A UF/IFAS researcher shares citrus greening management lessons learned on a recent trip to Brazilian citrus operations.
Florida citrus growers are not the only ones dealing with citrus greening. Brazilian citrus growers also deal with the disease, and University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher Rhuanito (Johnny) Ferrarezi recently made a trip south of the border with a Florida Extension agent to learn about Brazilian citrus grower’s efforts in citrus greening management, according to a Citrus Industry article. See the details of Ferrarezi’s findings below.
Brazil’s Citrus Greening Management
Ferrarezi maintained in the article that Brazil’s per-tree production is better than Florida’s. “Their disease incidence is way lower than in Florida. That really makes a difference how trees look and how they’re holding a crop.”
Ferrarezi shared that Brazilian citrus growers are doing the following in their management of citrus greening:
- Eradicating infected citrus trees.
- “Heavy spraying on the borders (of groves) in order to reduce the psyllid movement inside the groves.”
- Some large growers spray abandoned groves to keep psyllids populations down and keeping them from migrating into productive groves.
- Applying higher rates of some micronutrients.
Ferrarezi said “They’re still managing their trees while the research community is looking for solutions for the problem.” He added that the “management is working on slowing the spread… Very aggressive early control of the vector plays a role in slowing down the disease progression.”
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