Citrus Horticulture Program
The Citrus Horticulture program serves the extension and applied research needs
for 179,093 acres of commercial plantings in the Southwest Florida Gulf Coast region.
Program areas emphasized include nursery tree production, nutrition sources for
establishing young trees, general cultural practices during tree establishment,
and environmentally sound cover crops for row middles in bedded flatwoods groves.
A 20-acre budwood planting, located at the Center, is maintained in cooperation
with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and serves as the
germplasm source of most commercial varieties for propagation of new trees by nurseries
throughout the state. Educational programs include extension publications, magazine
articles, extension short courses and field days, and college credit courses.