By Christopher Vincent Particle films can both increase tree growth and reduce Asian citrus psyllid populations. University of Florida (UF) research has found particle films delay infection with the CLas bacterium, which causes HLB. They also enhance growth rates and yield. Particle films do have limitations to efficacy, including being washed off in frequent or heavy rains. Overall, particle films …
Sneak Peek: October 2019 Citrus Industry Magazine
The October issue of Citrus Industry magazine features two tools growers can use against Asian citrus psyllids (ACP). There’s still no silver bullet for HLB, the disease ACP carries to citrus trees. However, particle films and individual protective covers (IPCs) are showing positive results in slowing down ACP and HLB disease infection. University of Florida (UF) citrus physiologist Christopher Vincent …
Does Reducing Psyllids Help When HLB Is Present Everywhere?
By Freddy Ibanez, Nabil Killiny, L. Gene Albrigo and Lukasz L. Stelinski With both Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) and huanglongbing (HLB) distributed throughout Florida groves, there is no longer a need to slow the spread of the disease. So, it is logical to ask whether reducing vector numbers is still something that is worth pursuing, given the investment needed in …
Futuristic Control of Psyllids
Two University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences faculty discussed research that might offer future weapons in the fight against HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids (ACP). Both scientists made presentations at the recent Citrus Expo. Bt toxins, which come from a bacterium, have been used to control pests in corn and cotton, said Bryony Bonning. “They don’t work terribly …
Citrus Expo Seminar Program Preview
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) horticulturist Tripti Vashisth discusses the citrus seminars to be presented Aug. 14-15 at Citrus Expo. She also reports on a presentation she’ll make at Expo regarding fruit drop. Vashisth is organizing the Citrus Expo educational sessions for growers. She says the goal is to present “something useful for the growers …
HLB Voluntary Controls for California Growers
The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee of the Citrus Research Board (CRB) has endorsed a list of voluntary actions growers can undertake if HLB-infected trees are found in their vicinity. The voluntary actions go beyond the required regulatory response. Beth Grafton-Cardwell, entomologist with University of California Riverside, explained the recommendations during a recent interview with AgNet West multimedia journalist …
Putting IPM Back in Citrus
By Lukasz L. Stelinski, Jawwad A. Qureshi and L. Gene Albrigo Florida citrus production has a long and trailblazing history of implementing integrated pest management (IPM). In 1950, the director of the Florida Citrus Experiment Station, A.F. Camp, proposed an “Ecological Survey of Citrus Pests and Disorders” to provide a comprehensive survey of the ecology of citrus groves throughout Florida …
Precision Agriculture Technologies in Citrus
By Yiannis Ampatzidis Citrus growers face issues from an increasing number of pests and diseases. Rapid and accurate tools for early pest and disease detection are needed to improve precision and timely management. Almost all agrochemicals (e.g., pesticides) applied in specialty crop production are made uniformly with conventional spraying equipment, despite the fact that pathogen distribution is typically patchy. Uniform …
Psyllid Control and Endemic HLB
In the early days of HLB in Florida, virtually all researchers and growers agreed that nothing was more important than controlling HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids. But once HLB had spread to every grove (become endemic), many growers began questioning whether continued psyllid control was necessary. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist Lukasz Stelinski tackled that …
Psyllid Management for HLB
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock reports on Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) management studies being conducted around the world. Her report covers presentations made at the International Citrus Research Conference on HLB in March. She summarized the international scientists’ observations at the Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park last month. She shares …
Using Organic Insecticides for Psyllid Control
Organic insecticides rotated with either spray oil or insecticidal soap provided good Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) suppression in long-term studies in Florida, entomologist Jawwad Qureshi reported recently. Qureshi is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. Suppression of ACP is important because the pest spreads citrus …
Study Zeroes in on Organic Ways to Beat Citrus Greening
Results show promise for organic groves, but more research is needed. Since it was first discovered in the United States in 2005, the bacterial disease known as citrus greening, or Huanglongbing, has devastated millions of acres of citrus crops throughout this country and abroad, ravaging citrus groves in Asia, Africa and South America. Citrus greening has impacted conventional and organic …
California HLB Detections Increased in 2018 as Monitoring Efforts Intensified
Huanglongbing (HLB) may have been found in significantly more citrus trees in 2018, but improved sampling and monitoring offer a reason as to why HLB detections increased so dramatically. In 2018, the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program (CPDPP) redoubled efforts to limit the spread of HLB and its vector, the Asian citrus psyllid …
Government Shutdown Not Affecting California Citrus — Yet
An analysis by California Citrus Mutual (CCM) indicates there is no major impact at the present time on government programs that affect California’s citrus industry. This could change if the shutdown drags on, however. According to the report, “Our major priority would be the ACP/HLB program sometimes known as CHRP (Citrus Health Response Program). We are not suffering any major …
Recent Pest Concerns in Florida Citrus
By Lauren Diepenbrock While Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) are an ongoing concern in Florida citrus due to their role in spreading the bacterium associated with citrus greening, they are not the only pest of concern to growers. Citrus leafminer (CLM) and root weevils are two pests that have been raising concerns and adding to the challenge of managing productive citrus …
HLB Reduction Strategies
By Jawwad Qureshi, Lukasz Stelinski and Fernando Alferez Management of huanglongbing (HLB) has focused on reducing the vector Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and improving tree health, thus requiring a multi-pronged approach. Several elements of an HLB management system are either available or under current investigation. Maintenance of clean nursery stock, vector management and tree nutrition are widely implemented, while incorporation …
Researchers to Study New HLB Treatment Method
University of California (UC) Davis research scientist Louise Ferguson is taking part in a $3.4 million project titled “Development of an automated delivery system for therapeutic materials to treat HLB-infected citrus.” The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The four-year project includes work by researchers at the University of Florida, UC …
Taking Technology to the Grove
By Ernie Neff Jerry Mixon’s use of netting to keep birds from blueberries helped pique his interest in growing citrus under protective screen (CUPS) to exclude HLB-spreading psyllids. But he credits University of Florida researcher Arnold Schumann with helping him bring his Polk County CUPS project to fruition. Mixon met Schumann in 2015, the year after Schumann’s 1-acre CUPS was …
Evergreen Pro Emergency Use Approved in California
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved an emergency authorization requested by California Citrus Mutual (CCM) to use Evergreen Pro 60-6 (EPA Reg. No. 1021-1770). It was temporarily approved as a post-harvest treatment option for all citrus in California to prevent the spread of Asian citrus psyllids, the vector for huanglongbing. CCM had requested that citrus growers be allowed to use …
Vigilance Keeps HLB at Bay
By Len Wilcox California agriculture has long kept a watchful eye on the spread of HLB (huanglongbing or citrus greening disease). It’s a firestorm on the horizon, and the devastation the disease has wrought in Florida and other parts of the world has the full attention of California citrus growers. Working closely with industry leaders and grower groups, federal, state …