Contexte

El Baix Ebre and El Montsià regions produce more than 95% of Catalonia’s citrus fruit, most of which is Clemenules mandarin variety, occupying an area of 8,800 ha. There are currently two pest species threatening citrus production: the whitefly Dialeurodes citri and the South African mealybug Delottococcus aberiae. The whitefly D. citri is a pest which has been present in Catalonia for years, but whose population has recently increased, with causing imbalance in the entomofauna and harm to plant health. The South African mealybug is a pest that has only recently arrived in the area, but has a focal point in Catalonia, causing significant damage, as the affected fruit is not suitable for sale.

Current control strategies for these two pests are mainly based on applying synthetic insecticides. This strategy is not sufficiently effective and may have a negative impact on biological control agents, causing imbalances in the ecosystem. Optimising the control of these species requires strategies integrating different tools: biological, technical, chemical and cultural controls.
The operational group aims to design effective control strategies for D. citri integrated into the current plant health plan and provide the basis for controlling D. aberiae, which will enable effective control using currently available tools. Achieving these objectives will help meet the challenge of controlling these pests, increasing the competitiveness of the citrus sector by obtaining quality fruit. 
The results will be disseminated through the European Innovation Partnership (EIP), over the different dissemination platforms of the operational group members, social media and by organising and/or attending conferences and congresses.