LIBRO-CONGRESO-CITRUS

-omic approaches to food-web engineering. The overall objective is to increase the sustainability of citrus
while providing the public with a safe wholesome product that can be justifiably promoted for enhancement
of human health. Strategies to be discussed for achieving this goal include:
• Augmentative and conservation biological control
Evergreen agro-ecosystems like citrus support complex food webs with diverse natural enemies that can
be conserved and manipulated to maintain most pests below economic injury levels. Studies focused on
the role of indigenous natural enemies in the citrus agrosystem and the conservation of both native and
exotic natural enemies are being emphasized in recent years. Such studies and the management systems
they lead to will probably continue to play more important role in the citrus production worldwide.
• Selective chemistry
While an important goal is decreased dependence on pesticides, not all pests can always be adequately
controlled biologically. Selective “smart” chemistry that can selectively suppress difficult pests with
minimal collateral damage to non-target organisms will continue to be important tools in the near term
as the industry moves toward more sustainable management systems.
• Semiochemical-based pest management
Semiochemicals are the most selective of all chemicals and therefore the most compatible with biologically
based management systems. New sex pheromones for monitoring, mass trapping and mating disruption
are continually being made available and finding their place in citrus pest management.
• Pest management based on citrus molecular biology
The rapid development of molecular tools and techniques has led to major breakthroughs in entomology
that impact agricultural production. These include use of molecular markers for the correct taxonomic
identification of citrus invasive pests, the molecular gut-content analysis to identify food web interactions
between predators and pests, and detection of resistance to insecticides in different citrus key pests.
We can anticipate many new molecular advances, especially in the fields of comparative genomic
and metabolomic analyses used for identifying and manipulating candidate pathways involved in the
response of citrus to pests and vectored diseases.
These and other new biorational approaches must be combined into functional systems adapted to diverse
environmental conditions if current Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs are to progress in the
future. Researchers and IPM practitioners must remain current in order to better serve their clientele and
also help inform the general public to better accept new and more sustainable technologies. Experts and
practitioners of these and other pest management strategies are invited to present recent advances and join
the discussion on ways to maintain citrus profitable and sustainable in the 21 st century.
W05
Dwarf citrus trees in high density plantings
Convener: Kim D. Bowman
U. S. Horticultural Research Laboratory. Fort Pierce, Florida (USA). Email: Kim.Bowman@ars.usda.gov
Dwarf citrus trees have the potential to be used in high density plantings that will have greater yield during
the first few years after tree establishment, and be easier to care for and harvest as the trees mature. Dwarf
citrus may be obtained by management practices that restrict growth of standard cultivars or by genetic
dwarfing traits of the scion, interstock, or rootstock. In this workshop, detailed information will be presented
on the characteristics of two new USDA-ARS size-controlling rootstocks, considerations in the design and
management of high density plantings with dwarfing rootstocks, and the trends in commercial use in Florida.
The workshop will also include an overview of rootstock effects on tree size, the potential for producing dwarf
citrus trees through the use of a dwarf scion, and management techniques that could be used to restrict tree
growth and thus produce dwarf trees for use in high density plantings. Additional information on dwarf citrus
and high density plantings will be presented by workshop attendees. The challenges and benefits associated
with dwarf citrus trees in high density plantings will be discussed.
18 - VALENCIA CONFERENCE CENTER, 18th-23rd NOVEMBER 2012