By RUTH BORGER

LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — University of Florida entomologist Lauren Diepenbrock is looking to the future of her research program and needs citrus industry professionals to help her see a clear picture. Since arriving at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in 2018, she has worked with many growers to identify best practices for successful citrus integrated pest management.

As we start a new year, Diepenbrock is looking to fill in some information gaps that she needs to better understand changes over the past two decades of citrus insect and mite management. She is asking growers to complete a survey asking about the presence of citrus pests and how they have managed them in their groves.

“Grower information is critical to identify the information gaps and help determine future directions of research in my program,” said Diepenbrock. “My goal is to always provide useful, research-driven data to our growers and their input enables this.”

The anonymous survey asks about pre-, mid- and present Huanglongbing (HLB) pest concerns, insecticide and miticide use history with relation to Asian citrus psyllid establishment and frequency of sprays during these periods. It also requests what growers and citrus operators believe are the top five priorities for pest management research.

“This is a great opportunity to provide input into future research directions,” said Diepenbrock.

Citrus professionals may access the survey at https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eXQr9OyWsmoFsgJ. The survey will be available through March 2021. Diepenbrock plans to share the results in future webinars and industry publications.

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The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human, and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.

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