Software Brings UF Citrus Expertise To Growers' Desktops

July 30, 1999

GAINESVILLE — New computer software is squeezing more profits out of Florida’s orange and grapefruit groves.

The software, being developed jointly by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and the citrus industry, will be available on the Internet and compact disc in about a year. In field tests, it already is saving money in controlling a fungus that blemishes fruit.

“It’s like having UF’s citrus experts at your fingertips,” said Gene Albrigo, a researcher at UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred.

“Florida probably has more citrus experts than any other citrus-growing area, and our agricultural software developers are among the best,” Albrigo said. “Our goal is to create the most complete and user-friendly software ever for citrus.”

Small economic changes can pay off big for citrus growers. “Cutting costs or increasing profits by $20 an acre on the state’s 845,000 acres of oranges and grapefruit would have a $17 million impact,” said Steve Futch, a UF extension agent in Lake Alfred.

To use the software, a grower simply enters information such as the type of fruit being grown, weather and soil conditions. The program then compares that information against a database and generates charts and graphs that suggest improvements in growing practices.

“Citrus production is very complex, and the software makes it more manageable,” Albrigo said.

In recently completed tests, a group of growers used the software to fight a fungal disease that discolors orange and grapefruit peels.

“The software helped the growers use new research showing that they should apply a copper spray that controls the fungus more frequently but in a less concentrated solution than they have in the past,” Albrigo said. “It matches information a grower provides with results of thousand of samples showing how copper’s protection changes as fruit grows and rain hits it.

“As a result of the test, the growers improved their scheduling of sprays and harvested more fruit that could be marketed fresh.”

Stopping the fungus pays off because unblemished fruit that’s sold fresh fetches a higher price than fruit that’s made into juice, Albrigo said. “This is especially important for grapefruit because half of it’s marketed fresh.”

Without the software, growers would have had only a general idea about how to apply the new research, said Howard Beck, associate director of information technologies for the institute and an associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering. “Now they can use the database to get recommendations based on what’s happening in their groves right now.”

The final software package will use information from satellite photos showing variations in soil conditions within groves. “It will help growers determine what types of trees will grow best in each soil condition,” Albrigo said.

The software also gives growers safety tips based on a graduate student’s research on hazards in the citrus industry. “We’re excited about being able to make safety suggestions through a tool that growers will be using all the time,” said Carol Lehtola, agricultural safety specialist for UF’s Cooperative Extension Service.

Growers suggested that UF create the software and helped pay for its development through an assessment on production that is administered by the Florida Citrus Production Research Advisory Council.

“Using the software in fighting the fungus that discolors fruit really opened our eyes, and we’re excited about the potential for the entire package,” said Chet Townsend, a citrus consultant and grower in Labelle.

Researchers and growers will constantly improve the software, Albrigo noted “We can make lots of great suggestions, but we need feedback from growers to see how practical they are.”