The effects of several preemergence herbicides at various rates were tested on bearing Redblush' grapefruit trees and non-bearing Navel orange trees. Some of the preemergence herbicides caused foliar injury symptoms on the trees including Hyvar X Diuron, and Krovar I although they did not cause significant yield reductions in the short time period of this experiment. Several herbicides including Solicam, Surflan, and Prowl did not cause foliar injury or reduce yield and provided good weed control for various lengths of time. The Prowl treatments provided the longest period of weed control in the experiment on bearing grapefruit trees.

Several differentially expressed markers of compatibility or incompatibility were isolated and are being molecularly characterized One marker is present in young Eureka on Macrophylla trees and on Macrophylla decline affected, Eureka on Macrophylla trees, while absent on healthy, Eureka on Macrophylla trees of the same combination. A second marker appears similar to a gene that encodes a Zn-binding homeodomain of a DNA binding protein in plant cells. This particular marker was found in the leaves of healthy trees, but absent in Macrophylla decline trees, which are known to be Zn deficient. Thirty-five markers are being characterized in all.

Biological agents have been employed in a series of experiments to evaluate their efftcacy,in control of the citrus nematode and Liohippelates eye gnat in the Yuma mesa area. Steinernema riobravis, an entomopathological nematode, considered climatically adapted to western Arizona temperatures, was selected from commercially available sources. Three field trials and a greenhouse study utilizing the nematodes at population ratés of one and two billion juveniles per acre were each unsuccessful in reducing the nematode or insect pest. Poor viability and survival were attributed to the negative results in each of the investigations. The microbial nematicide, DiTera, which was included in two limited trials, was found to be highly effective in suppression of citrus nematode populations infecting Yuma citrus. These results have prompted Abbott Laboratories, manufactures of the product; to establish two demonstration plots in the Yuma mesa area.

Insecticides were evaluated for their efficacy to citrus mealybugs on lemons at three spray gallonages, 60, 240, and 600 gallons per acre. None of the products tested exhibited any activity at 60 or 240 gallons per acre. At 600 gallons per acre, Lorsban at 6 qt/A + NR-415 oil at 1.4% v/v, Supracide at 2 pt /100 gal + Kinetic at 0.25% v/v, and Applaud at 2.0 lbs -ai/A + NR -415 oil at 1.4% v/v all demonstrated the best activity. Provado at 0.1 lbs-ai/A + NR-415 oil at 1.4 %, Danitol at 0.4 lbs-ai/A + Lorsban at 4 qt/A + NR-415 oil at 1.4% v/v, and Nexter at 0.3 lbs-ai/A + NR-415 oil at 1.4% v/v showed good activity. Weaker treatments included Agri-Mek at 10 and 20 oz/A, Knack and Difenolan. For maximum control, growers should treat before the fruit is heavily infested, and use high gallonages of spray solution at a high pressure, the spray must penetrate the waxy coating to achieve activity. If applicable, a spray oil should be included to help break up the wax. However, if Supracide is used, use a high rate without oil.

Commercial and University citrus groves were sampled over a two year period in an attempt to develop mathematical models capable of predicting fruit scarring based on the population of immature citrus thrips on susceptible fruit. Five predictive models were derived. One model correlated used citrus thrips populations from fetal fall to 2.0 in. diameter fruit. While in the other models, thrips populations were divided into four distinct fruit size cohorts. Four of the five models were statistically valid. Based on these models, lemons ½ in. in diameter, should be treated with insecticides when the number of immature CT reaches 1.5 per 10 pieces of fruit. While fruit > ½ should be treated if immature CT reach or exceed 2.0 per 10 fruit.

Studies are being conducted which aim to improve the efficiency of irrigation and N fertilization for lemons produced on sandy soils in the low desert The first experiment evaluates the response of 'Lisbon' lemons to various flood irrigation intervals. Irrigation intervals are based on soil moisture depletion (SMD) as calculated from frequent neutron probe soil moisture measurements. Individual treatments were irrigated when total SMI) was 25 %, 40 %, 55 %, and 70 %, respectively. The second experiment compares the performance of young lemons produced under flood, trickle, and micro-spray irrigation systems. The third experiment evaluates the response of young lemons to water and N combinations (3 by 3 factorial) under micro - spray irrigation. The three irrigation rates were targeted for 30 cnbar, 20 cnbar, and 10 cnbar tension. The three N rates were 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 kg N/tree. One flood irrigation treatment was added for comparative purposes. Overall, results obtained in experiment 1 during 1994, 1995, and 1996 indicate optimal fruit growth and yield is obtained at approximately 40% SMD. The results of experiment 2 show that after 3 years, only micro-jet irrigation produced less tree growth than flood irrigation. In 1995, first year fruit yields were significantly greater for pressurized irrigation compared to flood irrigation. However, by 1996 there were no differences in yield to irrigation treatment. Results from experiment 3 show a linear response in tree growth to irrigation. In 1994 and 1995, tree growth at the high micro - spray soil moisture regime was significantly greater than trees irrigated by flood. However, in 1996 where we failed to increase the micro-spay irrigation time to meet the increased water demand by the trees, the flood irrigation regime was superior. Yields were also increased to irrigation. There were no significant differences in tree growth to N fertilization rates in 1994 and 1995. However, there was increased tree growth in 1996 and a yield increase to N fertilizer rate at the highest soil moisture regime.

The potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae L., is a significant pest in the United States, and elsewhere, of alfalfa and potatoes In Arizona and in Coastal and Central California it can also be a pest of citrus. In 1994 and 1995 we collected information concerning their seasonal abundance in a large citrus orchard near Newman Peak Arizona. To do so we employed yellow sticky traps around the orchard periphery, at the same time using a D-Vac® vacuum sampler in the weeds growing in the interior of the orchard During both years peak populations occurred near mid April. This was correlated with a drop in relative humidity and a rise in ambient air temperature.