A portion of Tulare County is placed under quarantine for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) following the detection of psyllids at three locations in the Porterville area.
The quarantine zone measures 178 square miles, bordered on the north by an area near Blue Ridge Drive and Campbell Creek Drive; on the west by an area near State Highway 190 and Coyote Dr.; on the south by Avenue 68 near State Highway 65; and on the west by an area near Avenue 104 and Road 192. A map of the quarantine may be found at: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/acp/maps/quarantine/3435ACP_Tulare_20130730.pdf
The quarantine prohibits the movement of host nursery stock out of the quarantine area and requires that all citrus fruit be cleaned of leaves and stems prior to moving out of the area. An exception may be made for nursery stock and budwood grown in USDA-approved structures designed to keep ACP out. Residents with backyard citrus trees in the quarantine area are asked to not remove fruit from the area.
In addition to Tulare County, ACP quarantines are now in place in Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Imperial, Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. A total of more than 45-thousand square miles are under quarantine.
The ACP is of grave concern because it can carry the disease huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening. All citrus and closely related species are susceptible hosts for both the insect and the disease. There is no cure once a tree becomes infected. The diseased tree will decline in health until it dies. HLB has been detected just once in California – last year on a single residential property in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County.
Residents in the area who think they may have seen the Asian citrus psyllid are urged to call CDFA’s Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899. For more information on the Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing disease please visit: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/acp/index.html