GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTER IMPACT ON ORANGE YIELD, FRUIT SIZE, AND QUALITY

• Author(s): Hix, Raymond; Arpaia, Mary; Grafton-Cardwell, Elizabeth; Lovatt, Carol;
• Abstract: The California citrus growers needed to know what impact if any the glassy-winged sharpshooter Homalodisca coagulata (GWSS) has on fruit yield, size and quality as well as tree vigor. The goals of this project are to determine the usefulness of the management of GWSS to prevent yield loss, fruit size reduction, and degraded fruit quality. First we have to know what impact GWSS has on citrus, and second we need to know how to use currently available materials against the GWSS in IPM programs to prevent potential losses as well as minimizing negative impact to other citrus pests. This information is paramount before we can even begin to incorporate these into conventional IPM programs. Prior to the initiation of this study, we didnt know what the effects of heavy GWSS feeding has on the vigor of citrus trees or fruit yield, size, sugar/acid ratio, peel thickness etc. GWSS suppression in citrus was done to prevent the movement of GWSS into grape under areawide management programs to limit the spread of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf). Therefore, the focus of this study is to determine the impact of heavy GWSS feeding on citrus yields, fruit size, and quality.
• Publication Date: Dec 2004
• Journal: 2004 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium