The California Citrus Quality Council (CCQC) is reaching out to the industry with guidelines on adhering to export protocols for China and Korea. This comes in light of recent and anticipated heavy rainfall.
In District 2's coastal regions, including Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, and W. Riverside, growers have been advised to make a second application by Jan. 21, 2024. Meanwhile, growers in Fresno, Tulare, Kern, E. Riverside, Counties are required to make a second application of either copper or an approved alternative by Feb. 22, 2024, for produce destined for China. This advice is based on the Phytophthora-forecasting model and the expected rainfall.
For all counties, the first preharvest application of copper is required between Oct. 15 and Nov. 30 to meet the China protocol. The second application can be done using copper, phosphite, oxathiapiprolin, mandipropamid, or the premixture of oxathiapiprolin + mandipropamid based on environmental conditions.
For Korea, growers in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Co., who have experienced high rainfall, are advised to make a second fungicide application by Feb. 4, 2024. A second application is advised for all counties except for Imperial Co. due to the removal of copper residues from fruit by rainfall. A second fungicide application is advised by Feb. 22, 2024, for all counties except Imperial, due to the risk of Septoria spot developing on unprotected fruit with low copper residues.
For all counties or regions, copper or approved alternative fungicides can be used for produce destined for export to Korea. Growers and PCAs are advised to plan for managing Septoria spot with a second fungicide application in the next three weeks due to the forecasted rain.
Source: cacitrusmutual.com