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 Quarantine Conditions Modified
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
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
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
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
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
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 …
Preventing Pesticide Resistance
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 …
Timing Insecticide Applications for Best Effects
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 ContentA Simpler, Safer and More Effective Way to Fight HLBOctober …
Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Expanded in California
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 Quarantine Expanded
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 Control and Research Update
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 Focused on CRISPR and Emerging Pests
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 …
New Knowledge on Lebbeck Mealybug Can Aid Control
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 …
Updates on Medfly and Psyllid Quarantines in California
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
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
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 …
Conclusions on Asian Citrus Psyllid Control
HLB, spread by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), has been the scariest and most destructive disease that Florida citrus growers have ever faced. So, it was fitting that entomologist Jawwad Qureshi made a virtual presentation about ACP/HLB on Halloween, often considered the scariest day of the year. Qureshi, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor, …
Brazilians Develop New Fruit Borer Trap
Fundecitrus, with the participation of a MasterCitrus student and in partnership with a private company, has developed a new generation of citrus fruit borer traps. The trap is resistant to rain and includes guidelines to assist growers. Fundecitrus researcher Haroldo Volpe explained that the new product is an advance in the fight against citrus fruit borers. “We had a high-tech …
More Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantines in California
Federal and state agriculture officials in late September established Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantines in Sacramento, San Bernardino and Riverside counties 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) following OFF detections in those areas. The new quarantines come …