Snails Moving Into Young Trees and Covers

Josh McGillFlorida, Pests

Some species of snails in Florida groves, normally seen on irrigation emitters and tree trunks, have recently “taken up residency in young citrus trees,” University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension agents Chris Oswalt and Ajia Paolillo reported. Here’s a summary of what the agents wrote in a recent UF/IFAS Central Florida citrus Extension newsletter: Once …

Georgia Growers: Look Out for Lebbeck Mealybug

Josh McGillGeorgia, Pests

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) specialists are alerting Georgia citrus growers about an invasive pest that’s impacting Florida’s crop. Lebbeck mealybugs have yet to navigate their way to Georgia. But it is only a matter of time, says Lauren Diepenbrock, UF/IFAS assistant professor and entomologist. “It’ll get up to Georgia probably. We’re doing our best …

Growers Addressing California Red Scale

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Pests

Citrus growers are working to address California red scale populations, as second-generation crawlers have emerged in the San Joaquin Valley. University of California Cooperative Extension Area Citrus IPM Advisor Sandipa Gautam said a tool for tracking degree days in Kern, Tulare, Fresno and Madera counties can be a helpful resource for growers. Gautam explained that the hot and dry conditions …

New UF/IFAS Entomologist to Focus on Invasive Pests

Josh McGillPests, Research

Nicole Quinn recently joined the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) as an assistant professor of entomology. She’ll specialize in the biocontrol of invasive pests, insects and mites at the Hayslip Biological Control Research and Containment Laboratory. The lab is at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce. Quinn will begin …

Oriental fruit fly

Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine in Los Angeles County

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Pests

A portion of Los Angeles County has been placed under quarantine for the Oriental fruit fly following the detection of 14 flies in the North Hills area of the San Fernando Valley. The quarantine zone measures 89 square miles. It is bordered on the north by the Angeles National Forest, on the south by the Ventura Freeway, on the west …

Medfly

California Fruit Fly Quarantines Removed

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Pests, Regulation

Federal and state officials in late June removed Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) and Oriental fruit fly quarantines in California. 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). MEDFLY The Medfly quarantine was removed in the Upland area of San Bernardino and Los …

Wildflowers May Benefit Citrus Groves

Josh McGillPests, Research, Tip of the Week

By Xavier Martini Planting wildflowers in and around fields is known to provide food resources and habitats for beneficial arthropods like pollinators and predators of pests. In two locations (Lake Alfred and Monticello), University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers tested whether planting native Florida wildflowers next to citrus grove windbreaks could improve natural pest control …

Mexfly

Texas Mexfly Updates Issued

Josh McGillPests, Regulation, Texas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in late June announced updates regarding Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantines in Texas: On April 29, APHIS and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) established a Mexfly quarantine in Lyford, Willacy County, Texas. APHIS and TDA established the Lyford quarantine following the confirmed detection of a mature …

psyllids

Second CLas-Positive Psyllid Sample Found in California Grove

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Pests, Psyllids

An Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) sample confirmed positive for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) — the bacteria that causes huanglongbing (HLB) — was collected from a commercial citrus grove in the Pauma Valley area of California’s San Diego County. This confirmation marks the first CLas-positive ACP found in a commercial grove in San Diego County and only the second grove detection …

Oriental fruit fly

Oriental Fruit Flies Found in Florida

Josh McGillFlorida, Pests

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has confirmed the presence of Oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis, in Pinellas County. Two male flies were captured during routine trapping in a methyl eugenol-baited fruit fly detection trap in St. Petersburg on May 17. Expanded intensified delimitation trapping over the 80-square-mile surrounding area resulted in two additional males being captured …

California Panel Issues HLB Update

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, HLB Management, Pests

California’s commercial citrus groves remain free of HLB disease 14 years after Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) were first detected there. The state’s Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program (CPDPP) described that as “no small feat” in its recently released 2020-21 annual report. “The past fiscal year presented its fair share of headwinds for citrus-growing operations,” the report stated. “From pandemic-induced …

ACP Detection Response: ‘The System Is Working’

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, HLB Management, Pests

County and state officials in California have been actively responding to various Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) discoveries in the Central Valley in recent weeks. Kern, Tulare and Fresno counties have all reported an ACP detection over the last month. The Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD) has been implementing delimitation protocols and necessary treatment programs. CPDPD Director Victoria Hornbaker …

Forum for Growers Sparks Conversations

Josh McGillHLB Management, Pests

By Ajia Paolillo Florida citrus growers are undoubtedly under pressure while they work daily to maintain tree health and produce quality fruit that is profitable. Growers are constantly switching gears to budget increasing production costs, address labor issues and, of course, fight HLB and other problems in the grove. Growers are fighting HLB from many different directions, including enhanced nutrition, …

What Southeast Citrus Growers Should Be Watching For

Josh McGillIrrigation, Pests, Weather

A prolonged dry spell across the Southeast should have citrus growers ensuring their young trees are properly irrigated. But Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, cautions growers about applying too much water. “The real young trees don’t have much of a root system, of course. It has been pretty dry. But you don’t want …

Fruit Flies Are Major Cause of Fruit Drop in Brazil

Josh McGillBrazil, Fruit Drop, Pests

Brazil’s Fundecitrus recently pointed out that fruit flies, along with citrus fruit borers, are primarily responsible for the country’s citrus fruit drop. The organization suggested that monitoring and management must be taken to avoid economic damage, since fruit flies occur throughout the year. Fundecitrus described the fruit flies that cause damage in Brazil and suggested control measures.   Two species of …

Lebbeck Mealybug on the Move in Florida Groves

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast, Pests

In the May episode of the All In For Citrus podcast, Lauren Diepenbrock, an entomologist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), discusses her research on the lebbeck mealybug. The pest was first identified in Florida in the Boynton Beach area in 2009 in a natural habit. “It was not until 2019 that we found …

Citrus Nutrient Deficiencies? There’s an App for That

Josh McGillDiseases, Nutrition, Pests, Technology

While sending citrus tissue samples to the lab for analysis remains important, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has developed a smartphone application (app) that can supplement lab analysis to identify leaf symptoms of key nutrient deficiencies and certain pests and diseases. Arnold Schumann, a professor of soil and water science with UF/IFAS, demonstrated how …

Pests, Pathogens and IPCs

Josh McGillIPCs, Pests, Research

By Lauren Diepenbrock, Megan Dewdney, Fernando Alferez, Jawwad Qureshi and Ozgur Batuman Individual protective covers (IPCs) are becoming commonplace in citrus production to support the development of young trees after planting. IPCs are made of fine mesh and are intended to keep Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) off young plants. Because ACP can transmit the pathogen that causes citrus greening/huanglongbing, preventing …

Now Is the Time to Start Scouting for Rust Mites

Josh McGillPests, Tip of the Week

By Xavier Martini Rust mites are recurrent pests in Florida that pose problems mostly in fresh citrus production. While severe infestations can lead to fruit drop, leaf injury and abscission, rust mites cause aesthetic damage in the form of sharkskin or bronzing on the skin of fresh fruit (Figure 1A). Fresh fruit requires clean and undamaged skin, and any abrasions …

FarmSense Pest-Monitoring System Awarded

Josh McGillAwards, California Corner, Pests

FarmSense, Inc. was recently selected as one of two winners of the inaugural Riverside Angel Summit, a partnership between University of California, Riverside (UCR), the City of Riverside and community members. The Riverside Angel Summit is a program created to foster a thriving angel investment culture in the Riverside region by connecting investors to high-quality, vetted local entrepreneurs. FarmSense emerged …