At the Millennium Block Field Day in Fort Pierce, Florida, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) showcased two citrus varieties at their Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) that have shown resilience to Huanglongbing (HLB) and maintain high fruit yield and juice quality. The 20-acre Millennium Block is dedicated to evaluating fresh fruit varieties and rootstocks.
Flavia Zambon, UF/IFAS assistant professor of horticultural production at the IRREC, highlighted the significance of the grapefruit-orange hybrid named Triumph, and a pummelo-hybrid designated UF-914. These varieties are notable for their HLB tolerance. Zambon detailed, "The red flesh of the UF-914 fruit bred by UF/IFAS Professor Fred Gmitter resembles a grapefruit, except for its thick rind, characteristic of pummelos. It produces market-ready fruit." She further described Triumph as exhibiting exceptional tolerance to citrus greening, with a robust dark-green canopy, meeting industry standards for juice quality and yield. Plans are in place to breed Triumph for seedlessness to cater to elite markets globally.
The field day provided an opportunity for attendees to sample the fruit, with UF-914 being the preferred choice for its flavor and overall quality. Participants included citrus industry stakeholders, UF/IFAS researchers, and representatives from various citrus research organizations.
Trevor Smith, director of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry, emphasized the importance of a comprehensive strategy to combat citrus greening, including the development of disease-resistant trees, psyllid treatment, and collaborative research efforts. He praised the Millennium Block as a prime example of collaborative efforts to identify high-quality fruit-producing varieties under current challenges.
Source: Citrus Industry