The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently urged all citrus industry members to be extra vigilant in their Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) mitigation steps and adherence to regulatory practices. The request is in response to ACP detections in the Central Valley over the last few weeks. ACP is the vector of HLB disease.
Multiple ACP were detected on traps at a packinghouse in the Woodlake area of Tulare County. Upon confirmation, visual delimitation surveys began the following day. Live adults or nymphs were found and collected at two more adjacent properties, including an abandoned parcel with citrus host plants.
CDFA is working closely with the packinghouse to ensure regulatory compliance. Treatment of host plants on residential properties within 400 meters of the detection will be conducted by CDFA once all necessary notifications, emergency proclamations and public meetings have been held. Commercial citrus operations within 800 meters of the detections will be asked to conduct treatments as well.
Additionally, one ACP was recently detected on a trap at a juice plant in Visalia. Following completion of the visual delimitation survey of the find site and adjacent properties, there were no additional finds.
In Kern County, three ACP trap detections were identified, one in the city, and two in rural residential locations in Southwest Bakersfield. These are the first ACP detections found in Kern County since November 2021.
CDFA teams have begun delimitation surveys. Treatments will be conducted on residential properties with host plants within a 50-meter area around the detections once proper notifications, emergency proclamations and public meetings have been held. There are no commercial operations for several miles around the Kern County detections.
Growers who suspect ACP or HLB in their orchards should notify the CDFA Pest Hotline at 800-491-1899. Questions may be emailed to Kern County Grower Liaison Judy Zaninovich, Northern Tulare County Grower Liaison Teri Blaser or Southern Tulare County Grower Liaison Jessica Leslie.
Source: California Department of Food and Agriculture
Share this Post
Sponsored Content