Due to the higher than normal ACP trap finds earlier this summer, the San Joaquin Valley ACP/HLB Area-wide Task Force is recommending growers participate in a coordinated treatment application in commercial citrus orchards. This recommendation is for orchards located east and south of Bakersfield and includes young, non-bearing trees.
The Task Force is recommending growers treat commercial orchards between mid-August and mid-September to help mitigate the historical increase in ACP populations that fall brings. In past years, coordinated treatments like this have shown significant success in suppressing fall ACP populations in commercial citrus.
“In order to protect our citrus from the devastating effect of HLB, it is extremely important to keep ACP as low as possible”, says Judy Zaninovich, ACP/HLB Grower Liaison for Kern County.
The Task Force is urging growers in the recommended treatment area to take the following actions:
Conventional growers:
Apply a soil-applied imidacloprid (Admire Pro or generic imidacloprid 2F, 4F, etc.) or Platinum treatment sometime mid-August through mid-September. We have heard that there may be a shortage of imidacloprid so if you want to use this material, please order it as soon as possible.
OR
Apply a foliar material with long-lasting residual, like Actara, in the mid-August through the end of September timing (any ACP-effective material can be used, but Actara has long residual activity on ACP according to University of CA research trials).
Organic growers:
The Task Force recommends organic growers apply two ACP-effective foliar treatments from mid-August through mid-September. Please see UCIPM guidelines for a list of ACP-effective materials.
Reminders:
Always completely read and follow all pesticide label instructions.
For foliar applications – it is recommended growers treat the borders of the orchard first prior to treating the interior – that way ACP adults will move inward toward an area which will be treated.
For more information on ACP treatments and effective materials, find the University of California’s UCIPM Pest Management Guidelines for Asian Citrus Psyllid here.
Psyllid Management Area Team Leaders will be contacting growers within the treatment area soon to make sure they are notified of this coordinated treatment.
If you have further questions, please contact Judy Zaninovich, ACP/HLB Grower Liaison for Kern County, at (559) 730-8691.
