An official website of the United States government.
To develop, test, and implement improved pest management strategies for arthropod pests of citrus and avocados and their natural enemies in California. On citrus, pest or potential pest species emphasized will be citrus thrips; soft scales including black scale and citricola scales; bean thrips; Diaprepes root weevil; and citrus peelminer and citrus leafminer. Work with natural enemies of citrus pests will emphasize evaluation and prediction of the impact of various pesticides on natural enemies so as to reduce negative impacts and rearing and inoculative or augmentative release of natural enemies of citricola scale, black scale, Diaprepes root weevil, citrus peelminer, and citrus leafminer. On avocados, research will focus on avocado thrips and persea mite, focusing on basic biology, alternative management methods, selective chemical control, pesticide resistance management, and evaluation of the any promising natural enemies.
<P>
Specific high priority objectives over the 5 years of this revision are:<OL> <LI> Evaluate the impact of various pesticides in control of citrus and avocado thrips, persea mite, selected mites of citrus, Diaprepes root weevil, and citrus leafminer. Emphasis will be on new classes of chemistry and selective chemicals that allow natural enemies to persist as much as possible. Monitor pesticide resistance development and develop strategies to slow resistance evolution. <LI> Research biological control of citrus and avocado pests that are likely to be amenable to this approach (citricola scale, black scale, citrus leafminer, citrus peelminer, Diaprepes root weevil, avocado lace bug, etc.). Develop methods of rearing host material and parasitoids, import new parasitoid species or strains through Quarantine as appropriate, study the biology of new species and develop proposals for release from Quarantine, and evaluate either inoculative or augmentative field releases. <LI>Continue to develop and refine a biologically-based integrated pest management program for arthropod pests of citrus and avocado in California. Integrate new pesticides and new pest species as they re-emerge (citricola scale, bean thrips, citrus rust mite, European earwig, Fuller rose beetle) or are introduced (recently introduced species such as glassy-winged sharpshooter, persea mite, avocado thrips, Mexican strain of citrus peelminer, citrus leafminer, avocado lace bug, Diaprepes root weevil; potential new introductions such as citrus psyllid, brown citrus aphid, avocado seed moth, avocado stem weevil, and avocado seed weevils).
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Research proposed in this project focuses on developing improved methods of controlling insect and mite pests impacting the citrus and avocado industries of California. On citrus, research will focus on citrus thrips, soft scales such as black scale and citricola scale, Fuller rose beetle, and various natural enemies. On avocados, research will focus on avocado thrips. Research will focus on citrus and avocado pest management with an emphasis on reducing grower reliance on broad-spectrum pesticides and increasing the use and preservation of natural predators and parasitoids. Newly invasive species must be dealt with, especially glassy-winged sharpshooter, Mexican strain citrus peelminer, citrus leafminer, Diaprepes weevil, persea mite, and avocado thrips.
<P>
APPROACH: Based on an understanding of the biology of the pest species on citrus and avocado and interactions with other pest species and natural enemies, develop management strategies which will lead to minimization of real economic damage while utilizing minimal economic and agricultural chemical inputs. A number of procedures will be used to achieve the objective for specific pest management problems including but not limited to the following. a. Literature review and development of pest management simulation models where appropriate. Models may aid in problem formulation or may be based on degree-day accumulations to assist in field monitoring programs. b. Laboratory and/or field-based studies on the basic biology of the pest and/or natural enemies of interest. c. Development of improved field monitoring methods and refinement of economic thresholds. d. Monitoring of pesticide resistance levels and determination of the mechanisms and genetics of resistance and/or cross-resistance. e. Pesticide efficacy evaluations. Development of selective control alternatives and evaluation of new classes of chemistry. f. Evaluation and improvement of biological control through monitoring and/or natural enemy or pesticide manipulations. Import new parasitoid species or strains through Quarantine and conduct field releases after obtaining permits for importation and release. g. Develop improved methods of rearing natural enemies in the laboratory and/or in insectaries. Do field evaluation of inoculative and/or augmentative natural enemy releases. In relation to the specific high priority objectives (1) - (3) listed above, the following initial procedures will be used: (1) Conduct laboratory and field spray efficacy trials to evaluate selective chemicals and/or new classes of chemistry. (2) A number of parasitoid species are in culture, some collected locally and others resulting from foreign exploration or from shipments by cooperators. Basic biology studies, host specificity research, and requests for release from Quarantine will be conducted as needed. Methods will be developed for rearing high quality host material and for efficient rearing of parasitoids so as to produce the numbers needed for field release. Inoculative or augmentative release programs will be developed and evaluated in various regions of California. (3) Pest management on citrus and avocado in California is evolving rapidly as new issues arise (more restrictive pesticide and environmental regulations, an increasingly global marketplace with stronger foreign competition, reduced restrictions on trade with lessened phytosanitary security, public pressure for improved food safety and product quality, urban interface issues, increasing land, labor, and water costs, etc.) and new pest species are introduced. These new issues and pest species must be integrated into applied pest management programs that allow citrus and avocado growers to compete in a challenging and competitive marketplace.