Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 10:00 AM
ON THE GROUND WITH CA-CRAFT
California Citrus Research and Field Trials (CA-CRaFT) was started in 2023 to develop practical, field-based ACP management strategies under real commercial citrus conditions across California. Since then, the program has expanded into a large, coordinated network focused mainly on desert citrus systems, with additional work in selected coastal blocks, combining grower collaboration, intensive monitoring, rapid response activities, and evaluation of new detection tools. A major focus of this webinar will be updates on canine-assisted ACP inspections, including operational deployment of detector dogs in commercial groves, field confirmation rates, and situations where dogs detected ACP in blocks that were initially negative through standard human scouting. Discussion will also cover how field scouting, tap sampling, and sticky traps are being integrated to support regional ACP management decisions and strengthen early detection efforts. Additional updates will include planned expansion of CA-CRaFT activities into Ventura County with stronger emphasis on biological control using self-release Tamarixia radiata cage systems designed to support parasitoid establishment and long-term ACP suppression under coastal citrus conditions. At this new stage, expansion efforts will be focused exclusively on Ventura County coastal citrus systems and not on desert production regions. Ongoing Argentine ant management efforts will also be discussed, as invasive ants continue to be an important factor limiting Tamarixia establishment and overall biological control success in California citrus.
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