January Meeting - Caitlin Sollazzo - Common Pests and Diseases in Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Plants
Our January speaker at Palma Sola Botanical Park will be Caitlin Sollazzo, the Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent with UF/IFAS Extension in Manatee County. She grew up locally and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Entomology and Nematology and a Doctor of Plant Medicine (DPM) from the University of Florida. In her role, she supports nursery and ornamental producers with a focus on sustainable practices, integrated pest management, and plant health.
Caitlin’s topic will be Common Pests and Diseases in Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Plants. It will focus on problems relevant to rare fruit growers, including pests like the lychee erinose mite and the ambrosia beetles that carry the laurel wilt fungus, as well as diseases like anthracnose, root rots, and Ganoderma. It will include management tips as well. This is the second in a series of three talks on plant pests, diseases, and management strategies for the home grower, but for this presentation it is not necessary to have attended the first talk last September.
Caitlin’s topic will be Common Pests and Diseases in Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Plants. It will focus on problems relevant to rare fruit growers, including pests like the lychee erinose mite and the ambrosia beetles that carry the laurel wilt fungus, as well as diseases like anthracnose, root rots, and Ganoderma. It will include management tips as well. This is the second in a series of three talks on plant pests, diseases, and management strategies for the home grower, but for this presentation it is not necessary to have attended the first talk last September.
