Kern County Citrus IPM Demonstration Project
The purpose of the Kern County Citrus Integrated Pest Management (IPM) demonstration project is to help growers understand how to effectively use natural enemies and soft pesticides to gain economic control of citrus pests. Pests and natural enemies in ten commercial citrus orchards in the Edison area are being intensively monitored by their pest control advisors and University of California staff. Within the project, use a variety of techniques to solve their pest problems, ranging from releases of parasites to dependence on pesticides. The Citrus Research Board and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation Pest Management Alliance Program have provided funding to Craig Kallsen (Kern County Farm Advisor) and Dr. Beth Grafton-Cardwell (IPM Specialist and Research Entomologist, Kearney Agricultural Center) to assess the pest densities and fruit damage in the cooperating orchards and to conduct regular field days in the area. Jed Dubose is the UC technician in charge of sampling the orchards. The growers are generously allowing us to evaluate the effectiveness and costs of their various control tactics.