2019 ASHS Annual Conference

The citrus industry is one of the most important in the US, but has also faced many challenges in recent years due to citrus greening disease. This has been exacerbated by additional diseases, natural disasters, drought, and water allocations. The South Texas region, including the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), ranks third in the nation in citrus production and produces more than 250,000 tons of fruit annually. However, production is often limited due to a variety of factors out of the control of the producers. Some of these factors include increasing temperatures and drought which both play key roles in total yield. Additionally, water availability is affected by soil and management practices which can impact tree health and production. Grove floor management practices and irrigation can affect citrus root health and distribution within the soil profile due to distribution of moisture and nutrients. The objective of this study is to compare growth and root systems of young orange trees in two different groves which are managed and irrigated differently. The management practices examined in this study are: flat beds, raised beds, with and without groundcovers, with one site irrigated via flood and the other with drip. Citrus roots were collected and measured using WinRHIZO software to analyze the differences in root distribution and morphology. Analysis of roots in varying management and irrigation practices will provide a deeper understanding of how root environment affects root distribution and morphology in citrus.