See the integrated pest management strategies presented by a UF/IFAS professor of entomology and nematology at the 2020 virtual Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference.

Controlling Asian citrus psyllid populations in Florida citrus groves has been a point of debate in The Sunshine State. Asian citrus psyllids spread citrus greening from tree to tree, and Florida’s citrus groves are considered to be 100 percent infected by the disease. So why spend considerable time and money to spray to keep psyllid populations down? Lukasz Stelinski, a UF/IFAS professor of entomology and nematology shared why keeping Asian citrus psyllid populations in check is important, as well as integrated pest management strategies for combating psyllids, at the 2020 virtual Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference. See the details from a Citrus Industry article below.

Integrated Pest Management Strategies

While Asian citrus psyllids are distributed throughout Florida citrus groves, their populations should be managed. According to Stelinski, research shows that “Psyllid density is related to tree stress,” per the article, and that reducing psyllid populations improves tree health and yield. This moves the focus from psyllid control to integrated pest management strategies. Stelinski advised the following:

  • Using a combination of insecticides and cultural and biological control methods.
  • “Spray for ACP adults at bud break at the beginning of each new flush before there is feather flush on which adults can lay eggs. He advises growers to apply a second spray on the flush as ACP [Asian citrus psyllids] begin to reappear, which seems to achieve more than 60 days of low ACP populations,” according to the article.
  • Not spraying until psyllid populations reach a threshold of 0.2 to 0.7 per tap sample.

Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.