Citrus disease again active in SoCal

[andiesenji]

ABC Channel 7 in Los Angeles is reporting that Inspectors from the California Department of Food and Agriculture were going home-to-home inspecting trees after a devastating citrus disease was detected in southland and there is a quarantine area.  

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is a pest that acts as a carrier or vector spreading "huanglongbing" (HLB), a devastating disease of citrus trees. This bacterial disease is transmitted to healthy trees by the psyllid after it feeds on infected plant tissue.

 

Anyone in the region who has citrus trees should read up on preventing the disease and how to keep the insects away.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@andiesenji,

 

I "liked" your post because it's informative, and I had not heard of this before, but this is terrible news for the affected growers and ultimately for all of us. 

[SJMitch]

We have citrus in our front yard and came home to an inspection notice on our door (our trees passed) a couple days ago.  I had wondered what prompted the inspection.

[andiesenji]

8 hours ago, SJMitch said:

We have citrus in our front yard and came home to an inspection notice on our door (our trees passed) a couple days ago.  I had wondered what prompted the inspection.

Nurseries in the area have been selling out their citrus and will not stock more until after the problem has stabilized.

A friend who lives in Downey and has several dwarf trees has bought fine nylon tulle (went to the garment district and bought two bolts-heap) and has shrouded all her trees to protect them.  It lets the light through but insects can't get through it.  I think it is brilliant for a homeowner with a few trees.  It's 108 inches wide so it is easy to cover small trees.  

She said an elderly Japanese man who lives on her block suggested it.  He helped her lay out her garden when she moved there about 15 years ago.  

 

[Smithy]

Thanks for this message, Andie. The citrus greening disease (I hadn't heard the name 'huanglongbing' or its shortened 'HLB' until now) has been a matter of great concern for our friends who raise citrus in the Central Valley of California. They've been watching the spread of the disease for some years as it's moved closer to them, hoping it can be stopped - or a cure found. Finding the psyllid in the L.A. Basin is bad news.

 

Won't the tulle you mention in your last post also stop pollenation of your neighbor's citrus? If so, is she just figuring that this is the lesser of two evils?

[andiesenji]

9 hours ago, Smithy said:

Thanks for this message, Andie. The citrus greening disease (I hadn't heard the name 'huanglongbing' or its shortened 'HLB' until now) has been a matter of great concern for our friends who raise citrus in the Central Valley of California. They've been watching the spread of the disease for some years as it's moved closer to them, hoping it can be stopped - or a cure found. Finding the psyllid in the L.A. Basin is bad news.

 

Won't the tulle you mention in your last post also stop pollenation of your neighbor's citrus? If so, is she just figuring that this is the lesser of two evils?

Pollination has already taken and she has fruit of varying sizes to protect.  

[Toliver]

A large area surrounding the city of Bakersfield has been under quarantine for about two years now. The quarantine area keeps expanding over time, of course. I am guessing this means they're not winning the "war" against the bug, yet.

 

[Smithy]

23 hours ago, Toliver said:

A large area surrounding the city of Bakersfield has been under quarantine for about two years now. The quarantine area keeps expanding over time, of course. I am guessing this means they're not winning the "war" against the bug, yet.

 

 

I hadn't realized it's already in the San Joaquin Valley. Bad news, indeed.