asian citrus pest alert in Los Angeles

14 years ago

I just read this on a local news website.

State Department of Food and Agriculture officials said Wednesday an Asian citrus psyllid was trapped in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

It's my understanding it hasn't been found north of Orange county, so just beware what and where you are buying.

They are going to quarantine the area.

This is just another reminder not to buy out of state or bring anything in.

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Comments (8)

sunnyca_gw
14 years ago
My understanding of this bug is that it can kill the trees. Sounds really nasty but I haven't seen pic of it yet!! Hope in doesn't get in Valley, my orange tree shades the back part of house, it was so hot before I put it in back there.
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
14 years ago
The commercial growers are going to be looking for this pest. The biggest threat is all the citrus grown in the back yards where it will establish and multiply. Most growers of home grown citrus pay no attention to whats going on in their trees until they are virtually dead. Al
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Ryan, spraying will only help to control the ACP. And yes, as I mentioned in my previous post, the problem with HLB is the 2 year period from infection to symptom display. By then, any psyllid that visits that tree can become a vector and spread it to the next tree. However, spraying for right now is the only control method I am aware of. And, what Florida did NOT do, was develop a backyard control program. This was one of the "lessons learned", and in retrospect, the folks in Florida felt if there had been more controls or spraying programs in backyards, the commercial growers may not have suffered such devastating losses. It may not be PC, but if it takes aerial spraying to help control the spread in backyards, it will be done. There is just too much money at stake in the California commercial citrus industry to have happen here, what happened in Florida. I will be sitting on a panel tomorrow evening at my local CRFG chapter meeting along with Dr. Allan Dodds, Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside. Dr. Dodds will be addressing the recent discovery of HLB in California, and what measures backyard citrus growers can do to help protect their citrus. I do not believe the CDFA have any guidelines posted as of yet, for backyard citrus growers, but no doubt they are being formulated and will be published very shortly. I can share suggestions from Dr. Dodds as to what we can do to help protect our own citrus. I think the very frustrating part for me as a nurse, is that researchers have not been able to find a cure for the disease, itself, after all these years. It must be very frustrating for the researchers. Patty S.
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Well, it entirely depends upon what state you're coming into, Andrew. I can tell you that you'll not be able to do that if you try to come into California. California has a climate that allows tropicals and other fruits to grow all year 'round. I can tell you that when we moved back to California from Maryland, I was warned on several occasions by move moving company, to get my plants inspected by the USDA when I got back. That they had to declare I had houseplants and that was the one question the USDA asked me when I called to set up an inspection, "Did you bring in any citrus or citrus relatives?" I told them no I hadn't, which was the truth. I told them exactly what cultivars I had brought in. They told me they didn't need to inspect. But if I had NOT called, I was told by the moving company I could expect a nasty visit by a USDA or CDFA official. So, it definitely depends on what state. California has billions of dollars worth of commercial citrus at stake. They are much stricter. As are all the other citrus states. And, the only way HLB could affect any of your other indoor trees was if you also transported the vector - the Asian Citrus Psyllid, which is how infected trees spread the disease. It must have a vector to spread the disease from tree to tree. Could it happen? Theoretically, yes. Would it be likely? Probably not. Your environment would not support a lifecycle. Patty S.
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The plan has moved far beyond monitoring, ground spraying is already underway in Hacienda Heights, Topanga and Sunland, using Tempo SC Ultra (containing cyfluthrin)and Merit 2F or CoreTect (containing imidacloprid). Nearly 100 sq miles of LA has already been sprayed In his March 30, 20111 decree, the head of the CA dept of Food and Ag has stated, "...Based upon input from my professional staff, including memorandums from the Primary State Entomologist and Primary State Plant Pathologist, and the input of experts familiar with HLB and ACP, I have concluded that there are no biological, or cultural controls that are effective to eradicate HLB-infected ACP and HLB that allow CDFA tomeet its statutory obligations. To eradicate these pests from this area, I am ordering ground applications of pesticides be made to all ACP hosts within an 800-meter radius around the detection site and the removal of all HLB-infected trees. If additional HLB-infected ACP and/or HLB are detected in the survey area, the treatment area may expand to an 800-meter radius around any additional infested properties." CDFA appears to have no plans for aerial spraying, at the moment. Here is a link that might be useful: CDFA on HLB
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Organocide is basically a specialized horticultural oil product but does not have the natural chemistry that Neem has. It offers no anti-feedant qualities nor the growth regulator activities that neem does. An oil product such as this could be used for all of the purposes we count on oils for, but not to prevent the feeding activity of visiting insects. Short answer: No...won't do the same job. There are many brands of horticultural Neem on the market. Look for something like Dyna Gro, which is a 100% pure cold pressed neem product. Just follow the directions for mixing (with water and a bit of liquid soap as an emulsifier). Honestly, there are many, many brands of horticultural neem. Some will be 70% active ingredient, and will include the emulsifier and other insert ingredients. I like to use my own emulsifier (organic liquid Castile soap with no added fragrances or anything else). I can make a solid recommendation for the soap...I'm pretty picky about that, lol. I use Green Mountain Liquid soap. Watch out for added ingredients like pyrethrins. I've seen combination products on the market. As always, when using ANY kind of product, be sure to read and understand the label. (This is true with every kind of household product, right?) Though horticultural oils are generally very safe to use, they come with important warnings. The label will carefully explain how to mix and apply your oils. It will give you warnings about temperature and sunlight. It will list some of the plants on which you should not use an oil product. The label will also list the types of pests and diseases that you can expect to get some control over by using the product according to the directions.
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gobluedjm 9/18 CA
Original Author
14 years ago
Calistoga, that is my concern is the commercial growers. But you are right about the home grown and that is why I posted this.
The link below has more information and thanks to trained canines the pest was found at a Fedex facility in Fresno.

Here is a link that might be useful: cdfa link for asian pest
Central_Cali369
14 years ago
Yeah, let's hope the bug doesn't carry the deadly cirtus greening disease with it. It would be devastating for citrus farmers in the valley. And not to mention really saddening for home growers. My trees are just becoming established enough to bear their first heavy crops.
californian
14 years ago
There is a rather scary article about the Asian citrus psyllid starting on the front page of today's Orange County Register. It says its not so much the psyllid but the huanglongbing bacteria it can transmit on its mouthparts, which causes citrus greening disease, for which there is no cure, and the author says the citrus industry in Florida and Brazil will probably be completely wiped out, and if it spreads to California here too.
theonebluegecko
14 years ago
I have a relative who works for Sunkist. Their through really is more of a when it hits California's orange groves, not an if it hits them. It's really a hopeless situation because you have so many uninformed or just apathetic people who bring in citrus plants from out of the area and spread disease.
dicot
14 years ago
Oh, c'mon. Is it really fair to say individuals are the main cause when free trade agreements have been like an express train for new pests/diseases? I'd blame NAFTA and the big importers for the phytosanitary issues over apathetic people.
socks
14 years ago
It's so unfortunate. I read that Florida has suffered major losses because of citrus greening. Ojai, Santa Paula, Fillmore area growers must be very, very concerned.

asian citrus pest alert in Los Angeles

Comments (8)

sunnyca_gw

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9

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gobluedjm 9/18 CA
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Central_Cali369

californian

theonebluegecko

dicot

socks

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asian citrus pest alert in Los Angeles

Comments (8)

sunnyca_gw

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9

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gobluedjm 9/18 CAOriginal Author

Central_Cali369

californian

theonebluegecko

dicot

socks

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gobluedjm 9/18 CA
Original Author