Resources
The Harvest Club in the News
OC Register Harvest Club article 1-15-11
OC Register Harvest Club article 8-6-10
Orange Coast November Harvest Club article
HB Independent, February 18, 2010
Pest Control
Citrus Disease Huanglongbing (HLB)
Huanglongbing is a deadly citrus disease that attacks the vascular system of plant. It is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, which feeds on the plants. Once the tree is infected, there is no cure. It usually declines and dies within a few years.
The disease was detected in an Asian citrus psyllid sample in a residential neighborhood in the Hacienda Heights area of Los Angeles County. Currently, there is a 93 sq. mile quarantine for Huanglongbing that spans 90 miles of LA County and 3 miles of Orange County. The limit the spread of the disease, officials are asking growers within the quarantined zone to restrict the movement of citrus trees, citrus plant parts, green waste, and all citrus fruit except what is commercially cleaned and packed. Residents are also urged not to remove or share citrus fruit, tree, clippings/graftings or related plant material. The citrus fruit maybe harvested and consumer on-site or within the quarantined area.
There is also a quarantine for the Asian citrus psyllid. Counties under the quarantine include Imperial County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and most of San Diego County. Citrus fruit may be moved around within the county within the sanctioned quarantine.
For more information on the Asian Citrus Psyllid and Huanglongbing, you can visit the website www.californiacitrusthreat.org. The website will provide information on what to look for in diagnosing your citrus plant. If you think you’ve found the disease-carrying Asian Citrus psyllid, or if your think you have an HLB-diseased tree, please call the California Department of Food and Agriculture hotline at 1-800-491-1899. You can also use the website’s zip code look-up service to find your local Agricultural Commissioner’s office to ask to have the leaves inspected for the disease.
If it is determined that your tree has the psyllid, steps will be taken to eradicate the pest using chemical and/or biological control agents. If your citrus tree has the disease, it will be removed in order to prevent the spread of the diseased to the other citrus trees on your property and within the state.