The three huanglongbing (HLB) finds in California to date are in a close radius amongst a huge residential area. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) says residential trees are the concern when it comes to monitoring and control.
Residential Citrus Tree Concerns
The two recent HLB finds were 15 miles away from the first in 2012, right in the heart of a residential area of Los Angeles County. CDFA Director of Public Affairs Steve Lyle says the fight against HLB and the Asian citrus psyllid has been well played out in the citrus industry, but as the three HLB finds show, residential trees are where the challenge is. Lyle says other than educating residents, experts can only keep to the programs and be prepared for if and when new detections pop up.