HLB Found in San Gabriel, California

General Fruit Growing
#1

Just received this ACP Update today from the CDFA:

CITRUS DISEASE HUANGLONGBING DETECTED IN SAN GABRIEL AREA OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Sacramento,
July 10, 2015 - The California Department of Food and Agriculture
(CDFA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have
confirmed detection of the citrus disease known as huanglongbing (HLB),
or citrus greening. The disease was detected in plant material taken
from a kumquat tree in a residential neighborhood in the San Gabriel
area of Los Angeles County.

This is the second time HLB has been detected in California. The first detection
occurred in 2012 in a residential citrus tree in Hacienda Heights, about 15 miles
from San Gabriel.

HLB is a bacterial disease that attacks the vascular system of plants. It
does not pose a threat to humans or animals. The Asian citrus psyllid
can spread the bacteria as the pest feeds on citrus trees and other
plants. Once a tree is infected, there is no cure; it typically declines
and dies within a few years.

“Citrus is a cherished part of our landscape and our shared history, as well as
a major agricultural crop,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “CDFA is
moving quickly to protect the state’s citrus. We have been planning and
preparing for HLB detections with our growers and our colleagues at the
federal and local levels since before the Asian citrus psyllid was first
detected here in 2008.”

A CDFA crew has removed and disposed of the infected tree and is
preparing to conduct treatment of citrus trees for Asian citrus psyllid
infestation within 800 meters of the find site. By taking these steps, a
critical reservoir of disease and its vectors will be removed, which is
essential.

An intensive survey of local citrus trees and psyllids is underway to
determine if HLB exists anywhere else in the area. Planning has begun
for a quarantine of the area to limit the spread of the disease by
restricting the movement of citrus trees, citrus plant parts, green
waste, and all citrus fruit except what is commercially cleaned and
packed. As part of the quarantine, citrus and closely related plants at
nurseries in the area will be placed on hold.

Residents of quarantine areas are urged not to remove or share citrus fruit,
trees, clippings/grafts or related plant material. Citrus fruit may be
harvested and consumed on-site.

CDFA, in partnership with the USDA, local agricultural commissioners and the
citrus industry, continues to pursue a strategy of controlling the
spread of Asian citrus psyllids while researchers work to find a cure
for the disease.

HLB is known to be present in Mexico and in parts of the southern U.S.
Florida first detected the pest in 1998 and the disease in 2005, and the
two have now been detected in all 30 citrus-producing counties in that
state. The University of Florida estimates that the disease causes an
average loss of 7,513 jobs per year, and has cost growers $2.994 billion
in lost revenue since HLB was first detected in that state in 2006. HLB
has also been detected in Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas
as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A total of 15 states
or territories are under full or partial quarantine due to the detected
presence of the Asian citrus psyllid: Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona,
California, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the
U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Asian citrus psyllid was first detected in California in 2008, and
quarantines are now in place in 17 California counties. If Californians
have questions about the ACP or HLB, they may call CDFA’s toll-free pest
hotline at 1-800-491-1899 or visit: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/acp/

#2

Please see prior post: Huanglongbing (citrus greening) detected in the San Gabriel area of Los Angeles County

#3

Patty, this presents an opportunity to choose which of your recently granted powers to merge or delete threads you’d like to try out. :wink:

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#4

As was mentioned in the other thread, I think it’s only a matter of time before citrus greening is throughout CA. Not trying to be a doomsayer but I think plum pox will also eventually make it’s way back in the U.S. to decimate the stone fruit industry.

It’s unfortunate, but one of the consequences of global travel/shipping is that eventually all pests will be everywhere, including pests/diseases which affect people. Pests/diseases can now move at the speed of a jet. Some pests are spread through shipping (as was the case of bubonic plague in the dark ages) but sadly many invasive pests are spread through the ignorance of people bringing plant materials or animals into their countries.

Here is another invasive pest which was just discovered in FL.

#5

That is a truly scary thought.

That worm you linked is going to proliferate like mad. Hermaphroditic and the only place it doesn’t seem to thrive is desert? Yeah.

#6

I think we will all be drinking GMO OJ in 10 years, which I am all for if it can save one of Americas oldest and richest agricultural institutions (citrus growers).

#7

One of my colleagues is an APHIS inspector for southern CA. He tells me that both cases of HLB involve persons knowingly circumventing import regulations.

#8

Thanks, Richard, was waiting for my sources to get back to me about this. I suspected this was again, an infected graft or smuggled tree. Sadly, Olpea, in the first instance, the man that grafted his neighbor’s pummelo tree brought back the scionwood from China. He is a very experienced gardener, and knew the risks, but took them, anyway. Not sure how much trouble he got himself in, but it could have been pretty significant. I was really hoping this also was the case with the infected kumquat tree, and sounds like it was. The fear we all have here in CA now, is whether or not an ACP made it to this tree to feed, thus picking up HLB, and now having the ability to start to spread the disease. I hope and pray that some of the very good research going on right now will provide some treatments or cures here very soon, and are available to us hobbyist growers. It is very, very close right now. I would say we should see at least 2 to 3 options made available to all of us within the next 3 years. Trying to hold out until then.

#9

A little more info about the 2nd HLB discovery from another forum: One of that forum’s members attended the CDFA HLB open house meeting held in San Gabriel last night, and heard more devastating news. The CDFA had to take down a second tree today, from the property next door to the first one. The first was a kumquat and yesterday a lime tree was removed. Neither one showed any signs of grafting. They are spraying in the 800 meter area, and will step up the random
inspection. So, sounds like this 2nd discovery may possibly have been a spread of HLB from the 1st tree found in 2012, as these two discoveries are only about 10-15 miles apart. Very devastating news for us here in California. We all will need to treat our trees and be very vigilant. Sadly, by the time you see symptoms, your tree has been infected for some time, and had the ability to spread HLB during that entire time.

#10

Not good at all :cry:

I guess every nursery is gonna start spraying neonicotinoids not just the big box stores!

#11

Ouch. Not good.

#12

More updates about HLB in the San Gabriel area, more infected trees found, the HLB quarantine area has been expanded:

   QUARANTINE FOR HUANGLONGBING DECLARED IN SAN GABRIEL, LOS ANGELES COUNTY 
  
  
   
    SACRAMENTO,

July 22, 2015 – An 87-square mile quarantine in the San Gabriel area of
Los Angeles County has been added to the existing huanglongbing (HLB)
quarantine in the Hacienda Heights-area following the detection of the
citrus disease huanglongbing, or citrus greening.
Additional information, including a map of the quarantine zone, is available at www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/acp.
The quarantine boundaries are: on the north, E. Orange Grove Boulevard;
on the east, N. Lemon Avenue; on the west, Griffin Avenue; and on the
south W. La Habra Boulevard.
This
area is part of a much larger quarantine already in place for the Asian
citrus psyllid, the pest that spreads bacteria causing huanglongbing.
The new quarantine will prohibit the movement of all nursery stock out
of the area, while maintaining existing provisions allowing the movement
of only commercially cleaned and packed citrus fruit. Any fruit that is
not commercially cleaned and packed, including residential citrus, must
not be removed from the property on which it is grown, although it may
be processed and/or consumed on the premises.
“The
success of any quarantine depends on cooperation from those affected,”
said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “The stakes couldn’t be higher for
California citrus. We urge residents in the San Gabriel-area to do all
they can to comply.”
CDFA,
the USDA and the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner’s
continue their work to investigate the source of the disease, to survey
and test for it throughout the Los Angeles Basin, and to continue with
ground treatment of citrus trees within 800 meters of the find sites –
which began earlier this week. In the long term, the strategy is to
control the spread of Asian citrus psyllids while researchers work to
find a cure for the disease.
Huanglongbing
has been confirmed four times in San Gabriel, in a kumquat tree on a
residential property, in a lime tree on an adjacent residential
property, and in calamondin and mandarin trees on residential properties
in close proximity to the original find. The disease is bacterial and
attacks the vascular system of plants. It does not pose a threat to
humans or animals. The Asian citrus psyllid can spread the bacteria as
the pest feeds on citrus trees and other related plants. Once a tree is
infected, there is no cure; it typically declines and dies within a few
years.
Huanglongbing
is known to be present in Mexico and in parts of the southern U.S.
Florida first detected the disease in 2005, and the University of
Florida estimates that the disease causes an average loss of 7,513 jobs
per year, and has cost growers $2.994 billion in lost revenue since
then. Huanglongbing has also been detected in Georgia, Louisiana, South
Carolina and Texas as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
A
total of 15 states or territories are under full or partial quarantine
due to the presence of the Asian citrus psyllid: Alabama, American
Samoa, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, South Carolina,
Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The
Asian citrus psyllid was first detected in California in 2008 and
quarantines for the pest are now in place in 17 California counties. If
Californians believe they have seen evidence of huanglongbing in local
citrus trees, they are asked to please call CDFA’s toll-free pest
hotline at 1-800-491-1899. For more information on the Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing, please visit: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/acp/
Contact:
Steve Lyle
Director of Public Affairs
California Department of Food and Agriculture
916-654-0462

#13

Patty,

This is more awful news. I think everyone knew HLB would eventually reach the CA citrus industry, but it’s still a terrible shame now that it has happened.

The quarantine and eventual lost jobs and hardship on those who depend on the citrus industry for their livelihood, what a mess. Not to mention how it will affect the orange juice supply (my favorite morning beverage).

Thanks for all the updates about this citrus plague.

#14

There have been small advances in, hold your breath, GMO oranges, where they are taking genes from spinach plants, which are immune to the bacteria and splicing them into the Orange genes, my guess we are still 15-25 years off, but it is a promising start.

#15

Moley, there are even better research options going on for us hobbyists, as well. GMO cultivars will be very limited in number of cultivars, and also limited (at first) to commercial growers. So, hoping some of the other treatments make it to market very soon!!

#16

Do you have more info, Patty?

#17

I do, I’ll share after work :slight_smile:

1 Like
#18

Bleedingdirt, here are the two most promising research options that are on the horizon, and would be the most desirable option for us home growers:

1 Like
#19

I don’t see a pesticide as being the cure. That sounds more like a band aid to me. It’s possible but I’d have more faith in GMO to develop a tree that’s immune to the bacteria. I know some people are scared of GMO but to me it sounds better than the systemic insecticides used now on all citrus infected and not.

#20

fruitnut, the first link is a “treatment” - a zinc-based bacteriacide (the link title doesn’t match the article title - poor journalism). The second is also listed as a “treatment”, not cure. It is actually a gout drug used in humans. Both kill the HLB organism. So, it could treat our existing trees. I have over 80 different varieties and over 100 citrus trees. I could never afford at this point to replace all my trees. And, I know we’ll never see in my lifetime, all of these cultivars recreated as GMO cultivars. So, for home growers, a treatment will be the best we can hope for, realistically. This isn’t just my opinion, but the opinion of Dr. Alan Dobbs, Professor Emeritus, UCR, whose grad students are the main researchers for HLB, one being Dr. Erik Mirkov at Texas A&M University, who is the researcher who discovered the spinach gene GMO option:

Dr. Dobbs and many others in the research environment and citrus industry have said that no doubt, it will be a combination of things that will either control or eradicate HLB, including predator insects, modified ACP that will breed with existing ACP causing sterile offspring, resistant/immune cultivars and viable treatment options.

1 Like