Country: United States

Title: Confirmation of Asian Citrus Psyllid in San Diego County, California - United States

Contact:
Patrick Gomes, National Coordinator, Citrus Health Response Program, (919) 855-7313

Report: On September 2, 2008, APHIS confirmed Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, in San Diego County, California. The ACP specimen was collected from a lemon tree in a residential area of San Diego, approximately 11 miles north of the international border with Mexico.

In response, APHIS is working closely with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and San Diego County Agricultural Commission to delimit the extent of infestation by inspecting host plants on residential properties, any commercial citrus groves, as well as nurseries. Plant and psyllids are being tested for the citrus greening bacterium.

ACP is the primary vector for citrus greening (CG). Citrus greening, also called Huanglongbing or HLB, is one of the more serious diseases of citrus. Citrus greening disease is a threat to the U.S. citrus industry and has been found throughout Florida and in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. For additional information on ACP and CG you can go to the APHIS home page (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/) and browse by subject under Plant Health.

APHIS, in conjunction with California state inspectors, will be issuing emergency action notifications (EANs) to all nurseries where ACP is found in order to prevent the movement of infested plants. When psyllids are found in nurseries, psyllids and plants are being tested for citrus greening. To date, no psyllids or plants have tested positive for citrus greening in California.

With the confirmation of ACP in California, APHIS is working closely with state regulatory agencies to take appropriate phytosanitary action to prevent the movement of host plants and plant material, as well as continuing to test for citrus greening when psyllids are identified.

APHIS will continue to work closely with officials from California to delimit the presence of both ACP and test for CG while assessing what other measures need to be taken in response to the new state find.

Under IPPC stantdards, Diaphorina citri is considered to be a pest that is present in some areas and subject to official control to limit its spread in the United States.
 

Posted Date: Sept. 4, 2008, 9 a.m.