California Agriculture (Nov 2000)

UC scientists apply IPM techniques to new eucalyptus pests

  • Timothy Paine,
  • Donald L. Dahlsten,
  • Jocelyn Millar,
  • Mark Hoddle,
  • Lawrence M. Hanks

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3733/ca.v054n06p8
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 54, no. 6
pp. 8 – 13

Abstract

Read online

Eucalyptus trees have been important components of the California urban landscape for almost 150 years. Until 1984, they were free of both insect and disease pests. In the last 16 years, however, a series of herbivorous insect species have been introduced into the state, probably accidentally, causing significant damage to the trees. Research programs have provided solutions to some of these pest problems, but more pests are continually introduced, recently the red gum lerp psyllid, the lemon gum lerp psyllid, and the eucalyptus tortoise beetle. Scientists are developing new strategies to control the recent invaders in concert with existing pest management programs, integrating methods across broad geographic, horticultural and economic scales.