From the UC Blogosphere...

Dinuba Asian citrus psyllids the most ever found in the Valley

More than 100 Asian citrus psyllids were found on three backyard orange trees east of Dinuba, reported Robert Rodriguez in the Fresno Bee. The homeowner told officials the trees were planted in April 2012 and were acquired from a private party, not a nursery.

"It was incredible," said Fresno County entomologist Gene Hannon. "There were easily a dozen on just one small leaf."

Previous finds in the Valley numbered from one to three on yellow sticky traps in the Tulare County communities of Lindsay, Strathmore and Terra Bella.

Beth Grafton-Cardwell, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Entomology at UC Riverside, said the number of psyllids in Dinuba means there is a reproducing population.

"And when that happens, we are off and running to getting an established population in the San Joaquin Valley," she said.

Grafton-Cardwell has worked with a team of UC researchers to provide detailed and scientifically sound guidelines for treating farm- and home-grown citrus infested with Asian citrus psyllid on a new UC Cooperative Extension website, http://ucanr.edu/sites/acp.

The website advises farmers and homeowners to regularly conduct visual surveys for Asian citrus psyllid and tap sample (see video) trees in their orchards.

 

Repost: Asian Citrus Psyllid in Dinuba residential neighborhood

This is a repost from the Citrus Bugs blog and was written by Beth Grafton-Cardwell.

Following finds of several adults in yellow sticky cards in a residential area of Dinuba, young trees infested with all stages of psyllids were discovered nearby.  The fact that all stages were found and the trees were young, suggests that the trees could have been infested when they were planted and the trees possibly came from outside the San Joaquin Valley or the infestation got started near these young trees a while ago (this is being investigated).  This situation points out the need to educate everyone that they must never move plant material from ACP-infested areas that are under quarantine to areas such as the San Joaquin Valley where the pest has not yet established. Treatments of residences and commercial orchards in the area of the Dinuba finds have been initiated.   See www.ucanr.edu/sites/acp for more information on where psyllids are found statewide and what to do to manage ACP from the grower and homeowner perspective.

Press Release from Tulare County Ag Commissioners office

NEW TULARE COUNTY ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID DETECTIONS IN DINUBA

TULARE, September 11, 2013 – The Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner, in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture are conducting an extensive survey and treatment program in response to new detections of Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) within the City of Dinuba in Tulare County.

Numerous ACP adults and nymphs (young ACPs) have been confirmed in the area.  Treatment has begun and will be carried out on all citrus plants within 800 meters surrounding the site where the insects were trapped.  Residents in the treatment area will be notified in advance.

The ACP is an invasive species of grave concern because it can carry the disease huanglongbing (HLB).  All citrus and closely related species are susceptible hosts for both the insect and the disease.  There is no cure once a tree becomes infected.  The diseased tree will decline in health and produce bitter, misshaped fruit until it dies.   To date, HLB has only been detected on one property in the Hacienda Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles County.

“We want to emphasize citrus fruit is safe to eat and the disease is not harmful to human health,” said Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner Marilyn Kinoshita. “The Asian citrus psyllid is another example of the many invasive species that enter our state every year.”

Residents in the area who think they may have seen the pest are urged to call the Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899 or the Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner.  For more information on the Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing disease visit: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/acp/.

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Apiculturist Dewey Caron at a Western Apicultural Society meeting. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Apiculturist Dewey Caron at a Western Apicultural Society meeting. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Citrus Trees in Residential Dinuba infested with Asian Citrus Psyllid

Following finds of several adults in yellow sticky cards in a residential area of Dinuba, young trees infested with all stages of psyllids were discovered nearby.  The fact that all stages were found and the trees were young, suggests that the trees could have been infested when they were planted and the trees possibly came from outside the San Joaquin Valley or the infestation got started near these young trees a while ago (this is being investigated).  This situation points out the need to educate everyone that they must never move plant material from ACP-infested areas that are under quarantine to areas such as the San Joaquin Valley where the pest has not yet established. Treatments of residences and commercial orchards in the area of the Dinuba finds have been initiated.   See www.ucanr.edu/sites/acp for more information on where psyllids are found statewide and what to do to manage ACP from the grower and homeowner perspective.

Press Release from Tulare County Ag Commissioners office

NEW TULARE COUNTY ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID DETECTIONS IN DINUBA

TULARE, September 11, 2013 – The Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner, in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture are conducting an extensive survey and treatment program in response to new detections of Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) within the City of Dinuba in Tulare County.

Numerous ACP adults and nymphs (young ACPs) have been confirmed in the area.  Treatment has begun and will be carried out on all citrus plants within 800 meters surrounding the site where the insects were trapped.  Residents in the treatment area will be notified in advance.

The ACP is an invasive species of grave concern because it can carry the disease huanglongbing (HLB).  All citrus and closely related species are susceptible hosts for both the insect and the disease.  There is no cure once a tree becomes infected.  The diseased tree will decline in health and produce bitter, misshaped fruit until it dies.   To date, HLB has only been detected on one property in the Hacienda Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles County.

“We want to emphasize citrus fruit is safe to eat and the disease is not harmful to human health,” said Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner Marilyn Kinoshita. “The Asian citrus psyllid is another example of the many invasive species that enter our state every year.”

Residents in the area who think they may have seen the pest are urged to call the Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899 or the Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner.  For more information on the Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing disease visit: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/acp/.

 

Numerous Asian citrus psyllids found in Dinuba

Numerous Asian citrus psyllids were found in east Dinuba and traced to recently planted backyard orange trees, according to reports in The Business Journal in Fresno and The Fresno Bee.

“This is very surprising and very disappointing,” said Joel Nelsen, president of California Citrus Mutual in Exeter.

This was the third ACP find in Tulare County this year. An Asian citrus psyllid was discovered in Wasco, Kern County, last week.

The Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner, CDFA and USDA are conducting an extensive survey and treatment program in response to the new detection of ACP in Dinuba, according to a press release. Beth Grafton-Cardwell, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Entomology at UC Riverside, wrote in her Citrus Bugs Blog that because all stages of the pest were found around the trees in Dinuba they were likely infested when they were planted.

"This situation points out the need to educate everyone that they must never move plant material from ACP-infested areas that are under quarantine to areas such as the San Joaquin Valley where the pest has not yet established," Grafton-Cardwell wrote.

Yesterday Valley Public Radio broadcast a 5-minute overview of Asian citrus psyllid with comments from Grafton-Cardwell.

"This is not just a commercial problem, but a homeowner problem because 60 percent of Californians have at least one citrus tree in their yard," Grafton-Cardwell said.

California Assemblyman Jim Patterson hosted an Asian citrus psyllid townhall meeting in Fresno in August. At the event, Grafton-Caldwell said it is vital to slow the spread of psyllid to new areas.

Along with conventional pesticide sprays, organic products have been tried to prevent spread of Asian citrus psyllid. However, the usefulness of the methods has come into question.

“We struggle with organics,” Grafton-Caldwell said, regarding organic sprays and powders. “They are short-lived and have to make direct contact with the psyllid. They are only good for hours or days and not for months.”

Information on monitoring for and treating Asian citrus psyllid and the disease it spreads is available online.

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