The Department of Agriculture, Texas, has put a quarantine on the sale of all citrus plants in the counties of Harris, Cameron, and Hidalgo due to a disease called Citrus greening spread by the Citrus Asian psyllid. An article from Chron on July 23, 2014 by Cathy Huber states... The Texas Department of Agriculture temporarily has banned the sale of citrus plants in Harris County after citrus greening disease was identified in stock at a retail nursery near Webster. Hidalgo and Cameron counties also are under the quarantine designed to slow the spread of the plant disease, which causes misshapen, irregularly colored and bitter fruit and leathery leaves with yellow or clear veins. Once a tree is infected with citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing or yellow dragon disease, there is no cure, the department reports. The disease eventually stops production, and a tree can die within five years. Millions of acres of citrus crops have been wiped out across the U.S. The plant disease is not a threat to human health, department communications director Bryan Black said. Fruit from infected trees is safe to eat, he said. Residents in Harris County should continue to enjoy citrus as part of a healthy diet. Citrus plant sales are on temporary hold while the department works with retail and wholesale nurseries to determine the best way to control the spread of the disease. Citrus greening is caused by a disease-infected insect, the tiny Asian citrus psyllid, as it feeds on the leaves and stems of citrus trees. The disease is spread further by moving infected plants and plant parts. The disease was discovered in the United states in 2005 in Florida and first discovered in Texas in January 2012. The quarantine restricts movement of citrus trees, orange jasmine and curry plants into or out of the quarantined areas. In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it was allocating $1.5 million to step up a program that uses a tiny foreign wasp as a predator of the disease-spreading citrus psyllid. The funds are part of a $21 million effort to eradicate citrus greening. To report a suspicious plant, visit SaveOurCitrus.org. Do not move the suspicious plant until you hear back from experts at the risk of spreading the disease. For more on the quarantine, visit texasagriculture.gov or call 800-835-5832.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 17:48:13 +0000
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