Biology and Management of Avocado Lace Bug in California 2008

This research project will be ending October 31, 2008 and we are on schedule to accomplish all of the major goals laid out for the project. Although the avocado lace bug (ALB) has not spread into commercial avocado orchards in California, we could not have predicted ahead of time that this would not happen and it is possible a more virulent strain might be introduced into California at some point in the future. In some areas of the world, ALB is a very serious pest on avocados. If a more virulent strain were to be introduced and/or the present strain were to become pestiferous on commercial avocados, we feel well prepared to deal with this insect. We appreciate funding provided for ALB research by the CAC and this funding was leveraged substantially via ALB grants obtained from the UC Exotic/Invasive Pest & Disease Research Program, the UC Thelma Hansen Trust, and grants provided by the California Department of Food & Agriculture. In addition, this work would not have been possible without outstanding cooperation provided by the above listed Cooperators. In particular we thank Bill Roltsch for his assistance on sampling and other portions of the project, the San Diego Ag Commissioner’s office for providing research space at their old Insectary building where we could do work inside the ALB Quarantine zone, and Gary Bender for assistance with field trials early in the program.