Management of the Asian citrus psyllid in Asia

As a vector of CLas, D. citri has provided a perfect opportunity for pesticide manufacturers, distributors and retailers to sell insecticides to citrus farmers in Asia. These manufacturers, distributors and retailers exploit a general lack of knowledge among farmers about pests and diseases, and how to control them. As companies reap profits, the plight of farmers remains unresolved due to a thus far incurable disease. The folly of excessive use of synthetic pesticides for suppressing populations of D. citri and incidence of HLB needs to be addressed through government policies and legislation, education of farmers and curtailment of exploitative marketing leading to misuse and overuse use of synthetic pesticides. It is unlikely that rates of spread of HLB would be any worse than if soft options such as effectively-implemented biological control and mineral oils were used in lieu of synthetic pesticides. Orchards would regain biodiversity and the need to use pesticides to manage induced secondary pests such as mites, thrips and scales would decline.