Individual Protective Cover
Best practices
- Individual protective covers (IPC) are the best tool for establishing HLB free young trees.
- Scout for insect and pathogen pests.
- Plan to manage for piercing-sucking pests including mealybugs and scales.
- Scout for mites, particularly spider mites, which can increase to elevated levels inside IPCs.
- Check for IPC damage, especially after storms, and replace as needed.
- Until the canopy has expanded sufficiently to hold the IPC down under windy conditions, keep the bottom held close to the trunk of the tree with a zip tie or gear tie.
- Do not prune trees after taking off IPCs.
Resources
Individual Protective Covers Improve Yield and Quality of Citrus Fruit under Endemic Huanglongbing
IPCs improve fruit yield and quality
Assessing spatial patterns of individual protective covers
Research update on Individual Protective Covers