- Author: Elizabeth E Grafton-Cardwell
Rock Christiano was raised on a small orange orchard farm and his passion for horticulture has inspired his education. He received an Agronomy B.S degree in 2001, a Plant Pathology M.S. degree in 2004, and a Plant Pathology Ph.D degree in 2006, all from major universities in Brazil. He has studied epidemiology of citrus canker on different species and varieties of citrus and he has collaborated with many citrus research centers, such as FUNDECITRUS, a major citrus research station in the Sao Paulo State, Brazil. In the Department of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia, USA, Christiano has worked for 6 years with peach and blueberry diseases. On August 13th, Christiano will join the staff at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center as a Staff Research Associate. He will be managing the research and budwood foundation activities for the Citrus Clonal Protection Program at LREC. He is eager to begin and to return to his work with citriculture.
- Author: Therese Kapaun
Jamie Nemecek surveys citrus leafminer damage in a large block of young Tango mandarin trees. Mature citrus trees (>4 years old) can easily tolerate the mining of new flush by citrus leafminer with no ill effects. However, growth of young trees is thought to be affected by mining damage. Growers apply both systemic and foliar insecticides in an attempt to minimize citrus leafminer damage. A four-year study is underway at UC Lindcove to determine if insecticide treatments improve growth and yield of trees compared to untreated trees.
- Author: Therese Kapaun
This week Lindcove REC is performing the annual citricola scale counts, to determine what type of treatment is warranted this year, if at all. Some San Joaquin Valley citricola scale populations are known to be resistant to Lorsban, an organophosphate pesticide. Other treatment options are available, such as using softer pesticides that are less lethal to natural enemies. One hundred leaves are plucked from each block, and healthy first instar nymphs are counted under a dissecting microscope.
For detailed citrus pest descriptions, as well as pest management and treatment strategies, visit Beth Grafton-Cardwell's citrus website www.ucanr.org/sites/kaccitrusentomology/ where you can also view or subscribe to her citrus blog http://ucanr.org/sites/KACCitrusEntomology/Citrus_Pest_Blog/
In addition, you can click on this link to citricola scale from the UC IPM Online website http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r107301511.html
- Author: Therese Kapaun
Lindcove staff member Gerardo Perez is budding the scion Parent navel to Carrizo rootstock for an upcoming research project. First a T-cut is made on the rootstock plant through the bark just deep enough to reach the cambium layer. Then an individual bud from the scion budstick is cut away, cutting through the cambium layer. The bud is slotted into the T-cut so that the two cambium layers will fuse and grow together over several weeks. The newly slotted bud is wrapped tightly with non-sticky stretch tape and left in place until new vegetative growth from the scion appears under the tape.
- Author: Therese Kapaun
Three times each year the Citrus Clonal Protection Program (CCPP) at UC Riverside conducts a budwood cut at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center. The citrus trees that provide the budwood are grown inside Lindcove’s protective screened buildings and the budwood is distributed from LREC to the nursery industry. The screening prevents insect vectors such as aphids and psyllids from reaching the trees and potentially infecting them with diseases. All CCPP screenhouse trees are tested several times per year to ensure they are free of all known citrus diseases. The next budwood cut is planned for September. For more information about the CCPP's mission, facilities, variety descriptions, and citrus diseases log on to http://ccpp.ucr.edu/index.html