Explore the possible IPC and CUPS pests growers are finding, and how to deal with them.
Individual Protective Covers (IPCs) and Citrus Under Protective Screens (CUPS) do a great job of keep the vector that spreads citrus greening, Asian citrus psyllids. However, they don’t keep out all pests, according to a Citrus Industry article. See the IPC and CUPS pests growers are dealing with and how to tackle them below.
IPC and CUPS Pests
UF/IFAS entomologist Jawwad Qureshi, who works at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, shared the information in the article at the Florida Citrus Show. He maintained that there is an array of pests that can bypass the mesh barriers of IPCs and CUPS, or they are hitching a ride in on equipment and people. These pests include:
- Leafminers
- Scales
- Thrips
- Mites
- Mealybugs
- Armyworms
Qureshi also shared recommendations on dealing with IPC and CUPS pests. First, he stressed constant monitoring. “For some of them (pests), it’s not easy to get good control even with the chemicals. So the best situation is that we would do regular monitoring.”
Then, if a pest is detected, he advised taking immediate action. “…if we let them establish, then it becomes even more difficult,” he advised. Lastly, he maintained that the use of pest predators within IPCs and CUPS is a likely approach for controlling such pests and keeping them from affecting the citrus trees.
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