ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID QUARANTINE IN SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

SACRAMENTO, October 28, 2014 – Two portions of San Joaquin County have been placed under quarantine for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) following the detections of one ACP within the City of Manteca and one ACP within the City of Lodi. The quarantine zone in Manteca measures 105-square miles and in Lodi it measures 95-square miles. A link to the quarantine maps may be found here: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/go/acp-qmaps

 

The quarantine prohibits the movement of citrus and curry tree nursery stock out of the quarantine area and requires that all citrus fruit be cleaned of leaves and stems prior to moving out of the quarantine area. An exception may be made for nursery stock and budwood grown in USDA-approved structures which are designed to keep ACP and other insects out. Residents with backyard citrus trees in the quarantine area are asked not to transport citrus fruit or leaves, potted citrus trees, or curry leaves from the quarantine area.

 

In addition to San Joaquin County, ACP quarantines are now in place in Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Ventura, and portions of Fresno, Kern, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Clara counties.

 

The ACP is an invasive species of grave concern because it can carry the disease huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening.  All citrus and closely related species, such as curry trees, 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.  HLB has been detected just once in California – in 2012 on a single residential property in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County.  This plant disease does not affect human health.

 

Residents in the area who think they may have seen ACP or symptoms of HLB on their citrus trees are urged to call CDFA’s Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899.  For more information on the ACP and HLB, please visit: www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/acp