An additional portion of Fresno County along its southern border with Tulare County has been placed under quarantine for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) following the detections of ACP in two locations in an unincorporated area of northern Tulare County near the City of Orange Cove. The quarantine expansion adds approximately 50 square miles to the existing quarantine for a total of 84 square miles in Fresno County. All of Tulare County remains under quarantine as a result of previous ACP detections.
The new quarantine area in Fresno County is bordered on the north by E Kings Canyon Road; on the south by the Fresno County Boundary Line; on the west by S Alta Avenue; and on the east by an unnamed creek. The quarantine map is available online at www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/go/acp-qmaps.
The quarantine prohibits the movement of citrus and curry tree nursery stock out of the quarantine area and requires that all citrus fruit be free from ACP prior to moving out of the quarantine area. An exception may be made for nursery stock and budwood grown in USDA-approved structures which are designed to keep ACP and other insects out. Residents with backyard citrus trees in the quarantine area are asked not to transport citrus fruit or leaves, potted citrus trees, or curry leaves from the quarantine area.
ACP county-wide quarantines are now in place in Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties, with portions of Fresno, Kern, Madera, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Clara counties also under quarantine.
The ACP is an invasive species of grave concern because it can carry the disease huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening. All citrus and closely related species, such as curry trees, are susceptible hosts for both the insect and disease. There is no cure once a tree becomes infected; the diseased tree will decline in health and produce bitter, misshaped fruit until it dies. HLB has been detected just once in California – in 2012 on a single residential property in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County. This plant disease does not affect human health.
Residents in the area who think they may have seen ACP or symptoms of HLB on their citrus trees are urged to call CDFA’s Invasive Species Hotline at 1-800-491-1899. For more information on the ACP and HLB, please visit: www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/acp.