28 Apr 2026
Citrus Orchard

SA citrus industry eyes record season amid global headwinds

South Africa’s citrus growers are heading into the 2026 export season with cautious optimism. Projections show a 3%–5% increase, with up to 215 million cartons expected. But global instability, including conflict in the Middle East, could impact demand, shipping, and costs. As the citrus export season approaches, the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) has released its export estimates. The figures reflect the expected volume of citrus available for export, and the estimates point to continued growth in the industry.

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23 Mar 2026
EU Missions - Soil deal for Europe

EU Missions – Soil deal for Europe

The Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ is an ambitious, innovative instrument launched in 2021 by the European Commission to accelerate the development and large-scale deployment of solutions for sustainable land and soil management as part of a wider, green transition. Together with the Soil Strategy, the upcoming Soil Health Law, the EU Soil Observatory and climate policies (such as for carbon farming) the Mission is part of a robust framework for soil protection in the EU. While rooted in the EU research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, the Mission serves as a mechanism to enhance synergies with other EU programmes such as the Common Agricultural Policy and to team up with stakeholders in Member States, EU Associated Countries and global partners.

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23 Mar 2026
Hand holding soil

Determining soil health parameters controlling crop productivity in a Citrus Greening disease affected orange grove.

Soil health is an important aspect for maintaining adequate crop production, but the specifics of what entails a healthy soil can vary from region to region and crop to crop. In highly managed agricultural systems, unhealthy soil can be masked by intensive management practices, yet there must be detrimental cutoff points in various characteristics, such as soil organic matter (SOM) concentrations, where even highly managed systems start to lose productivity. This negative impact was observed in a Florida citrus grove containing Valencia orange trees with observable differences in tree size yet were otherwise managed identically. A soil health index demonstrated that the areas with smaller trees had a significantly lower index score and those soils contained significantly less SOM (average SOM ​= ​0.57%) compared to areas with larger trees (average SOM ​= ​0.94%).

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23 Feb 2026
Valencia Orange Orchard

Soil and Leaf Nutrient Status of Selected Valencia Orange Orchards in the Gharb Plain of Morocco

Monitoring the nutrient status of citrus orchards is fundamental to ensure optimum fruit yield and quality. In the present study, soil and leaf samples of 20 Valencia Late orange orchards were collected in the Gharb plain of Morocco, the second-largest citrus area in the country. The objective was to assess the status of essential macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) and micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn) in Valencia orange orchards and investigate the relationships between soil properties and nutrient contents in soils and leaves. Soils of the studied orchards had a medium to heavy texture, with low to moderate levels of organic matter content (6–31 g kg−1). They were also non-saline and mostly alkaline and calcareous. These soils exhibited a wide range of macro- and micronutrients. Suboptimum levels of total N, available Fe, and Cu were observed in most soils. Most of soils had also sufficient levels of available P, Mn, and Zn. All soils were sufficiently supplied with available Ca, Mg, and K. Similarly to soil analysis, leaf analysis indicated the prevalence of adequate to very high levels of P, Ca, Mn, and K. Leaf N and Fe status were below optimum levels in most orchards, which is in line with the observed low levels in soils.

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23 Feb 2026
Valencia Orange Blossom

A Critical Review on Physiological Changes during Growth Maturation and Ripening of Citrus Fruits

Citrus is one of the major fruit crops in the world and widely recognized by their nutritional, organoleptic and health-related benefits of fresh fruit. The genetic diversity among the genus and independent changes in peel and pulp, make the definition of standard maturity indexes of fruit quality. Commercial maturity indexes in the citrus industry are usually based on peel coloration, soluble solids, pH but their relevance may differ among varieties and the specific requirements of the markets.

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28 Nov 2025
Fruit Thinning

Economics of Fruit Thinning A Review Focusing on Apple and Citrus

Hundreds of fruit thinning experiments have been reported for various fruits including apple (Malus x domestica) and citrus (Citrus spp.). Unfortunately, very few of these reports attempt to evaluate the economic implications of thinning. Researchers routinely report significant cropload reduction accompanied by an increase in fruit size. Although these are crucial responses to thinning, they are not always associated with an increase in crop value, which is the commercial justification for thinning.

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