Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) continues to grow in popularity with about 1,500 acres now planted in Florida. The October All In For Citrus podcast covers CUPS and some of the challenges growers can face with the system.
Jerry Mixon, a CUPS grower, discusses why he wanted to try the system and some of the challenges he has faced with pests. He built his first CUPS in 2015–16 after touring the CUPS facility at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred and consulting with Arnold Schumann, UF/IFAS professor of soil, water and ecosystem sciences. Schumann has conducted extensive CUPS research.
Mixon said he knew he could not compete with large-acreage outdoor citrus growers but believed he could carve out a niche with high-quality fresh fruit in CUPS. In addition, he knew how to construct pole and netting structures from his previous experience building them to exclude birds from blueberry plantings.
He said he has been pleased with the performance of CUPS to date. Yields have been high, and fruit quality is excellent. Mixon has shifted mostly to growing grapefruit under his structures but continues to trial other varieties to evaluate their potential.
He discusses pest challenges he has encountered in CUPS, which include chilli thrips, mites and lebbeck mealybug. Mixon works with Lauren Diepenbrock, UF/IFAS entomologist, to develop pest management plans. Diepenbrock joins the October podcast to share details on pest management in CUPS.
Diseases like citrus canker and greasy spot can also be problematic in CUPS. Megan Dewdney, UF/IFAS plant pathologist, joins the CUPS conversation to talk about those challenges.
Don’t miss the October episode of All In For Citrus to take a deep dive into CUPS production. The podcast is a partnership between UF/IFAS and AgNet Media.
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