Treasure Coast - Wednesday October 11 2023: Trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) is giving growers hope for the future of the Florida citrus industry. Many are optimistic the new therapy will help improve both fruit quality and quantity.
The October issue of Citrus Industry magazine includes three articles on OTC trunk injection.
The first article provides an update on University of Florida research results. Larger fruit and higher Brix are among the findings of ongoing trials. Also under study are OTC rates, timing and injection location.
OTC appears to be producing positive results, but is it worth the cost? That’s a question answered in the second OTC article. Different yield scenarios and cost considerations are presented to help growers determine if OTC treatments will deliver an adequate return on investment.
A third article on OTC discusses how some growers are streamlining the injection process to make it more efficient. Best practices for fine-tuning applications are also included.