SWFREC Individual Protective Covers.A Project Update

Fernando Alferez, Ute Albrecht,

Ozgur Batuman and Susmita Gaire

2019 Florida Citrus Show

Fort Pierce

TREE IPC TRIAL LAYOUT: 15 trees per treatment, 5 reps

ROW 1 ROW 2 ROW 3 ROW 4 ROW 5 ROW 6

rep 1 1 rep 2 1 rep 2 1 rep 4 1 rep 4 1 rep 5 1

2 2 2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3 3 3

rep 1 4 rep 2 4 rep 3 4 rep 3 4 rep 4 4 rep 5 4

5 5 5 5 5 5

6 6 6 11 6 6

rep 1 7 rep 2 7 rep 2 7 rep 3 7 rep 5 7 rep 5 7

8 8 8 8 8 8

9 9 9 9 9 9

rep 1 10 rep 2 10 rep 3 10 rep 4 10 rep 4 10 rep 5 10

11 11 11 11 11 11

12 12 12 12 12 12

rep 1 13 rep 1 13 rep 3 13 rep 3 13 rep 4 13 rep 5 13

14 14 14 14 14 14

15 15 15 15 15 15

N

W E

S

Treatments

1 Tree defender/no admire

2 Tree defender/ half rate admire

3 Tree defender/ full rate admire

4 NO Tree defender/no admire

5 NO Tree defender/ half rate admire

6 NO Tree defender/ full rate admire

Field trial at SWFRECPlanted January 2018

New Project CRDF 18-032C

• Objective 1. Assessing tree growth and absence ofpsyllids and HLB.

• Objective 2. Assessment of alternative nettingapproaches ‘targeted’, ‘alternated’ or ‘patterned’setup of IPC for more cost-effective protection.

• Objective 3. Monitoring the transition fromvegetative to reproductive stage in the coveredtrees as compared to the uncovered.

• Objective 4. Comparing individual tree protectionwith CUPS-like systems.

Treatment

% In

fecte

d p

lants

0

5

10

15

20

25

30IPC no IPC

All plants tested negative for HLB

0 1/2 Full 0 1/2 Full

Insecticide dosage Insecticide dosage

Product Dosage (fl oz per tree)

0 1/2 Full

thiamethoxam 0 0.0065 0.0131

imidacloprid 0 0.0125 0.025

clothianidin 0 0.01 0.02

27%

13% 13%

IPC performance, one year after planting

Applied every 6 weeks

Valencia EV1 16 monthsafter planting

Understanding blooming and fruit set under IPCs

IPC-Induced branch bending seems to promote

fructification

Varieties selected

• ‘US Early Pride’, seems to be able to produce some fruit without pollination.

• ‘Sugar Belle’ LB8-9 fruit set would benefit from pollination but this will produce seeds.

• ‘Tango’ mandarin seems to be highly parthenocarpic.

How can we have some answers NOW?

“MicroCUPS” system for Sugar BelleMarch 22, 2018 March 28, 2018

+ 10ppm GA3at petal fall

November 20, 201870% fruit set

Anecdotal:Racoon damage prevention

Conclusions

• IPC prevented HLB infection.

• Some varieties are able to bloom and set fruit inside IPC.

• Fruit produced are of high quality (absence of peel blemishes, good color, seedless).

For more information

• Citrus Industry magazine, January 2019

• SWFREC, Immokalee Spring Citrus Field Day, March 2019

• SWFREC, Immokalee Fall Citrus Field Day, October 2019

• Citrus industry magazine, October, 2019

alferez@ufl.edu

Acknowledgements

• Citrus Research and Development Foundation

• Southern Citrus Nurseries and The Tree Defender Inc