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As post-pandemic travel ramps up this summer, the California Department of Food and Agriculture is urging people to leave their home-grown citrus fruit at home.
Traveling with citrus fruit or plant material can unknowingly spread the Asian citrus psyllid, which can carry the deadly tree disease huanglongbing, the agency advised on its Planting Seeds blog. California s $3.4 billion citrus industry has so far avoided HLB infections in commercial groves.
“The best way to stop the spread of the disease is to stop the spread of the pest, which is why we urge residents not to transport their backyard citrus into and out of quarantine zones, bordering counties, state lines or international borders,” said Victoria Hornbaker, director of the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division at the California Department of Food and Agriculture. “Community support is critical to saving California citrus and residents must work together to ensur
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.
Huanglongbing detected in Long Beach
An insect that has devastated citrus groves in parts of Florida, California and Texas was recently found on a tree in Long Beach. The Asian citrus psyllid is an invasive insect that causes an incurable plant disease called Huanglongbing. Through this disease, the insect can devastate citrus crops, which are a $3.4 billion industry in California, according to the state Department of Food and Agriculture.
The Asian citrus psyllid
was first spotted in Southern California in 2008, near the Mexican border, and it made its way to the Los Angeles basin four years later. The state responded by issuing a quarantine for portions of L.A., Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, meaning no fruit, limbs or leaves from a citrus tree could be taken out of or into the designated areas, said Victoria Hornbaker, director of the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division for the Food and Agriculture Department.