Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the long-term goal of the project…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the long-term goal of the project is to improve organic citrus production and sustainability through improved soil health, horticultural and pest management practices, and fruit yield. The critical needs for optimizing the efficiency of organic citrus production, include manipulation of horticultural practices, minimizing inputs while efficiently increasing fruit yields and productivity, pest and disease management, and better physiological responses of citrus trees. The project addresses two of the eight legislatively defined goals: 1) conducting advanced on-farm research and development that emphasizes observation of, experimentation with, and innovation for working organic farms, including research relating to production; and 2) examining optimal conservation, soil health, and environmental outcomes relating to organically produced agricultural products. As described in our methods, improving soil health through the use of cover crops and soil amendments in on-farm experiments in florida and texas will improve productivity and fruit yield for organic citrus producers through better pest and disease management while sustaining environmental quality. The project will use field days, refereed/extension publications, and social media to disseminate emerging and imminent findings on the project. Further, in-service training for extension agents will be conducted annually to build capacity and accelerate adoption of sustainable organic citriculture. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will also be mentored on the project and collaborate with organic citrus growers to develop the capacity of the next generation of organic agriculture researchers in the US.