Florida College Revives Citrus Groves to Fight Tree Disease

A Florida college is turning its historic roots into hope for an entire industry struggling against a devastating plant disease.

Florida Southern College in Lakeland has restored two citrus groves on campus, creating hands-on research sites where students can help tackle Huanglongbing, or citrus greening. The disease has threatened Florida's iconic citrus industry for years, destroying trees and slashing production across the state.

The project came together through gifts from alumnus Phillip Rucks and his company Rucks Nursery, along with Mike Hurst of Citrus Service, Inc. Rucks Nursery provided specially developed trees with rootstock that resists citrus greening, while Citrus Service donated protective tents that shield young trees from the insects that spread the disease.

These aren't ordinary protective covers. The tents also guard against heat stress, sunburn, and moisture loss during brutal Florida summers, giving the trees multiple layers of defense and a better chance at long-term survival.

Students studying horticulture and land management at Florida Southern now have a real-world laboratory right on campus. They can work directly with the rootstock varieties and protective technologies that Florida farmers are counting on to save their operations.

The Ripple Effect

The restored groves represent more than just a college project. They're creating a pipeline of trained agricultural leaders who understand both the science and practical realities of modern citrus farming.

Dr. Michael Weber, Dean of the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise, says the groves honor Florida's agricultural heritage while preparing students to lead industry innovation. The combination of education and research gives students hands-on experience with the exact tools and techniques that could determine whether Florida citrus survives and thrives.

Florida's citrus industry has been central to the state's economy and identity for generations. As farmers face ongoing challenges from citrus greening, projects like this one offer something increasingly precious: practical solutions developed by people who will inherit the industry's future.

The collaboration between higher education and agricultural businesses shows how different sectors can work together when they share a common goal. By investing in student training and research infrastructure, industry partners are essentially funding their own future workforce while advancing the science that could save their livelihoods.

These groves will test production practices and evaluate emerging technologies for years to come, with each generation of students building on what the previous one learned.