In Focus: Three Questions With Frank Miele
July 1, 2009 1. Florida Grower (FLG): Have growers gotten better at managing citrus canker?
Frank Miele: Yes, in the past five years working with growers, I have witnessed them performing better management practices on canker as time goes on. I give the growers a lot of credit for what they have achieved in dealing with canker. Florida growers had a lack of research informing them on how to handle citrus canker. Although extensive research was done in countries like Argentina and Brazil, the results do not apply to South Florida conditions. In the past two years, we have gathered substantial data from research that is now available through UF/IFAS for growers to refer to in their canker management program.
2. FLG: What are some of the benefits of your main canker control product?
Miele: Magna Bon CS 2005 is an asset to many growers today. CS 2005 is widely used for managing citrus canker and other diseases in more than 40,000 acres of citrus. The benefit to growers with our program is using much less metallic copper than any other product on the market. Using less metallic copper means putting less stress on trees and the environment and producing a bigger yield per acre. It also decreases chances of copper toxicity while doing the same job as other competing copper products.
3. FLG: Are you looking at a possible fit for the product in the fight against greening?
Miele: Magna Bon has been working for more than two years, researching possible solutions for citrus greening. This year we have doubled our research efforts, working with numerous organizations on this continuing problem. Magna Bon CS 2005 with its systemic ability is testing the possibility of suppressing citrus greening and trying to stop the spread of this devastating disease.