January 25,2106
The California Department of Food and Agriculture has detected an Asian citrus psyllid that tested positive for carrying the bacteria that causes Huanglongbing. The adult psyllid was captured live through routine monitoring in the area of Los Angeles County currently under quarantine for the disease. The bacteria-carrying psyllid was collected from a lemon tree that has repeatedly tested negative for HLB. All host material around the find site has been tested and is also negative for the disease. The residence falls well within the Hacienda Heights quarantine area. Extensive inspection, sampling and processing of plant samples have not yet detected a disease-positive tree in the area.
The threat posed by HLB cannot be overstated – this disease must be found and eradicated as soon as possible. Therefore, California Department of Food and Agriculture will continue extensive surveying in the area. No additional regulatory action will take place unless a diseased tree is found. Until then, CDFA will work closely with the Los Angeles County agricultural commissioner’s office and local residents to manage Asian citrus psyllid populations in the area and eradicate any HLB-positive trees as soon as possible
