Agent Has Pest Management Advice

Josh McGillPests

Highlands County Extension agent Lourdes Pérez Cordero recently offered scouting and management suggestions for citrus leafminers (CLM), Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) and rust mites. The suggestions were part of an article in the January issue of Citrus from the Ridge to the Valley, the Central Florida citrus Extension newsletter. CITRUS LEAFMINERS The emergence of spring and summer flush benefits CLM, …

citrus nutrition

Reducing Psyllid Populations During Key Periods Pays Dividends

Josh McGillHLB Management, Pesticides, Pests

By Lukasz L. Stelinskiand Jawwad A. Qureshi Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) are at the mercy of their host (citrus) for survival. They need flush to lay eggs and for the nymphs to develop. Prior to HLB, the majority of flushing had been fairly predictable and occurred in the early spring and late summer. The occurrence of flush in young trees …

scouting

HLB Strategies From Zoom’okalee

Josh McGillHLB Management

In a Jan. 12 virtual Zoom seminar from Immokalee (dubbed “Zoom’okalee” in the presentation), researcher Ozgur Batuman reviewed old and new approaches to controlling HLB. The seminar was titled “Citrus Disease Trends We Should Heed: HLB, Phytophthora and Leprosis.” Batuman works for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) …

Coordinated HLB Treatment Critical in California

Josh McGillHLB Management

In an open letter to California citrus growers, Jim Gorden, chair of the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee, emphasized the importance of cooperation of all growers to keep huanglongbing (HLB) at bay. Growers need to work together to coordinate treatments for maximum effectiveness. “As the threat of HLB continues, industry members know that the best way to prevent HLB …

Resolved to Give Growers What They Need

Josh McGillFlorida, Research

By Michael Rogers January marks the season for resolutions: exercising more, eating well and being more organized. But in the research world, resolutions may not be that simple. I don’t think that University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers could be any more “resolved” in finding ways to fight citrus diseases and ways to improve how …

Now Is the Time for Dormant Season Sprays

Tacy CalliesPsyllids, Tip of the Week

By Lauren Diepenbrock Pest management is an ongoing effort in Florida citrus. Taking advantage of pest life cycles, whether they are tied to the season or plant phenology, can make management efforts have greater impacts on pest populations. For many citrus growers, managing impacts of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), the vector of huanglongbing (HLB), is part of the annual management …

Incorporating Newer Tools in Resets

Tacy CalliesProduction

By Lauren M. Diepenbrock Maintaining a productive citrus grove in Florida takes a lot of effort and innovation these days. So much so that growers’ needs can outpace the timeline of the researchers who support this industry. As such, growers often move forward with promising ideas or tools before researchers can provide useful recommendations toward successfully incorporating these tools. The …

Seeking Psyllid Controls for Organic Citrus

Tacy CalliesOrganic, Psyllids

At the recent California Citrus Conference held in Visalia, Monique Rivera, assistant cooperative Extension specialist at University of California Riverside, presented information about management of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) in organic citrus grown in the San Joaquin Valley. “There is consumer demand that needs to be met for organic citrus,” Rivera said. “So there is a quick transition in the …

Scout for Problems, Even in CUPS

Ernie NeffCUPS, Pests

Growers should monitor for pests and diseases, even in the citrus under protective screen (CUPS) systems designed to keep HLB-spreading psyllids out of trees, according to entomologist Jawwad Qureshi. He told more than 25 people participating in a Dec. 1 virtual seminar that CUPS “are not foolproof systems,” and said citrus can’t be grown successfully without pest management. Qureshi works …

HLB Research Grants Go to UF/IFAS

Ernie NeffResearch

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) was recently awarded more than $2.2 million in federal grants for HLB research. The funding came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program. UF/IFAS researchers are also serving in leadership roles in two other NIFA-funded …

Mississippi

New HLB Find Is Likely Farthest North in Florida

Ernie NeffHLB Management

What is believed to be the most northern HLB find in Florida was made the first week of November in a backyard Satsuma tree in Tallahassee. A homeowner sent photos of the tree’s symptoms to Leon County Extension horticulture agent Mark Tancig, who collected samples that were confirmed as HLB. “I’ve told the homeowner he should remove it (the tree), …

Australia to Test UF’s HLB-Tolerant Rootstocks

Ernie NeffRootstocks

HLB-tolerant rootstock seeds from the University of Florida (UF) have arrived in Dareton and Bundaberg to be evaluated under Australian conditions. Citrus Australia CEO Nathan Hancock said it’s important that the rootstocks have arrived in Australia well before the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the HLB it spreads. “We need to know if these rootstocks from Florida are going to …

acp

Manage Psyllids at Reduced Cost

Ernie NeffHLB Management

At the 2021 Citrus Expo, entomologist Lukasz Stelinski suggested ways growers can manage HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) while reducing costs. Some of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences entomologist’s key points follow: Psyllid density is related to tree stress; more psyllids lead to higher damage, compromising tree health and yield. Spray for adults at bud …

Sneak Peek: November 2021 Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

The low initial U.S. citrus crop forecast for the 2021–22 season points to the need to plant more trees to sustain the country’s citrus industry. The November issue of Citrus Industry magazine features articles that will help growers take care of their young trees. Two articles help answer the question of what to plant. First, University of Florida’s (UF) Ute …

Protecting Citrus From Pests and Diseases

Ernie NeffPests

The federal Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program summarized its efforts to protect the U.S. citrus industry from pests and diseases in a recent report about its fiscal year (FY) 2020 activities. PPQ is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. A summary of its citrus efforts follows. PPQ works with citrus growers to …

citrus

CUPS Pest Management Pointers

Ernie NeffCUPS, Pests

Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) systems in Florida provide trees significant protection from the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the HLB it spreads. Several other pests are also significantly reduced in CUPS, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers reported. For instance, citrus leafminer (CLM) populations were reduced by more than 80%. Large predators such as …

Fungus Suppresses Asian Citrus Psyllids

Ernie NeffHLB Management

The citrus disease HLB, also known as citrus greening, has a formidable enemy in a fungal pathogen, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers reported. The fungus is Cordyceps javanica, strain Apopka, discovered by research scientist Lance Osborne in the mid-1980s. The fungus was isolated from dead insects on plants in a greenhouse at the UF/IFAS …

pests

Citrus Leafminer Control: Timing Is Everything

Tacy CalliesPests, Tip of the Week

By Lukasz Stelinski The citrus leafminer (CLM) remains a major pest of citrus throughout Florida. The adults are small, white/silver colored moths about half the size of a typical mosquito (Figure 1). Adults are difficult to spot because of their small size and because they are active only in the evening (dusk) and early pre-dawn hours. CLM adults can be …

acp

Psyllid Management Key for Georgia Growers

Tacy CalliesGeorgia, HLB Management

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is not yet well established in Georgia. University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist Jonathan Oliver wants to keep it that way. The ACP vectors citrus greening disease (HLB), which has decimated Florida’s citrus production. Oliver encourages producers to scout their groves regularly to avoid a similar fate happening in Georgia. “It’s …

Major HLB Discovery Announced

Ernie NeffHLB Management

A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher recently determined how bacterium causes the devastating citrus disease HLB. Information about further research into ways the discovery can help growers reverse the effects of HLB and improve tree health will be presented this fall.   MORE DETAILS TO COMEUF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) Director Michael …