New Year Brings Vigilance on ACP in Citrus
By Patrick Cavanaugh, editor
During 2013, there were many
finds of Asian Citrus Psyllids in the San Joaquin Valley which means the pest
is on the move and spreading.
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| Beth Grafton-Cardwell |
According to Beth
Grafton-Cardwell, UC Riverside IPM Specialist and Research Entomologist, and
director of the Lindcove Research and Extension Center, with 2014 arriving, the
industry must have traps out and a close inspection of the new flush of growth
in February.
“The cold snap that we had in
December was probably really good to help reduce the psyllid numbers, so we are
hoping that it will slow things down,” Grafton-Cardwell said. “The psyllid does not do well in cold
weather, however the citrus growers try to keep their orchards warmer to try
and protect the fruit so in doing so they may be protecting the psyllid.”
Grafton-Cardwell said that
researchers across the nation are working hard to come up with solutions for
the disease Huanglongbing (HLB), which will kill the tree. She said there is
work being done in Florida on breeding citrus with tolerance to the bacterium
that causes HLB.
Grafton-Cardwell reminds the
public that if they are moving citrus fruit around to make sure it’s free of
leaves and twigs to insure that no psyllids are riding on them. “Also do not
move any citrus plant material around the state,” she said.
Labels: 2014 Brings Vigilance on ACP in Citrus, Beth Grafton-Cardwell, California Ag News
