Scouting: How, When and What

Scouting: How, When and What

Jamie D. Yates

University of Florida, IFAS,

Citrus Research and Education Center

Lake Alfred

Jamie D. Yates

University of Florida, IFAS,

Citrus Research and Education Center

Lake Alfred

Scouting in 2008-2009Scouting in 2008-2009• Scouting is no longer an option, but essential

to managing greening

• How successful do you want to become?– Aim to stay viable and productive in the citrus industry

• Scouting is no longer an option, but essential to managing greening

• How successful do you want to become?– Aim to stay viable and productive in the citrus industry

Train Your ScoutsTrain Your Scouts• Become familiar with the symptoms

– Trainings available from UF-IFAS upon request– Online interactive training

• Become familiar with the symptoms– Trainings available from UF-IFAS upon request– Online interactive training

• Visit another grower with greening infected trees

• Follow an experienced scouting crew

• Essential to communicate with scouts (both English and Spanish)

• Everyone learns differently!

• Visit another grower with greening infected trees

• Follow an experienced scouting crew

• Essential to communicate with scouts (both English and Spanish)

• Everyone learns differently!

Make a Plan-Choose your methodsMake a Plan-Choose your methods• Walking

– Closer inspection of trees– Easy in young to mid-sized trees

• ATVs– Faster than walking, but does not

allow close inspection and difficult in tall trees

• Elevated platforms– Best view of upper canopy– Must have scouts on both upper and

lower platform– Reliable drivers are essential

• Walking – Closer inspection of trees– Easy in young to mid-sized trees

• ATVs– Faster than walking, but does not

allow close inspection and difficult in tall trees

• Elevated platforms– Best view of upper canopy– Must have scouts on both upper and

lower platform– Reliable drivers are essential

Make a Plan-Survey path Make a Plan-Survey path

Steve Futch. Ph.D.

Make a Plan-Design a flagging systemMake a Plan-Design a flagging system• Suggested Practices

– Flag individual symptomatic branches– Write scout’s name and date on

flagging tape– Flag each end of the row with number

of flagged trees noted– Hedging can remove flagging material

and create re-inspection/removal issues

– GPS can also be used, but should be used in conjunction with flagging tape

• Use a colored flagging tape specifically for greening

• Suggested Practices – Flag individual symptomatic branches– Write scout’s name and date on

flagging tape– Flag each end of the row with number

of flagged trees noted– Hedging can remove flagging material

and create re-inspection/removal issues

– GPS can also be used, but should be used in conjunction with flagging tape

• Use a colored flagging tape specifically for greening

Scout on TimeScout on Time• Minimum four times a year

• Symptoms are most difficult to see during the spring and summer flush

• Remember safety first!

• Minimum four times a year

• Symptoms are most difficult to see during the spring and summer flush

• Remember safety first!

Scout on TimeScout on Time• Plan your scouting program around your regular grove

care practices– Don’t mow, hedge or apply chemicals in the same block with scouts– Prepare grove to improve efficiency of scouting, i.e. remove

excessive weeds

• Maintain proper grove maintenance

• Scouting after a chemical application may be more difficult, be aware of REI of recently applied pesticides

• Be flexible in Florida weather conditions including lightning and windy weather

• Plan your scouting program around your regular grove care practices

– Don’t mow, hedge or apply chemicals in the same block with scouts– Prepare grove to improve efficiency of scouting, i.e. remove

excessive weeds

• Maintain proper grove maintenance

• Scouting after a chemical application may be more difficult, be aware of REI of recently applied pesticides

• Be flexible in Florida weather conditions including lightning and windy weather

FocusFocus• Remember your focus!

• Symptoms– Blotchy mottle– Yellow veins– Vein corking– Green islands– Off-season bloom– Lopsided fruit– Off-colored fruit

• Remember your focus!

• Symptoms– Blotchy mottle– Yellow veins– Vein corking– Green islands– Off-season bloom– Lopsided fruit– Off-colored fruit

Pen TestPen Test• Determine if symptoms are the same on both

halves of the upper or lower leaf surface• Draw two circles on opposite halves of the leaf• Is the pattern the same in both circles?

• Determine if symptoms are the same on both halves of the upper or lower leaf surface

• Draw two circles on opposite halves of the leaf• Is the pattern the same in both circles?

Scouting ResourcesScouting Resources• Revised laminated sheets• Training DVD• Revised Greening Field ID Pocket Guides• NEW! Online Interactive Training• NEW! Greening brochure• NEW! Scouting for Citrus Greening brochure• NEW! Scouting for Citrus Greening (EDIS)

• Revised laminated sheets• Training DVD• Revised Greening Field ID Pocket Guides• NEW! Online Interactive Training• NEW! Greening brochure• NEW! Scouting for Citrus Greening brochure• NEW! Scouting for Citrus Greening (EDIS)

Questions?Questions?