Official Pest Report
Official Pest Reports are provided by National Plant Protection Organizations within the NAPPO region. These Pest Reports are intended to comply with the International Plant Protection Convention's Standard on Pest Reporting, endorsed by the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures in March 2002.
Confirmation of Citrus Greening (Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus) in the Virgin Islands
Confirmation of Citrus Greening (Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus) in the Virgin Islands
Country: United States
Title: Confirmation of Citrus Greening (Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus) in the Virgin Islands
Contact:
Patrick Gomes, National Coordinator, Citrus Health Response Program, (919) 855-7313
Report:
On April 21, 2010, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the first detection of citrus greening (CG), also referred to as Huanglongbing (HLB), in plant tissue samples collected from key lime trees located at a local agricultural experiment station near St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition, plant tissue samples of key lime from nearby residential properties also tested positive for the disease. Based on recent surveys, the insect vector responsible for transmitting this disease, Asian citrus psyllid, is also present.
Interstate movement of citrus and other Rutaceous host plants, cuttings, plant parts and products are prohibited to prevent entry into other parts of the United States under 7 CFR 318.13. In response, APHIS is expanding the CG-quarantine area to include the U.S. Virgin Islands.
CG disease is also present in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana (Orleans and Washington Parishes), Puerto Rico and South Carolina (Beaufort and Charleston Counties).
Under IPPC Standards, 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' is considered to be a pest that is present, only in some areas, and subject to official control to limit its spread in the United States.
Posted Date: May 19, 2010, 9 a.m.