Read the latest on insecticide resistant psyllids.
There was a lot of buzz at the Citrus Expo seminar hall in mid-August when insecticide resistant psyllids were discussed. Lukasz Stelinski, an entomologist with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), gave a report on the topic. His presentation was covered in a Citrus Industry blog; read a summary below.
Insecticide Resistant Psyllids are Present
Stelinski maintained that the frequent use of insecticides, “particularly the neonicotinoid group of insecticides in Florida,” have led to the insecticide resistant psyllids. “We reach a point where we can’t apply enough (insecticides),” he said.
He also shared that insecticide resistant psyllids are present in Florida citrus groves. “I think this is something that is alarming, the resistance that we’re seeing right now,” he said. “I think that it is alarming that we already are observing product failures and that growers are reporting them. So if we don’t work very diligently to reverse the problems that do exist and prevent them from further expanding, then it could be a significant problem when we talk about losing important tools that we rely upon.”
A Solution
Stelinski offered a solution to the problem: “We’ve found that if we rotate (insecticides with) five modes of action, we can virtually prevent the problem,” he shared. “And we have at our disposal that many modes of action registered for psyllid control. Not all of them are equally effective against every life stage.” He also added that not reducing the rate of insecticide applications was also another strategy. Hopefully, more research is forthcoming.
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