Integrated control of citrus pests in the Mediterranean Region

Vincenzo Vacante*, Uri Gerson

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Book/ReportBookpeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Citrus originated from Southeast Asia, whence over the centuries it gradually spread to various regions of the world by human migrations and trade. During the Roman Empire citrus fruits were known in southern Europe, and their consumption began through the Middle Ages in the remaining parts of Europe. In the Mediterranean region citrus has been known for centuries and had intensively influenced human history and customs. This is evident from the part that citrus still plays in the religious rituals of some peoples, in citrus flowers being used as symbols (of purity, etc.), in fruits and leaves being utilized in culinary preparations, and along with other plants (cultivated and wild) being a characterizing element of the Mediterranean landscape. The most important aspect of citrus is its use as a nutrient, either fresh or as juice and/or derivatives, and also in pharmaceutics and/or cosmetics. Directly and/or indirectly, Mediterranean citriculture currently affects about 300 million people and in 2007 the FAO estimated a total harvested area of 8,322,605 ha. Citriculture thus represents an important agricultural sector, characterized by a heterogeneous structure, resulting from various geographical and climatic constraints and the different history of the settlements. This is reflected in several aspects of the industry, such as qualitative and quantitative standards of production, and emphasizes the need for planning a commonly shared modern approach. This becomes critical upon considering plant protection aspects, an area where various technical choices and patterns of behavior are significantly different between the various regions. That is the area in which this eBook strives to contribute, presenting an update of knowledge on the defense against citrus pests in the region, being primarily concerned with promoting the strategy of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This strategy has been widely implemented in the North American citriculture and is providing economic, ecological and toxicological benefits to individual farms and to the community there. Unfortunately, at present the use of IPM in the Mediterranean region is, at best, either at an initial state, or uncommon, except in some countries like Israel.

Original languageEnglish
PublisherBentham Science Publishers Ltd
ISBN (Print)9781608056804
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012

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