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Section Symposium

Formal and Informal Teaching

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Outcome of Educational Research in Entomology: Best Practices in Education and Outreach

Citrus in the home landscape

Wednesday, November 13, 2024
9:50 AM – 10:05 AM MST
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 129 B, PCC
Oral Presentation
In an effort to reduce the reservoir of regional pathogen (Candidatus liberibacter asiaticus) and vector (Diaphorina citri) buildup, Florida residents have been discouraged from having citrus in their residences for nearly a decade. However, with the current endemic status of Huanglongbing (HLB) in much of Florida’s citrus growing regions and the availability of both new management tools and HLB tolerant citrus varieties, it is time to bring citrus back to home landscapes. In partnership with the Florida Master Gardener Volunteers (MGV), we have been evaluating management tools that can be used to support healthy young citrus trees for residential landscapes. As part of this project, all MGV participants attend an annual training, a quarterly check-in, and submit data monthly. Tools under evaluation include exclusion netting over trees, reflective ground cover, red kaolin clay particle films, and pesticides labelled for use on citrus in home gardens. To date, exclusion netting is the only tool that has effectively prevented D. citri access to citrus trees. Based on MGV data collection, HLB signs were highest in pesticide treated and reflective ground cover treatments. And less prevalent, though still present in the red kaolin and exclusion netting trees. These results are part of an ongoing study, and more information can be found at homecitrus.ifas.ufl.edu.