He said Florida's citrus industry was predicted to collapse in 2015 due to citrus greening. 'Growing citrus is not the same as it used to be in Florida. Others include improving a grove's fertilizer and soil and applying an acid that helps trees tolerate the disease. Rogers told lawmakers that planting HLB-resistant trees is one of a few short-term solutions to combat citrus greening. The fruit is one of many varieties his center is developing to be resistant to citrus greening or HLB, a disease that kills trees and can cause fruit to drop prematurely. Rogers told lawmakers that Gator Bites make Halos and Cuties taste like cardboard. We didn't know if we'd get the licensing agreement to do that,' Rogers said. 'We actually got the UF athletic department or whoever the powers that be there to let us use the name 'gator,' and call it a 'gator bite' for this variety. The center's Director, Michael Rogers, told state lawmakers in a Senate committee meeting that the fruit is meant to compete against California Halos and Cuties. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center is developing a new variety of mandarin orange.

Where can you buy cuties oranges