Improving citrus IPM practices for mandarins using grower data and experimentation

Current pest management guidelines for mandarins have been borrowed from oranges. But mandarins differ from oranges in many ways. In collaboration with California citrus producers, we have built a database containing records for 327 different commercial mandarin and orange blocks across several years. Analyses suggest that 1) katydids may be a non‐pest on some varieties of mandarins; and 2) some mandarins may be sensitive to fruit scarring by thrips later than is currently recognized. We propose to combine field experiments with analyses of commercial production data to develop pest management practices for mandarins, thereby reducing crop damage and control costs.