georgia

‘The Psyllids Will Like Georgia Just Fine’

Daniel Cooper Georgia, Psyllids

A California citrus leader believes Georgia will make an ideal home for the Asian citrus psyllid, which vectors the devastating huanglongbing (HLB) disease. “North of Florida, it is colder, and it’s certainly not as suitable a place as Florida is, but the psyllid is still going to be fine. The cold isn’t long enough here to knock the populations out,” …

tool

New Tool Will Help Brazilian Growers Manage Psyllids

Daniel Cooper Brazil, HLB Management, Psyllids

Fundecitrus has launched Evaluate Psyllid, a tool that will help citrus growers choose insecticides to manage the pest that spreads citrus greening disease. Evaluate Psyllid will make available the results of insecticide efficacy experiments on field psyllid populations in different regions of Brazil’s citrus belt. The insecticide efficacy data will be constantly updated as experiments are carried out. It will …

Pheromone

Pheromone-Based Psyllid Control Not Viable

Daniel Cooper Brazil, Psyllids, Research

Studies with psyllid pheromones show that the insect’s behavior is altered when it is infected by the HLB-causing bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter (CLas). This makes it difficult to produce a commercial psyllid-control product based on the insect pheromone, Brazil’s Fundecitrus has concluded. “The sexual pheromone is an attractant produced by the female of the species, which promotes behavioral changes in male …

cycle 2

California’s CRaFT Accepting Cycle 2 Applications

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Psyllids

California’s Citrus Research and Field Trials (CA-CRaFT) program is now accepting Cycle 2 applications from commercial growers. This initiative aims to showcase the efficacy of additional control measures against the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). ACP is the carrier of the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus bacterium causing huanglongbing (HLB) disease in citrus. For Cycle 2, applications will be accepted until program capacity …

psyllids

New Discovery About Asian Citrus Psyllids

Daniel Cooper HLB Management, Psyllids, Research

A failed field test has led to a major discovery about Asian citrus psyllids (ACP). According to new research, the bacterium that causes HLB disease can interfere with ACP’s sense of smell, rendering some kinds of insect traps useless. The work is currently available as a preprint. HLB, also known as citrus greening, is caused by the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) bacterium. …

Mulch Suppresses Psyllids in Young Trees 

Tacy Callies Psyllids, Tip of the Week

By Jawwad A. Qureshi, Lauren Diepenbrock and Davie Kadyampakeni  Protecting citrus trees from the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is critical to reducing the spread and severity of huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The frequent availability of viable shoots in young trees is attractive to psyllid colonization, feeding and oviposition events. UV-metalized reflective mulches reflect ultraviolet light, which is disturbing for some insects …

New Research on Neonicotinoids for Psyllids

Tacy Callies Brazil, Psyllids, Research

Continuing Brazilian research into the application of neonicotinoids via drench for control of HLB-spreading psyllids shows higher efficacy than earlier results indicated. In September, Fundecitrus released preliminary results on the application of neonicotinoids via drench. At that time, tests carried out on a property in Casa Branca, São Paulo, showed that the efficiency of the molecules for this type of …

acp

Follow Thresholds for ACP Control

Daniel Cooper All In For Citrus Podcast, HLB Management, Psyllids

One of the key components of managing HLB is keeping its vector, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), in check. Management recommendations for the pest have evolved over time. The history of that evolution is a subject of discussion in the November episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. Lukasz Stelinksi, an entomologist with the University of Florida Institute of …

First CLas-Positive Psyllids Found in Ventura County

Josh McGill California Corner, HLB Management, Psyllids

A Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas)-positive Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) sample has been collected from a residential property in California’s Ventura County. CLas is the bacterium that causes HLB. The Citrus Research Board’s Jerry Dimitman Laboratory confirmed the positive sample. This is the first confirmed CLas-positive ACP sample found in Ventura County. The positive sample, comprised of 12 adult psyllids from …

Psyllid Resistance to Organophosphates Begins in Brazil

Josh McGill HLB Management, Pesticides, Psyllids

Research has confirmed the initial phase of resistance of the HLB-spreading psyllid to the active ingredient malathion in some microregions of the citrus belt of São Paulo and Triângulo/Southwest Mineiro. Malathion is from the organophosphate chemical group. The research was conducted by Fundecitrus in partnership with Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture/University of São Paulo (Esalq/USP). This is the third …

Brazil Breaks Psyllid Record Again

Josh McGill Brazil, HLB Management, Psyllids

The Brazilian citrus belt of São Paulo and Triângulo/Sudoeste Mineiro has recorded yet another record high in the average number of greening-spreading Asian citrus psyllids captured by traps. In the second half of August, there was an average growth of 147% in the average catch compared to the previous two-week period. The average jumped from 3.4 to 8.4 insects per …

hlb

Replacing Psyllid Host Plants

Josh McGill Brazil, HLB Management, Psyllids

The secretary of agriculture and supply of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, in partnership with Fundecitrus, has launched a campaign to replace plants that are hosts for the HLB-spreading psyllid. HLB disease is also known as citrus greening. The campaign, called Plant This Idea, aims to replace citrus and myrtle plants with fruitful and ornamental plants in rural backyards …

Brazilian Psyllid Increase Poses Extreme Risk

Josh McGill Brazil, HLB Management, Psyllids

Brazil’s primary citrus region recorded a significant increase in the average number of HLB-spreading psyllids captured in the first half of August compared to the previous fortnight and the same period of 2022. In the citrus belt of São Paulo and Triângulo/Sudoeste Mineiro, there was an average growth of 80.4% in the capture of psyllids in the last fortnight compared …

tool

Psyllids Reach Historically High Levels in Brazil

Josh McGill Brazil, HLB Management, Psyllids

Populations of Asian citrus psyllids in the Brazilian states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais have hit historically high levels, Fundecitrus recently reported. Fundecitrus described the development as “alarming” because the psyllids spread citrus greening disease.  Reversing the situation requires immediate and joint action among citrus growers in the same micro-region, Fundecitrus stated. It reported that in the first half …

Drone Sprays for Psyllids Effective in Brazil

Josh McGill HLB Management, Psyllids, Technology

Using drones to apply chemical control for HLB-spreading psyllids in Brazil proved effective against adult insects, a Fundecitrus researcher reported. The researcher, Marcelo Miranda, said psyllid mortality was above 80% as a result of drone applications. Miranda’s work was pioneering in 2021. There was no record of the use of drones for the chemical control of the psyllid in western …

Psyllids Confirmed in Sonoma County, California

Josh McGill California Corner, Psyllids

California officials have confirmed the presence of HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids in a residential area east of Sonoma. The confirmation came following analysis of a survey trap set by the Sonoma County Department of Agriculture. The county department is coordinating with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) in responding to the pest’s presence in Sonoma Valley. “Discovery of …

Psyllids and HLB in Georgia Citrus

Josh McGill Georgia, Psyllids

When commercial citrus acreage started migrating north some years ago, the big question was: To what extent would Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) and HLB migrate with the crop? With citrus getting well established in South Georgia, the pest and disease are there, but not yet at devastating levels like in Florida. Johnathan Oliver, an assistant professor of fruit pathology with …

It’s Time to Target Adult Asian Citrus Psyllids

Josh McGill Pests, Psyllids, Tip of the Week

By Lauren Diepenbrock Pest management is an ongoing effort in Florida citrus. Taking advantage of pest life cycles has been shown to be an effective tool for reducing populations of target pests. For many citrus growers, managing impacts of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), the vector of huanglongbing (HLB), is part of the annual management plan. As we enter the …

California Psyllids Carrying HLB Bacterium in Groves

Tacy Callies California Corner, Psyllids

An ongoing study in coastal Southern California citrus groves has found that just over 3.5% of Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) tested are carrying the bacterium that can cause HLB. ACP is the insect vector of HLB. Thus far, 138 of 3,000 adult ACP collected from 15 commercial citrus sites had some level of the bacterium present. The results were reported …

Psyllid Management Alert for Brazil

Josh McGill Brazil, HLB Management, Psyllids

The onset of rains in several regions of Brazil’s citrus belt has made it necessary for growers to pay added attention to citrus greening, Fundecitrus reported. The association of citrus growers and juice manufacturers from the state of São Paulo said the extra attention is needed due to the increase in greening-spreading psyllid populations in this period. Fundectirus reported that …