New Efforts Grow To Help Protect the U.S. Avocado Industry
April 22, 2024 With production of avocado crops in the U.S. under threat from diseases like Laurel wilt (LW) and Phytophthora root rot (PRR), a multistate research team is seeking input via survey from avocado growers and other industry stakeholders about how they are dealing with the disease pressures.
The Multistate LW and PPR Survey Initiative aims to gather critical data on grower decision-making, economic implications, and management strategies. By understanding these dynamics, researchers aim to develop sustainable disease management strategies tailored to each state’s unique circumstances.
The multistate researcher group includes University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of California Riverside, University of California Davis, University of Hawaii, and Texas A&M University.
“It is important for all avocado industry members, growers, packers, shippers, etc. participate in the survey to capture their past and present strategies to deal with these two devastating fungal pathogens which threaten avocado production,” says Jonathan Crane, a UF/IFASPprofessor of horticultural sciences and Extension tropical fruit specialist.
According to USDA’s NASS, avocados accounted for a total national production of 149,600 tons in 2021 with a value of $341.9 million.
Laurel wilt is an invasive, lethal disease in the Southeast U.S. spread by a fungus transmitted by the red bay ambrosia beetle. The disease wilts and then browns tree leaves, killing entire trees in only a few weeks. .
Phytophthora root rot induces root decay in avocado trees that leads to tree mortality if not treated.
For more information, visit blogs.ifas.ufl.edu.