When most people think of citrus, they think of Florida. But did you know that California is the second top producer of citrus in the United States? And the top producer of citrus table fruit, the fresh oranges, lemons, grapefruit and limes you see in stores (not in juice cartons)? Citrus trees dot the state, from orchards of thousands to backyard trees providing fresh produce to home owners.
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HungryPests BlogJune 29th, 2010 |
 Author: Helene Wright, California State Plant Health Director, USDA-APHIS | Tags: Asian citrus psyllid, California, California citrus, Huanglongbing (HLB), Invasive Pests | Category: Asian citrus psyllid, California Agriculture | One comment The spread of Asian Citrus Psyllid into California and the threat of citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing or HLB) becoming established here has been all over the news recently. It’s an important issue and one that we are closely following. Sometimes there are interesting articles out there about this and other invasive pest topics, with new or different perspectives, that we would like to share with our audience. When we see those items online, we’ll provide excerpts of the article or blog post along with our perspective. One of those excerpts is below, on Asian Citrus Psyllid. Read on… January 21st, 2010 |
Author: Ted Batkin, California Citrus Research Board President | Tags: Asian citrus psyllid, California citrus | Category: Asian citrus psyllid | Leave a comment
You may have heard the news that a tiny insect, about the size of an aphid, has arrived in southern California and has the potential to cause great harm to the citrus industry. The Asian citrus psyllid lives on young leaves of all types of citrus (lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit) and closely related plants such as kumquat, Indian curry leaves and an ornamental plant called mock orange. When it feeds, the psyllid injects a toxin that causes the new leaves to twist and curl or fall off completely. October 14th, 2009 |
Author: Dr. Beth Grafton-Cardwell, Research Entomologist, UC-Riverside | Tags: Asian citrus psyllid, California citrus, Huanglongbing (HLB) | Category: Asian citrus psyllid | 5 comments  Asian Citrus Psyllid One of the greatest fears of California’s citrus industry came true this month: an Asian citrus psyllid carrying Huanglongbing disease (HLB) was found in the state. This tiny insect has been found in California before, but never before has a psyllid been found with HLB. In fact, HLB has never before been found on the west side of the Rocky Mountains! HLB has devastated citrus crops in Florida and Brazil and has the potential to devastate California’s citrus industry, worth more than $1 billion annually, as well. August 21st, 2009 |
Author: Helene Wright, California State Plant Health Director, USDA - APHIS | Tags: Asian citrus psyllid, Pest detection | Category: Asian citrus psyllid | 4 comments Pest detection and management is an ongoing and extremely important area of agriculture. San Diego County has a robust agricultural industry—which means we are also faced with an ongoing battle to manage agricultural pests. Everything from Asian citrus psyllid to the Diaprepes root weevil to the Mediterranean fruit fly, or Medfly, has been found in our area and could greatly damage our agriculture and backyard crops. For example, some areas of the County are currently under Medfly quarantine. After several years of no Medfly problems, we’re experiencing the second outbreak this year. Both Spring Valley and Mira Mesa, near the Mira Mar Marine Corps base featured in “Top Gun,” are quarantined. Medflies were found in backyard trees through the ongoing fruit fly detection program conducted by the County with federal and state funding. July 30th, 2009 |
Author: Robert Atkins, Agricultural Commissioner, San Diego County | Tags: Asian citrus psyllid, Diaprepes root weevil, invasive pest, Mediterranean fruit fly, Pest detection | Category: Invasive Pests, Pest Management | One comment |
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