S.; SCHUMANN, A. W.; OBREZA, T.A. 2017. Irrigation Management of HLB-Affected Trees. EDIS Publication, UF/IFAS Extension, Soil and Water Sciences Department, #SL445. URL: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/SS/SS65900.pdf
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: SCHUMANN, A. W.; SINGERMAN, A.; WRIGHT, A. L.; FERRAREZI, R. S. 2017. Citrus Under Protective Screen (CUPS) production systems. EDIS Publication, UF/IFAS Extension, Horticultural Sciences Department, #HS1304. URL: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1304