Category: Alerts

Infected Citrus Pest That Spreads Disease Found in Ventura County

Residents urged to check their citrus trees for Asian citrus psyllid

 

 

VENTURA CO., Calif. — An insect carrying the huanglongbing bacteria, a pathogen that kills citrus trees, has been found on a residential citrus tree in Ventura County, according to the California Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program.

“This really is a devastating find,” said Ben Faber, UC Cooperative Extension subtropical crops advisor for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. “It means that Asian citrus psyllid that is infected with the HLB bacteria is present in the middle of a citrus-growing area that is currently and historically important for lemon production.”

This is the first confirmed case in Ventura County of Asian citrus psyllid testing positive for the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The bacterium is associated with huanglongbing, or HLB, also called citrus greening disease. HLB can kill a citrus tree in as few as five years, and there is no known cure or remedy. All commonly grown citrus varieties are susceptible to the pathogen, which means commercial citrus growers should monitor and treat to manage its vector to protect their groves. The additional expenses come at a bad time.

“The disease is a tree killer and it’s happening to growers who are already having difficult times with low lemon prices making it difficult for them to stay and continue farming,” Faber said.

The infected Asian citrus psyllid was found in the Santa Paula area, but the UCCE farm advisor asks all Ventura County citrus tree owners to be on the lookout for the tiny, mottled brown insect about the size of an aphid.

 

Size of adult psyllid. (Courtesy photo)

“It takes a whole community to address the disease in order to protect all the trees,” Faber said. “If one tree remains, it potentially can infect all the surrounding citrus trees.”

The psyllid takes the bacteria into its body when it feeds on bacteria-infected plants. When a bacteria-carrying psyllid flies to a healthy plant and injects the bacteria into the plant as it feeds, it can spread the disease.

As of Sept. 20, HLB had not been detected in any Ventura County citrus trees.

Neil McRoberts, UC Davis professor of plant pathology, urged vigilance, but not panic. “We have long suspected that ACP infected with the pathogen are present in Ventura, the results simply confirm that suspicion.”

The only way to protect citrus trees from the lethal disease is to prevent the spread of the HLB pathogen by controlling psyllid populations and
destroying infected trees.

“Not all ACP carry the bacteria, but if one is found, it means either that an infected insect has flown or hitchhiked in,” Faber said. The psyllids can fly pretty far by themselves, but they can move great distances when people move them.

To identify Asian citrus psyllid, see pictures of the psyllid and its life stages on the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources website at http://ucanr.edu/acp and the UC Integrated Pest Management Pest Note at https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74155.html. More information is also available at https://californiacitrusthreat.org, a website maintained by the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program, an initiative funded by California citrus growers and administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Beth Grafton-Cardwell, UC Cooperative Extension citrus entomology specialist emeritus, and Mark Hoddle, UCCE entomology specialist based at UC Riverside, demonstrate how to look for the various stages of the psyllid in the video “Check your citrus trees for Asian citrus psyllid” on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhqwUQm0zpk.

Report suspected cases of the psyllid or disease to your county agricultural commissioner’s office or call the CDFA hotline at 1-800-491-1899.

Commercial growers can get the latest news about ACP at the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program website https://citrusinsider.org.

More information about Asian citrus psyllid can be found in ANR publication 8205 https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8vr1376d, ANR publication 8218 https://escholarship.org/uc/item/48v1v164 and on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/pests-diseases/hungry-pests/the-threat/asian-citrus-psyllid/asian-citrus-psyllid.

UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings the power of UC to all 58 California counties. Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, economic and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu and support our work at donate.ucanr.edu.

–UC Agriculture and Natural Resources

Original URL at Morning Ag Clips: https://www.morningagclips.com/infected-citrus-pest-that-spreads-disease-found-in-ventura-county/

New Invasive Species Arrives in California

Tau fruit fly has been detected in Los Angeles county, quarantine now in place

This the first Tau fruit fly quarantine ever in the Western Hemisphere. (Photo: Fan Gao, Courtesy CDFA)

SACRAMENTO — A portion of Los Angeles County has been placed under quarantine for the Tau fruit fly (Zeugodacus tau group) following the detection of more than 20 flies in the unincorporated area of Stevenson Ranch, near the city of Santa Clarita.

The quarantine area measures 79 square miles, bordered on the north by Castaic Junction; on the south by Oat Mountain; on the west by Del Valle; and on the east by Honby Ave.  A link to the quarantine map may be found here: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/tau/regulation.html

This the first Tau fruit fly quarantine ever in the Western Hemisphere. The fly is native to Asia and is a serious pest for agriculture and natural resources, with a very wide host range, including numerous fruits and vegetables as well as a select range of native plants in California.

It’s believed the fly was introduced by travelers bringing uninspected produce into the state — a common pathway for invasive species.

To prevent the spread of this invasive species, residents living in the quarantine area are urged not to move any fruits and vegetables from their property. They may be consumed or processed (i.e. juiced, frozen, cooked, or ground in the garbage disposal) at the property where they were picked. Otherwise, they should be disposed-of by double-bagging in plastic and placing the bags in a bin specifically for garbage.

Following the principles of Integrated Pest Management,  the California Department of Food and Agriculture, working in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture and the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner, will utilize a multi-tiered approach to eliminate the Tau fruit fly and prevent its spread to new areas.  On properties within 200 meters of detections, staff will cut host fruit and vegetables to inspect for any fruit fly larvae that may be present.  Additionally, properties within 200 meters of detections will be treated with a naturally derived organic-approved material known as Spinosad, which will help remove any live adult fruit flies and  reduce the density of the population.  Finally, fly traps that incorporate a pheromone lure and a minute amount of pesticide will be used in a wider part of the treatment area.

Further information about this invasive species is available online at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/PDEP/target_pest_disease_profiles/tau_ff_profile.html

 

Article courtesy of Morning Ag Clips
Original URL: https://www.morningagclips.com/new-invasive-species-arrives-in-california/

New Partnership with Almond Board of California

CAPCA is excited to announce a new partnership with the Almond Board of California (ABC) to provide timely information, education and resources to PCAs. In 2021, you will see ABC providing the following to Nut Crop team members and CAPCA members:

  • Technical articles on a variety of production topics
  • Consistent, timely updates to Nut Crop Team members
  • Continuing Education hosted by CAPCACE.com – “The Status of Herbicide Resistance in California and Finding Success with Soil Moisture Monitoring” coming early 2021
  • Dedicated Educational Breakout on Almonds at the CAPCA Conference

Visit Almonds.com/PCATools to learn about PCA’s vital role in supporting the industry’s progress toward this goal.

For questions about what industry support may look like, contact the Almond Board’s Field Outreach and Education team at fieldoutreach@almondboard.com.