Californians Cautioned Against Spreading Deadly Citrus Pest and Disease as Summer Travel Rebounds
Residents Should Avoid Moving Homegrown Citrus Fruit and Plant Material When Traveling
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SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ As COVID-19 restrictions ease, summer travel is expected to increase, and California agricultural officials are cautioning Californians on what
not to pack for their trips – homegrown citrus fruit and plant material.
Traveling with citrus fruit or plant material can unknowingly spread a dangerous pest – the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) – and a deadly plant disease it can carry – Huanglongbing (HLB).
According to AAA Travel, more than 37 million Americans will begin their summer travels on Memorial Day weekend this year – a 60% increase from 2020. While most travelers are mindful to take extra care of their personal health while traveling during the pandemic, officials are urging Ca
SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ As COVID-19 restrictions ease, summer travel is expected to increase, and California agricultural officials are cautioning Californians on what not to pack for their trips – homegrown citrus fruit and plant material.
Traveling with citrus fruit or plant material can unknowingly spread a dangerous pest – the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) – and a deadly plant disease it can carry – Huanglongbing (HLB).
According to AAA Travel, more than 37 million Americans will begin their summer travels on Memorial Day weekend this year – a 60% increase from 2020.
While most travelers are mindful to take extra care of their personal health while traveling during the pandemic, officials are urging Californians to also be mindful of the health of California’s citrus trees by obeying plant quarantine restrictions and taking extra precaution when gifting citrus fruit from backyard trees.
Citrus Growers May Soon Have a New Way to Fight Back Against A Deadly Enemy
Citrus greening has decimated Florida’s industry and the infection is spreading in California. But a novel treatment, still in the testing phase, may suppress the disease and give trees immunity.
March 1, 2021
Steve Lyle, left, and Ignacio Valazquez with the California Dept. of Food & Agruculture examine insects stuck to a cardboard trap just removed from a citrus tree in a residential Los Angeles garden. They are most interested in catching 1/8th inch long psyllids to determine if any are infected with citrus greening disease. Credit: Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images