protect developing

Protect Developing Fruit From Lebbeck Mealybugs

Daniel Cooper Pests, Tip of the Week

By Lauren Diepenbrock As the March bloom tapers off and fruit begin to set, it is time to think about lebbeck mealybug management to protect developing fruit. Damage to setting fruit causes malformed fruit that are often aborted or not marketable if they continue development (Figure 1). Early-season management is critical to both reducing early fruit damage and to maintaining …

bill

Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Prompts California Bill

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Legislative, Pests

California Assembly member Eloise Reyes on Feb. 15 introduced a bill establishing a statewide goal to manage the introduction and spread of invasive species across California. Assembly Bill 2827 was introduced in response to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) quarantine for the Redlands and Yucaipa areas of San Bernardino County due to impacts of the Oriental Fruit …

fruit fly

California Fruit Fly Quarantines Expanded Again

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Agriculture officials expanded the Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis/OFF) quarantine in California’s San Bernardino and Riverside counties on Dec. 22, 2023. On Dec. 27, 2023 and Jan. 17, 2024, they expanded the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata/Medfly) quarantine in Los Angeles County. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) …

pests

Freeze Does Not Have the Same Effect on All Pests

Daniel Cooper Cold Hardy, freeze, Pests

The Christmas freeze event in 2022 affected some insect pests in the cold-hardy citrus region more so than others, according to Xavier Martini. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor spoke about his findings during the recent Citrus Health Forum held at the North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) in Quincy. Martini addressed …

Oriental fruit fly

Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Conditions Modified

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Conditions for the movement of fresh citrus fruit from the Redlands Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantine area of San Bernardino and Riverside counties in California have been temporarily modified for the duration of the 2024 harvest season. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) announced the modification on Feb. 5. Due to the imminent …

Identifying California’s Numerous Fruit Flies

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests

Sandipa Gautam, University of California area citrus integrated pest management advisor, recently wrote that California is experiencing an unusually high number of invasive fruit flies in the 2023–24 season. She noted that several areas in California are now under fruit fly quarantines. Excerpts from her article follow: Several species of invasive fruit flies that belong to the family Tephritidae are …

Planning Pointers for Insect Management

Tacy Callies Pests, Tip of the Week

By Lauren Diepenbrock Insect and mite management is a year-round challenge in Florida citrus. With the warm climate, pests are at the ready as soon as plant resources are available to them. With knowledge of insect and mite biology in relation to tree phenology, plans can be developed to protect fruit and maintain productive citrus trees. Populations of some highly …

Expansion of Medfly and Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantines

Tacy Callies California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Federal and California officials have expanded a Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine in Los Angeles County and an Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantine in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The expansion of both …

Emergency Funding Approved for Exotic Fruit Flies

Tacy Callies Pests

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) is using $103.5 million in emergency funding to respond to the threats associated with growing outbreaks of exotic fruit flies. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack approved the transfer of the funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation to APHIS to directly support emergency response efforts domestically and …

California Fruit Fly Quarantines Continue to Expand

Tacy Callies California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Federal and state officials have expanded Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata; Medfly), Zeugodacus tau fruit fly and Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni; QFF) quarantines in California. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The Medfly and tau fruit fly quarantines …

pesticide resistance

Preventing Pesticide Resistance

Daniel Cooper Pesticides, Pests

By Lourdes Pérez Cordero Insects in general are often thought of as pests. Although some organisms of the class Insecta can become harmful to important agricultural crops, not all insects should inherently be considered pests. A pest can be any organism that competes, injures, or spreads diseases to humans, domestic animals and desired plants. Historically, humans have utilized chemical mixtures …

insecticide

Timing Insecticide Applications for Best Effects

Daniel Cooper Pests, Tip of the Week

By Lukasz Stelinski Here are some basic guidelines that growers can follow to manage pests successfully and economically in their groves: Take-home messages include the following: Lukasz Stelinski is a professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Sponsored ContentBRAZILIAN RESEARCH RESULTS IN A UNIQUE PRODUCT FOR HLB MANAGEMENTMarch …

fruit fly

Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Expanded in California

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests, Regulation

The Oriental fruit fly (OFFor Bactrocera dorsalis) quarantine in San Bernardino and Riverside counties in California was expanded in October and November by federal and state agriculture authorities. The actions were taken on Oct. 12, Nov. 3, Nov. 9 and Nov. 17 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of …

medfly

Medfly Quarantine Expanded

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Federal and state authorities in early November expanded the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly) quarantine in the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles County, California. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) on Nov. 1 and again on Nov. …

snail

Snail Control and Research Update

Daniel Cooper Pests

Baits are currently the best tool for Bulimulus bonariensis snail management, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologists reported recently. Assistant professors Lauren Diepenbrock and Nicole Quinn also provided an update on snail research. Diepenbrock works at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Quinn works at the Indian River Research and Education Center …

OJ Break

OJ Break Focused on CRISPR and Emerging Pests

Daniel Cooper Breeding, Pests, Research

In mid-November, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center hosted an OJ Break educational program in Lake Alfred. Attendees were provided with research updates on CRISPR gene editing and emerging pests. Nian Wang, a UF/IFAS professor of microbiology and cell science, spoke on his work with CRISPR technology. He provided insight …

lebbeck mealybug

New Knowledge on Lebbeck Mealybug Can Aid Control

Daniel Cooper Pests

Lebbeck mealybug populations are not tied to flush production, entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock reported recently. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor also noted: Diepenbrock sampled lebbeck mealybug populations in commercial citrus groves in Central Florida. Analysis of the seasonal trapping data provided easily observable trends. Based on these trends, she offers the following initial …

fruit fly

Updates on Medfly and Psyllid Quarantines in California

Josh McGill California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Agriculture officials recently established a Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly) quarantine and expanded an Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) quarantine, both in California. MEDFLYFederal and state agriculture officials on Oct. 18 established the Medfly quarantine in California’s Los Angeles County. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and …

California Fruit Fly Quarantines Expanded

Josh McGill California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Federal and California agriculture officials have expanded the Tau fruit fly quarantine in Los Angeles County and the Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantine in San Bernadino and Riverside counties. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). TAU FRUIT FLYThe agencies expanded …

Queensland Fruit Fly Quarantine in California

Josh McGill California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Portions of Ventura and Los Angeles counties have been placed under quarantine for the Queensland fruit fly (QFF), the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced in late October. The quarantine followed the detection of two adult QFFs within the city of Thousand Oaks in Ventura County. The quarantine area measures 76 square miles. It is bordered on the …