Develop a program to demonstrate, in large scale field trials, the effectiveness of preventative and threshold-based asian citrus psyllid (ACP) treatments that include argentine ANT control

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) awarded a $445,746 Cooperative Agreement to the State of California Department of Food & Agriculture Citrus Research Board Division, doing business as Citrus Research Board, under the CFDA 10.025 Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program. The purpose of this 3-year agreement is to develop and demonstrate the effectiveness of preventative and threshold-based treatments for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), including Argentine ant control, across multiple commercial citrus production regions in California. This work aims to reduce ACP presence and slow the spread of the devastating huanglongbing (HLB) disease, while providing growers with actionable approaches to ACP control. The project involves collaboration between the Citrus Research Board, the University of California Riverside, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the USDA.

This work is being conducted at the grower level and across multiple commercial citrus production regions in california to both reduce ACP psyllid presence and slow the spread of HLB but also to provide growers with actionable approaches to psyllid control.