Orange Sun

Getting the knowledge developed in laboratories to the groves is, without doubt, one of the great challenges of agricultural research. It’s no different with citriculture. With that in mind, the Citrus Defense Fund, Fundecitrus, launched in 2010 a publication called “Citricultor” (citrus grower, in Portuguese). Distributed for free, the magazine which is already in its 37^th issue, aims to be another information channel for Brazilian citrus growers. Published every two months, the magazine brings technical articles, covering themes such as improvement in phytosanitary control, proper management, disease monitoring, and information regarding a better activity performance. Along with the field work done by researchers, the publication works as another tool for spreading knowledge, bringing the organization’s findings closer to the work in the groves.

One example was the cover story of the April 2015 issue, titled “Aposta na Sustentabilidade” (Betting on Sustainability, in Portuguese). The article highlighted a series of researches and management in the field towards more natural, economical and efficient practices. The text explains some research lines of biological control such as the product reduction with spraying based on the pheromone of the citrus fruit borer and the Phytosanitary Alert system, helping citrus growers to monitore the psyllid (the insect vector of the citrus greening) and identifying the best moment for controlling.  The bet on natural enemies, bioinsecticides and more rational practices of water usage helped decreasing up to 70% of water when preventing citrus canker. The same percentage can be saved in psyllid control. For postbloom fruit drop, the decrease is up to 60%, for citrus black spot between 40 and 50%, and for citrus leprosis, 30%.

In its most recent issue, published last August, the magazine highlights a serie of practices and management strategies used in the field, that contributed for Brazilian groves to be able to stop the advances of citrus greening for the first time. With regional management and eliminating sick plants, the occurrence of the disease in the Citrus Belt, which covers the state of São Paulo and some towns in Minas Gerais, was of 16.2%, a rate similar to the one registered in the previous year and that indicates the disease hasn’t advanced.

With this kind of information, the citrus grower can see the results of best practices and use the best techniques to keep their groves environmentally sustainable and at the same time economically efficient.

The magazine is sent by mail, but there’s also a digital version you can download or read online.

To access the magazine, in Portuguese, go to the website http://www.fundecitrus.com.br/comunicacao/revistas/