Florida Tests Insecticide Mesh to Save Citrus
University of Florida researchers are trialing insecticide-infused mesh and low-cost toppers to shield citrus trees from the psyllids that spread greening disease.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Botany
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University of Florida researchers are testing lime-green, insecticide-infused mesh that attracts psyllids and kills insects that become trapped, aiming to protect citrus trees from citrus greening disease. Trials are also examining smaller mesh toppers called beanies, which could cost as little as US$1 each.
Why it matters
Florida's citrus cultivation area has fallen from more than 600,000 acres in 2000 to around 200,000 acres in 2025, and citrus greening disease (HLB) is transmitted by psyllids. Protecting trees from these insects is central to whether the state's citrus industry can recover.
Florida's citrus cultivation area fell from more than 600,000 acres in 2000 to around 200,000 acres in 2025, and more than 1 million trees were growing under individual protective coverings by 2023. The insecticide-infused mesh's effectiveness in controlling psyllids has not been reported in the extraction.
The players
University of Florida
The University of Florida is a public research university whose researchers are leading trials of insecticide-infused mesh for citrus orchards.
Fernando Alferez
Fernando Alferez is a researcher whose 2021 work on individual protective coverings for citrus trees helped establish the approach now being expanded.
The details
Researchers are testing mesh that is lime-green and infused with insecticide, developed with a Danish company that specializes in malaria nets. Smaller toppers called beanies are being evaluated for trees older than 3 years, and trials are examining whether perimeter fencing made from the same material could replace individual tree coverings.
Timeline
2000: Florida citrus cultivation area exceeded 600,000 acres.
2021: Initial research on individual protective coverings was published.
2023: More than 1 million Florida citrus trees were growing under coverings.
2025: Florida citrus cultivation area was around 200,000 acres.
Big Picture
The mesh trials extend the individual protective covering approach that Fernando Alferez's 2021 research helped establish, now applied to lower-cost toppers and perimeter fencing. Florida's citrus area decline since 2000 gives these efforts a clear stake in the state's agricultural recovery.
Growers with trees older than 3 years may eventually be able to use low-cost beanies as an add-on to existing coverings, though the extraction does not confirm availability. Growers considering whole-orchard protection should watch for trial results on perimeter fencing before changing their approach.
The takeaway
Insect-control tools for citrus are moving from single-tree protection toward cheaper and broader options, but their real-world effect on psyllid numbers and greening spread remains to be measured. Growers and readers should treat the mesh as an experimental tool until trial outcomes are published.
Further reading
For more on plant science, see Botany coverage on the site.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Freshplaza.
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Should Florida spend public money on new tools to save its citrus industry?
