Citrus Crisis Alert In Florida.

15 years ago

I have read about the Citrus Crisis Alert, am aware of the symptoms. All my citrus trees look healthy.

Has any one seen any damage to your trees?

Any new news concerning the crisis?

The bee crisis has been problematic to my bee colony.

Now this other crisis is giving me a headache.

I love my citrus. They give me so much pleasure.

Both lemon trees have lemons that are ripe but one tree

has way over a hundred yellow as big as small grapefruit,

lemons. The pink grapefruit tree is loaded. Not as

many as last year but they are bigger. The tree itself is getting bigger,so healthy. Tangerine tree is growing so much. The crop has not been as much as last year.

The three orange trees are growing nicely and healthy

but no fruit yet. Just blooms at it's season.

I would really be devastated if I lose them. I will do

what the experts advises.

Felix

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Comments (14)

treefrog_fl
15 years ago
Which crisis, Felix?
The citrus greening that's been coming on lately?
Or the canker that's been here for a long time now?
Or something new I'm not aware of?
My trees are just now giving me some fruit four years after several hurricanes devastated them. Two did not survive.
I wish I had advice.
garyfla_gw
15 years ago
Hi
Was just thinking about posting on the subject. Have been thinking of putting in some new Citrus. My old ones were removed by the state in the last crisis lol.
Maybe a bad idea?? gary
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this contains a pretty comprehensive list of the host plants with a lot more info on the little bug: PEST PROFILE Common Name: Asian Citrus Psyllid Scientific Name: Diaphorina citri Kuwayama Order and Family: Hemiptera, Psyllidae Description: The Asian citrus psyllid is 3 to 4 mm long with a brown mottled body. The head is light brown. The wings are broadest in the apical half, mottled, and with a dark brown band extending around the periphery of the outer half of the wing. The insect is covered with a whitish waxy secretion, making it appear dusty. Nymphs are generally yellowish orange in color, with large filaments confined to an apical plate of the abdomen. The eggs are approximately 0.3 mm long, elongate, almond-shaped. Fresh eggs are pale in color, but then turn yellow and finally orange at the time of hatching. Eggs are placed on plant tissue with the long axis vertical to the surface of the plant. History and Economic Importance: Asian citrus psyllid was first found in Palm Beach County, Florida, in June 1998 in backyard plantings of orange jasmine. By 2001, it had spread to 31 counties in Florida, with much of the spread due to movement of infested nursery plants. In the spring of 2001, Asian citrus psyllid was accidentally introduced into the Rio Grande Valley on potted nursery stock from Florida. It was subsequently found in Hawaii in 2006 and in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina in 2008. The Asian citrus psyllid has the potential to invade California at any time, with the most likely sources of infestation being Mexico, other infested U.S. states, or Asia. There were 170 interceptions of Asian citrus psyllid at US ports on plant material with an Asian origin from 1985 to 2003. Distribution: The Asian citrus psyllid is found in tropical and subtropical Asia, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Reunion, Mauritius, parts of South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the U.S. (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas). Life Cycle: Eggs are laid on tips of growing shoots, on and between unfurling leaves. Females may lay more than 800 eggs during their lives. Nymphs pass through five instars. The total life cycle requires from 15 to 47 days, depending on environmental factors such as temperature and season. The adults may live for several months. There is no diapause but populations are low in the winter or during dry periods. There are nine to 10 generations a year, with up to 16 observed under observation in field cages. Host and Damage: The Asian citrus psyllid feeds mainly on Citrus spp., at least two species of Murraya , and at least three other genera all in the family Rutaceae. The most serious damage caused by Asian citrus psyllid is due to its ability to effectively vector the phloem-inhabiting bacterium Candidatus liberibacterasiaticus that causes citrus greening disease. In the past, this bacterium has been extremely hard to detect and characterize. In recent years, however, DNA probes, electron microscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests (ELISA) have been developed that have improved detection. Symptoms of citrus greening include yellow shoots, with mottling and chlorosis of the leaves. The juice of the infected fruit has a bitter taste. Fruit do not color properly leading to the name "greening". Citrus greening is one of the most devastating diseases of citrus in the world. Injury caused by psyllids results from the withdrawal of large amounts of sap from the plant as they feed and produce copious amounts of honeydew. The honeydew coats the leaves of the tree, encouraging sooty mold to grow. The once flourishing citrus industry in India is slowly being wiped out by dieback. This dieback has multiple causes but the major cause is due to greening disease. Partial Host List COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Bael fruit Aegle marmelos Chevaliers aeglopsis Aeglopsis chevalieri Afraegle gabonensis Afraegle paniculata Atalantia spp. Uganda powder flask Balsamocitrus dawei Curry leaf Bergera koenigii Cape chestnut Calodendrum capense Calamondin Citrofortunella microcarpa Citrange Citroncircus webberi African cherry orange Citropsis schweinfurthii Citrus Citrus spp. Clausena anisum-olens Pink wampee Clausena excavata Clausena Clausena indica Wampee Clausina lansium Desert lime Eremocitrus glauca Eremocitrus hybrid Kumquat Fortunella spp. Wood apple Limonia acidissima Merrillia caloxylon Finger lime Microcitrus australasica Round lime Microcitrus australis Microcitrus papuana Microcitronella sydney. Mock orange Murraya spp. Naringi crenulata Pamburus missionis Trifoliate orange Poncirus trifoliata Chinese box orange Severinia buxifolia Tabog Swinglea glutinosa Orange climber plant Toddalia asiatica Toddalia Toddalia lanceolata Triphasia trifolia White ironwood Vepris lanceolata Xanthoxylum fagara
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happy_fl_gardener; 9a, near DeLand
15 years ago
Felix---No one in the Tropical Fruit Club has mentioned any new alert, but I will ask on Monday when I go to the next meeting.

You mentioned that you have a bee colony. I was supposed to go to a bee class today, but the "teacher" got sick and it had to be canceled. Needless to say, I am very disappointed. I want to have bees so I can get my own pollen to treat my allergies. The honey would be quite a treat to have too. What advice would you have for me?

Christine
whgille
15 years ago
Felix

We had wonderful citrus in Arizona, so when we moved to Florida we tried to recreate what we had. The first thing they told us at the nursery was about the greening and that all the citrus they sell had to be inspected.
Recently we went on a trip to a nursery in Tallahassee and they had their citrus growing in a closed greenhouse that resembled a Science Fiction movie.

I would keep my eye daily just like you an any citrus I have now or I acquire in the future. I only have a variegated lemon, calamondin and a key lime.

I think at this time the only solution the experts have is eradicate the tree. Hope they find a cure soon.

Willy
an_ill-mannered_ache
15 years ago
christine, bill & i have long planned a trip to see felix's bees...
gatormomx2
15 years ago
Try not to get too depressed when you read these links on Citrus Diseases .

Here is a link that might be useful: Citrus Diseases
countrynest
Original Author
15 years ago
The crisis I'm talking about is the greening bumps that
the department of agriculture have been advertising here in our Florida garden forum.
Christine check our archives on bees. We have discuss this
intensely. There is a place outside gainesville where I purchase everything I needed including the bees.
Michael,you are more then welcome to see my girls and any other friends on the forum. Like I said my bee population has depleted so much. It is weak and makes me sad for I love having them to study and the wax and honey is
a real bonus and I get to share with friends.
laura1
15 years ago
I threw caution to the wind and bought/planted a tangerine tree 4 or 5 months ago. I've also got a seedling key lime. The greening is bad not to mention all the other citrus problems. Sometimes you just have to live dangerously.
happy_fl_gardener; 9a, near DeLand
15 years ago
Felix---How do I find the bee archives? It would be too time consuming to read every heading dating back for months.

A couple of years ago a law was passed requiring all commercial citrus to be propagated in greenhouses to prevent the grafting farms from passing on the greening disease. Many of these complex greenhouses cost a million dollars, so watch out for a dramatic increase in citrus prices.

Greening is not a new problem. It has been around for a while. Unfortunately, it is still spreading. That's why the government shut down their sale of budwood to the general public. When I need budwood to graft onto my trees to make cocktail trees, I have to get it from friends.

I hope that none of us get these serious citrus diseases. I can't imagine not having my various varieties to enjoy.

Christine
solstice98
15 years ago
Thanks for bringing this up, Felix. I love my citrus trees too although I have far fewer than you. We survived the canker years and now there's this new crisis. I have a grapefruit and a lime that are doing very well. And a poor Meyer lemon that has been pitiful since we put it in 10 years ago. I think it's about to go but it's not from the greening. I've wondered if I would replace it...

Those of you who have not seen Felix's beautiful plantings and his bees really should go! He and his wife are wonderful hosts and will show you everything in the yard. It's all charming.

Kate
manature
15 years ago
Felix, I'm sorry to hear that your bees are still not thriving yet. I hope the hive conditions will improve over time. One of my favorite memories is of you showing Mark, Nicki and I your bees when we visited you the first time. That was SO interesting. I'm still longing to start a hive, but Mark isn't sure we should do it at this house. He doesn't want it in the front/side yard, and I don't want it in the backyard, for fear Potter and Maks will get into trouble. (They are nosy and bold!)

Felix, showing Mark (and Potter) his bees!

Good luck with your citrus, everyone! I only have the one small fruit cocktail in a container, but I'd hate to lose it, too. I have harvested two wonderful Meyer lemons and a few limequats and am looking forward to them getting bigger and producing more. A POX on citrus diseases!! (Can you wish a disease on a disease?)

Marcia
gatormomx2
15 years ago
I spoke with a local grower the other day . He used to contract out to have his grove picked each season . He regularly harvested 1600 bins of citrus fruit each year . The past three years his trees have been in decline due to the Tristeza virus disease . His harvest is now down to 75 bins or less . He no longer contracts the picking since it is so slim .
He and other growers have slowly been replanting using better root stock . His and other groves are on old sour orange stock - the most susceptible to CTV . Growers are very discouraged . It is so sad to watch your family owned groves slowly die off and be powerless to stop it . Many of the groves in this area are 25 to 50 years old and the most vulnerable .
I too must replace a few trees also in decline . Some will never recover from hurricane damage from 2004 . Another is in slow decline . These are orange and tangerine trees - also the most vulnerable to Tristeza disease .
Even though this is Florida , it is still extremely challenging to raise citrus and have picture perfect trees and fruit .
What to do ?
Either bite the bullet and grow and plant more citrus or switch to a different edible fruit tree . I choose to do both .
If you want to grow an easy tree - citrus is not it .
solstice98
15 years ago
"How do I find the bee archives? It would be too time consuming to read every heading dating back for months. "

In the search box, type in "bees" and you should get several interesting threads. Not all will pertain to what you want but many will.

Kate
happy_fl_gardener; 9a, near DeLand
15 years ago
Thanks Kate.

Marcia, thanks for showing Felix's beehives.

Citrus Crisis Alert In Florida.

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