Asian citrus psyllid management and the management of other pests is the focus of a UF/IFAS workshop slated for January 8th.

Asian citrus psyllid management is a main focus for combating citrus greening, also known as HLB, as the tiny insects are the vector that spreads the disease from citrus tree to citrus tree. However, the management of the Asian citrus psyllid is not a simple process. Citrus growers looking for some insight into managing the psyllid and other pests can attend a workshop hosted by UF/IFAS on January 8th at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), located at 700 Experiment Station Road, Lake Alfred, Florida. The workshop is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. See details below.

Asian Citrus Psyllid Management Workshop Details

The workshop will focus on the treatment of Asian citrus psyllids, which, according to a Citrus Industry article, have long used chemical means for managing psyllids, which controlled other pests, like aphids and scales. However, psyllid treatments cannot continue in such a way. “After years of intense management, psyllids are still a problem, and we now have several populations that have developed resistance to specific materials,” said Lauren Diepenbrock, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of entomology at CREC, in the article.

Once citrus growers stop applying chemicals to citrus trees to control psyllids, it could affect other pests as well. “With reduced psyllid management programs, there is a strong likelihood that ‘old pests,’ like aphids and scales, will increase in populations,” said Diepenbrock. The workshop will address these issues, according to the article, with the following presentations:

  • Current Citrus Pests: Identification and Seasonality; Lauren Diepenbrock, assistant professor of entomology, UF/IFAS CREC
  • Psyllid Management Options and Challenges; Lukasz Stelinski, associate professor of entomology, UF/IFAS CREC
  • Sampling and Thresholds for Management of Phytophagous Mites; Jawwad Qureshi, research associate professor of entomology, UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC)
  • Mite Sampling and Basic Identification; Jawwad Qureshi, research associate professor of entomology, UF/IFAS SWFREC
  • Grove Design; Xavier Martini, assistant professor of entomology, UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center
  • Diaprepes Root Weevil IMP: Targeting the Soil-Borne Larvae, Larry Duncan, professor of entomology, UF/IFAS CREC
  • Pests on the Horizon: Resurgences and Potential Future Concerns; Lauren Diepenbrock, assistant professor of entomology, UF/IFAS CREC
  • Diaprepes Management: Life Stages, Entomopathogenic Nematode Demonstration and Weed Fabric for Larval Exclusion, Larry Duncan, professor of entomology, UF/IFAS CREC

Find the page to register here; the workshop is limited to 50 participants.

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