Phil Stansly
Phil Stansly, a professor of entomology with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, works on several different crops. That makes him a perfect fit for both the citrus session and the vegetable and specialty crop session.
Citrus Seminar – A Focus on Asian Citrus Psyllids
Stansly says that he has seen an increase in psyllid populations across the state. While there could be many reasons for the increase, a major concern for Stansly is psyllid resistance to imidacloprid and other neonicotinoids. “(Imidacloprid and other neonicotinoids) have been so important for controlling psyllids in young tree plantings,” Stansly explains.
Stansly has been surveying groves for imidacloprid resistance in southwest Florida in cooperation with several entomologists from across the state. He will report those findings during his presentation at Citrus Expo.
He will also discuss a developing program that will aim to reverse the imidacloprid resistance, as well as find other ways to control psyllids in young trees using different modes of action. “Our young trees are our future and we want to be able to control psyllids in them,” Stansly says.
Vegetable and Specialty Crop Seminar – Looking Toward Whiteflies
Whiteflies have been a major issue for Florida growers due to its ability to vector diseases that can deteriorate crops and drastically reduce yield. Whiteflies have proven to be a major pest in Florida tomatoes and cucurbits.
According to Stansly, whiteflies can cause severe problems in tomatoes. “You can have irregular ripening, so even if you’re using a variety that’s resistant to the viruses, you can still run into trouble if the populations are high enough,” he explains.
During his Citrus Expo presentation, Stansly will summarize his work on whiteflies from over the years, including research on whitefly control. He says the presentation will also touch on insecticides and their efficacy against whiteflies. He adds that he has done some successful research on managing whiteflies in tomatoes and other crops with biological controls. He will share those results as well. Both of Stansly’s presentations will during the Wednesday afternoon session.
Citrus Expo will take place August 15–16 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. Growers will not want to miss this year’s event, so don’t wait. Click here or call 352-671-1909 to pre-register. All pre-registered growers will be automatically entered for a chance to win a John Deere gun safe courtesy of Everglades Equipment Group.
Due to a staggering amount of support, Citrus Expo is currently sold out of indoor exhibitor space, but there are outdoor booths available. If you would like to exhibit outdoors or be added to the waiting list for indoor space, please fill out a registration form.
Information about the seminar sessions is now available. Click here to view the seminar schedule. Be sure to mark your calendar for Citrus Expo’s biggest year yet! To learn more about Citrus Expo, including host hotel information, visit CitrusExpo.net.
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