Asian citrus psyllid continues to be detected
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), the small sap-sucking pest that’s only one of two known carriers of citrus greening disease continues to wreak havoc on California and its crops as the quarantine zone within the state keeps growing.
A section of Fresno County that borders Tulare County is now under quarantine. The new quarantine map for Fresno County includes E Kings Canyon Road to the north, the Fresno County Boundary Line on the south, S Alta Avenue in the west and a creek in the east. All of Tulare County is still under quarantine.
Parts of Santa Clara County are also under quarantine as detections of ACP were confirmed in San Jose.
These new and expanded quarantines come after ACP was initially discovered in January in California’s Madera County.
As a result, the total quarantine for the state includes 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.
What makes ACP so lethal is that it can carry the huanglobing (HLB) disease, known as citrus greening. It’s a deadly disease if citrus plants contract it.
All citrus trees are potentially at risk of being infected with citrus greening and once they are, there’s no cure. The tree will produce bitter and misshaped fruit until the tree dies. The other carrier of HLB is the African citrus psyllid.
If fruit starts to show yellow veins, vein corking, blotchy mottle on leaves, appears misshaped and tastes bitter or salty, chances are it’s been infected by the pest.
California produces approximately 80% of tangerines and 92% of lemons in the United States. 2013’s lemon sales were over $369 million.
Join the conversation and tell us if these new quarantine zones are affecting you. What measures are you taking to secure your crops?