Huanglongbing on oranges.
Photo courtesy of USDA.
According to the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has confirmed five additional huanglongbing (HLB) positive trees near the initial HLB find site in the San Gabriel area, bringing the total to nine HLB positive trees on seven properties in the region. The five new trees were found from three properties – one location with three trees and two locations with one tree each.
CDFA is contacting property owners to remove the trees, and the trees within 800 meters of the find sites will be treated for the Asian citrus psyllid. A public meeting was scheduled for August 11, 2015 for the new area.
The new detections result in a small expansion of the survey and treatment area from the previously targeted areas. The existing quarantine will remain unchanged.
As a result of the quarantine, 30 nurseries in the area carrying citrus nursery stock were impacted. CDFA staff placed 8,040 plants on hold. All except one nursery opted to voluntarily destroy the citrus plants. To date, 7,922 plants at 29 locations have been destroyed. One nursery has opted to build a structure for the 111 nursery plants it has on hand. The nursery had until August 9 to build the structure, and comply with the USDA requirements.
CDFA survey and treatment crews will remain vigilant in looking for HLB and treating for the Asian citrus psyllid. Industry members are encouraged to follow best management practices, and encourage others to do the same.