Four foliar insecticides (Esteem, Provado, Applaud and Assail) and one soil systemic insecticide (Admire) were evaluated for their control of woolly whitefly in lemons. These insecticides were chosen for evaluation because they have demonstrated efficacy to other whitefly species and have little or no impact on whitefly parasitoids. Admire was injected with a single shank about 5-in deep around each tree approximately at the tree’s drip line. All of the foliar insecticides were effective in controlling woolly whitefly. Admire also appeared to have efficacy, but due to inconsistent data on one sample date more testing should be conducted. Six weeks after the beginning of this test, whitefly parasitoids, Eretmocerus comperei or E. dozieri (exact species not certain) reduced the whitefly population across all treatments. Within two more months, no live whiteflies could be found in the test grove, and as of July 15, 2002, there was still no detectable woolly whitefly activity.

Agri-Mek, Assail, Baythroid, Carzol, and Success were all evaluated for their activity towards citrus thrips nymphs relative to adults. Based on leaf dip bioassays, Dimethoate was approximately 3 times more toxic to the adults than to the nymphs. However with leaf dip bioassays, a 3-fold difference, although statistically significant, is usually inconsequential. Success was the only insecticide that demonstrated a noteworthy difference in toxicity to nymphs compared to adults in the bioassay; it was 45 times more toxic to the nymphs than to the adults. Based on X2 contingency tables, lemon trees treated with Carzol, Success, or Baythroid all had significantly lower percentages of nymphs relative to the untreated control. Based on these data, when the citrus thrips population is composed primarily of nymphs, citrus growers and pest control advisors might consider using Carzol, Success, or Baythroid since they appear to impact the nymph population more than the adult population.

A 'Fallglo' mandarin trial was established at the Yuma Mesa Agriculture Center in 1995. Results suggest that trees on C. volkameriana rootstock, rough lemon rootstock, and, in 2001-02, Gou Tou orange rootstock had the greatest yields. There was little effect of rootstock upon fruit size or juice quality.

Three orange cultivar trials have been established in Arizona, one at the Yuma Mesa Agricultural Center, Yuma, AZ and one at the Citrus Agriculture Center, Waddell, AZ. For the navel orange trial in Yuma, 'Fisher' navel continues to have the greatest yield, but is unacceptably granulated. For the 'Valencia' trial in Yuma, none of the cultivar/rootstock combinations have been particularly successful. For the Waddell trial, only the first year data has been collected.

Four 'Lisbon' lemon selections, 'Frost Nucellar', 'Corona Foothills', 'Limoneira 8A' and 'Prior' were selected for evaluation on Citrus volkameriana rootstock. 1994-2002 results indicate that the 'Limoneira 8A Lisbon' and 'Corona Foothills Lisbon' are superior in yield and fruit earliness.

Leaf samples were collected from five trees each of Bradley, Cheyenne, Sioux, Western Schley, and Wichita at Picacho, Arizona and five trees each of Bradley, Western Schley, and Wichita at Las Cruces, New Mexico, and analyzed nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, copper, manganese, boron, and copper at two-week intervals from mid-May to Mid-October, 2000. Yield, average nut weight, and percent kernel data were collected for each individual tree. Leaf tissue analysis indicated that concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur decreased. The overall trends were for zinc levels to declined, although they increased at the end of the season. Boron, calcium, magnesium and manganese, and iron concentrations increased during the growing season. Copper concentrations were variable. Preliminary nutrient standards are presented and compared to existing standards. Most nutrients were within recommended ranges, but magnesium levels were much higher than the top of the Arizona and New Mexico sufficiency ranges. Manganese was higher than the Arizona sufficiency range, but within that of New Mexico, whereas zinc was higher than the New Mexico range, but within that of Arizona.

An experiment was initiated in 2000 to study the feasibility of growing organic lemon in the southwest desert of Arizona. An eight-acre field was selected on Superstition sandy soil at the Mesa Agricultural Research Center to conduct this investigation. Lemon trees were planted at 25 feet spacing in 1998. The initial soil test in top 6 inches was 5 ppm nitrate-nitrogen and 4.9 ppm NaHCO3-P. Soil pH was 8.7 in the top 6 inches. Four treatments were applied in randomized complete block design repeated four times. The treatments were beef cattle feedlot manure and perfecta, clover and guano, guano and perfecta, and standard practice treatment. Soil samples were collected from 0-6 and 6-12 inches the first week of March 2001 and analyzed for NO₃-N NH₄-N, total nitrogen, organic matter and available P. Preliminary results showed no difference in NO₃-N, NH₄-N in 0 to 6 and 6 to 12 inches between treatments. Total nitrogen increased significantly from 0.0262% in standard treatment to 0.0375% in the manure treatment. Similarly, soil organic matter increased from 0.297% in standard treatment to 0.4337% in the manure perfecta treatment. Phosphorus level increased significantly from 6.962 ppm in guano perfecta to 11.187 PPM in manure perfecta treatment. Leaf tissue analysis indicated that nitrate level was influenced by treatment. Yields of Guano treatments were significantly greater than yields of the other treatments. Both commercial standard and organic treatments were equally effective in controlling citrus thrips, but repeated applications were required. Mite population has been detected at low level with no significant differences observed among treatments.

In a rootstock evaluation trial planted in 1993, five rootstocks, 'Carrizo' citrange, Citrus macrophylla, 'Rough Lemon', Swingle citrumelo and Citrus volkameriana were selected for evaluation using 'Limoneira 8A Lisbon' as the scion. 1994-2002 yield and packout results indicate that trees on C. macrophylla, C. volkameriana and 'Rough Lemon' are superior to those on other rootstocks in both growth and yield. C. macrophylla is outperforming C. volkameriana. For the second year in a row, 'Rough Lemon' trees performed similarly to C. macrophylla and better than C. volkameriana. 'Swingle' and 'Carrizo' are performing poorly. In two other rootstock evaluation trials, both planted in 1995, C. macrophylla and/or C. volkameriana are outperforming other trifoliate and trifoliate-hybrid rootstocks under test.

Three lemon cultivar selection trials are being conducted at the Yuma Mesa Agriculture Center in Somerton, AZ. Data from these trials suggest that 'Cavers Lisbon' and 'Limonero Fino 49' selections may be suitable alternatives for the varieties most commonly planted in Southwest Arizona today.

Before replanting a citrus grove in Arizona, different preplant cultural activities may be performed, such as immediate replanting of the new citrus grove, allowing soil to lay fallow for various lengths of time, or planting the site to alfalfa for one or more years before the new citrus grove is established. A study was conducted to compare the effect of these different cultural preplant practices on the survival of Phytophthora in citrus grove soils. In June, 1998, and July, 1999, a total of 18 soil samples were collected within mature lemon groves. Each initial bulk sample was pretested, found to contain Phytophthora parasitica, then thoroughly mixed and partitioned into 1-liter plastic containers, which were subjected to different environmental and cultural conditions. The soil in each 1-liter container was tested for the presence of P. parasitica 1 and 3.5 to 4 months later. All soil samples then were placed in the greenhouse and a 6-month-old Citrus volkameriana seedling was planted in soil samples not containing plants. Three 1-liter sub-samples from each of ten 7-liter volumes of soil incubated outside for three months were also planted to citrus in the greenhouse. The soil containing plants in the greenhouse was watered as needed for 3 months, then again tested for the presence of Phytophthora. Irrigating soil infested with Phytophthora parasitica, whether it was planted to a host (citrus) of the pathogen, planted to a non-host (alfalfa) of the pathogen, or not planted at all, did not lower the pathogen to nondetectable levels. Phytophthora became and remained nondetectable only in the soil samples that were not irrigated and subjected to mean temperatures of 35 to 37° C (94 to 98° F). On the other hand, the pathogen was detectable in some soil samples subjected to dryness at lower mean temperatures of 26 to 30° C (79 to 86° F) after a citrus seedling subsequently was grown in the soil for 3 months. A dry summer fallow period following removal of a citrus grove (including as much root material as possible) was the only cultural practice among those tested that reduced the level of Phytophthora to nondetectable levels in all soil samples tested.