Author Topic: CUPS (Citrus Under Protective Screen)  (Read 1127 times)

Millet

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CUPS (Citrus Under Protective Screen)
« on: December 20, 2019, 04:10:02 PM »
An account of a growers field day held at a Florida CUPS (Citrus Under Protective Screen)1.3 acre screened grove at a U. Of Florida research field. A handout distributed at the field day stated that Ray Ruby, Ruby Red and Flame grapefruit, as well as Honey Murcott, thrive in CUPS. The handout indicated Ray Ruby grapefruit in the 2018-19 season, the fourth year of CUPS production, yielded an average of 892 boxes per acre with 100 percent packout. Honey Murcott yielded an average of 529 boxes per acre with 100 percent packout. The per-acre yields were extrapolated from actual production of .24 acres of Ray Ruby grapefruit and .34 acres of Honey Murcott. Revenues were $25.89 per box for Ray Ruby, or $23,094 per acre, and $42.48 per box for Honey Murcott, or $22,472 per acre.

Daintree

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Re: CUPS (Citrus Under Protective Screen)
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2019, 10:17:41 AM »
It totally blows my mind that they can screen an area that large, and not end up with nasty insects inside the screen!  Do they put the protection up at a certain time of year, when psyllids are sure to NOT be around?

Carolyn

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Re: CUPS (Citrus Under Protective Screen)
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2019, 11:07:59 AM »
The screened area they are speaking of is probably a large greenhouse. To be certified certian requirements have to be met. They are pretty expensive and restrictive. I dont know of any way other than this to get a. Insect proof containment.

Millet

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Re: CUPS (Citrus Under Protective Screen)
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2019, 02:04:07 PM »
It is not a greenhouse, it is screen house.  I have a rather large greenhouse in Colorado, and looked to purchasing some of the same screen used in CUPS to cover my two greenhouse inlet vents (4-ft. X 4-Ft. each).  I was told that the type of screen used on these large CUPS screen houses is so tight, that my exhaust fans would require a MUCH larger screen area to be able to pull enough air through.  With just two 4-ft X 4-ft. openings my two exhaust fans could not pull enough air through the screen, due to the tightness of the screen, to cool the greenhouse.
« Last Edit: December 22, 2019, 02:08:08 PM by Millet »

citrange

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Re: CUPS (Citrus Under Protective Screen)
« Reply #4 on: December 24, 2019, 05:00:01 AM »
There is an interesting article about CUPS at
http://citrusindustry.net/2017/11/08/update-on-citrus-undercover-production-systems-cups-research/

This picture shows how using the mesh would reduce air intake area by more than 50%.
Air-flow friction would also increase requiring more powerful intake fans or much larger vents in Millets greenhouse.

Millet

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Re: CUPS (Citrus Under Protective Screen)
« Reply #5 on: December 24, 2019, 12:24:15 PM »
As tiny of the psyllid is, it is still 5 times larger than an opening in a 50 mesh CUPS screen.  Citradia, nice article I enjoyed reading it.  I was surprised how large a CUPS  tree grew in just a 5 gallon container.