Innovative products for orange spiny whitefly control in organic citrus orchards (BIOFRUITNET Practice Abstract)

Summary in the original language of the document

Biopesticides are not persistent in the crop and show low toxicity on non-target organisms (allowing conservative and augmentative biocontrol).
Practical recommendation
• Monitor the orchard by means of visual inspections (look for juveniles) and yellow sticky traps (look for adults); see Picture 2. Early detection is crucial!
• Use biopesticides such as Prev-Am®, which is based on orange essential oil, especially against juvenile stages.
• Prune to allow biopesticides to enter the tree canopies and reach the pest. Destroy pruned branches and clean tools to reduce the movements of juveniles.
• Release biocontrol agents (i.e., parasitoid wasps belonging to the genus Encarsia, Picture 3) before using biopesticides to lower pest populations and reduce the emergence of pesticide-tolerant or resistant pests.
• Promote functional biodiversity to foster populations of predators and parasitoids by managing the ground cover and plant combinations.
• Control ants by placing sticky bands around the trunk, as well as baits, and till around nests.
• Reduce irrigation and fertilisation to avoid excessive vegetation.