Integrated management of sting nematode in newly planted citrus trees

Integrated management of sting nematode in newly planted citrus trees

Report Date: 05/26/2022
Project: 21-013   Year: 2021
Category: Horticultural & Management
Author: Larry Duncan
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation

The first nematicide treatment occurred in the IPC trial in late April 2022 and the second will occur in late May.  The effects of these treatments will be determined in early July when soil samples will be taken to obtain the first nematode and root mass density measurements.  The site is on a hilltop and is extremely windy.  We spent several days following planting installing grade stakes inside the IPCs to better support the PVC frames.  To date they are secure.As noted previously, maintenance and new construction on our greenhouse that started at the beginning of January was still ongoing in April, precluding further research on the rootstock tolerance trials until completed.  Plants and cultures had to be moved to a laboratory facility to protect the citrus from psyllid infestations and to protect all of the cultures from excessively high temperatures when the evaporative cooling systems were being replaced. Plants were reinstalled in the greenhouse during the second week of April and pruned to reinitiate growth in preparation for innoculations to occur in June.  Cultures were sampled and found to contain fewer nematodes than previously, but were still in good condition and will recover.  The sting nematode populations in the large tanks that remained in the greenhouse were in good condition.  Presumably, the depth of soil allowed the nematodes to persist despite the high ambient temperatures they experienced for a week. The first rootstock lines are ready and will be installed in the tanks during the first week of June.    


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