D3176: Invasive arthropod pests in Florida citrus

Citrus fruits are economically important with global fruit production of up to 186 million metric tons. Citrus fruits are consumed for their dietary and nutritional values. The USA is the third-highest producer of citrus worldwide. Florida is the second-highest citrus-producing state. Citrus production is an important source of revenue in Florida and approximately $1.2 billion was generated from the 3.5 million tons of citrus produced in 2018 – 2019. However, increased global trading in citrus produce and plant materials, especially for propagation, has facilitated the introduction of several pests into Florida. Due to the absence of specialized natural enemies and the ideal climatic conditions in Florida, the introduced pests become invasive and established in citrus groves in Florida. Currently, the Florida citrus industry is faced with multiple threats from several invasive pests, including soft-bodied insects: Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, hibiscus mealybug, Nipaecoccus viridis (Newstead), brown citrus aphid, Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy), citrus weevil, Diaprepes abbreviatus (Linnaeus), and citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton.