See advice from the Tip of the Week for planning pest management in the coming year for Florida growers.

Planning pest management should always be a consideration that is front-and-center as pests are always poised to attack. A recent UF/IFAS Tip of the Week article shared advice for pest management planning, breaking it down by different pests. See the details below.

Planning Pest Management Tips

The article advises growers to consult the Florida Citrus Production Guide for more information for planning pest management, as well as UF/IFAS citrus agents.

Additional tips include:

  • “Populations of some highly problematic pests (Asian citrus psyllid and citrus leafminer) generally increase with flush/new growth development, so targeting peak flush periods can help keep their populations from exploding.”

Lebbeck Mealybug

  • “The first major population increase of lebbeck mealybug generally occurs with initial fruit setting. Damage from feeding at this stage of fruit development will cause high rates of fruit drop.
  • “For early spring applications, be sure to check the label for use in relation to bloom for pollinator protection. These pests will need to be managed throughout the year…”

Mites

  • “Rust mite and citrus rust mite damage to fruit can be minimized by targeted management in late spring (April/May), when populations first start to develop. Keeping mite levels low while fruit are in the early stages of development can prevent high levels of damage.”

Thrips

  • “Flower thrips cause damage during bloom if populations are increasing and should be managed prior to bloom to reduce flower abortion.”

Root Weevils

  • “Root weevils are present in various life stages throughout the year. Because the primary damage from root weevils occurs underground, it can be hard to time management actions appropriately. The Citrus Root Weevil chapter of the Florida Citrus Production Guide describes the life cycles of the root weevils that attack citrus and explains management options that take advantage of their biology.”

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