Its back!
Less than a month after the state lifted restrictions on citrus plant and fruit because of no new finds of a deadly citrus pest after many months – the pest has been found again.
County ag officials confirm 6 new citrus psyllids were found in the citrus growing area south of Porterville and north of Terra Bella in late June. The tiny pests were found in traps meant to find other pests put out June 11 and picked up June 26.The six finds were in three locations – one of them near Terra Bella, within the restriction zone that had been just lifted June 17.
The finds were east of Hwy 65 including one near Ave 120 and another near Ave 150.
As a result of the previous pest finds two five mile square zones had been set up by CDFA – one near Lindsay and the second around Terra Bella.
Citrus fruit or nursery trees grown within the zones faced movement restrictions and all plant material had to be removed on any shipment out of the zone.
Back in June CDFA Secretary Karen Ross said they had determined that the earlier finds “had not developed into a sustained infestation.” Some hoped the three finds last November were only hitchhikers and were not reproducing here.
Now it is likely CDFA will again order restrictions in coming days that could extend into the fall/winter growing season coming up.
The restrictions are a major headache for growers costing them money to treat fruit as well as remove all plant material like leaves from any fruit shipped out.
Scientists fear this pest that can carry HLB or citrus greening disease that has devastated Florida with $1.3 billion in lost revenue and other parts of world’s citrus regions.
To date the pest has been found in the southern part of California but not the disease.
Tulare County is the number citrus growing county in the state.
Officials expect the Tulare County Ag Commissioner to put out a news release on the finds later today.