Evaluation of Potential HLB Tolerant Grapefruit Rootstock/Scion Combinations in Florida

Evaluation of Potential HLB Tolerant Grapefruit Rootstock/Scion Combinations in Florida

Report Date: 11/15/2023
Project: 23-003   Year: 2023
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Mark Ritenour
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation

1. Please state project objectives and what work was done this quarter to address them: The overall goal is to discover which of the seven (7) grapefruit scion and six (6) rootstock combinations planted in 41 blocks perform well under the endemic HLB disease pressure in Florida. The objectives are to 1) measure tree growth (using drone technology) and ratings of canopy thickness, yellowing, and HLB disease symptom severity, and 2) estimate fruit drop and tree yields as they come into production through preharvest fruit counts and measurement of fruit weight, size distribution and fruit quality from representative fruit samples.  Work done: Per the project timeline, Aerobotics collected drone measurements of all experimental blocks in October, but one due to the presence of ICPs on the plants. The ICPs have now been removed and will be flown over by the drone. The drone data is now available for further analysis. In late October we started evaluating blocks: collecting fruit samples for sizing and external and internal fruit quality analysis, to calculate fruit yield. Concomitantly, we are counting fruits on the tree and on the ground (estimating fruit drop percentage), plus rating HLB symptoms based on a quadrant-evaluation rating (disease index). Fruit count and disease index are performed by the same person in all the blocks. We antecipate to finish fruit sampling and juice analysis in December.   2. Please state what work is anticipated for next quarter:Next quarter we will finish the first round of measurements/sampling all the blocks, will conduct another round of tree measurements (via drone), and will start another round of block evaluations: measuring disease index, documenting tree growth and health with photographs with a height pole as reference.    3. Please state budget status (underspend or overspend, and why): Spending on track – payroll was started in October with the start of field evaluations and fruit harvests with heavy draw-down continuig during block visits and evaluations through April. Expense for drone measurements have not yet been incurred – the invoice will be sent by the mid-month following data collection.    


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