Paso Robles News|Friday, March 29, 2024
You are here: Home » Region » Asian citrus psyllid found in SLO County
  • Follow Us!

Asian citrus psyllid found in SLO County 

– The recent detection of single adult Asian citrus psyllid in insect traps within residential neighborhoods in Arroyo Grande and Nipomo has prompted new surveys of the surrounding areas, according to the San Luis Obispo County Agriculture Department. Quarantines restricting the movement of citrus nursery stock and citrus fruit will be established by the California Department of Food and Agriculture to prevent the spread of this serious plant pest. Control efforts will take place in the near future at the two sites and in the area immediately surrounding the detection sites.

Asian citrus psyllid

Asian citrus psyllid.

This is the third detection of adult psyllids in the Arroyo Grande area and the first detection in Nipomo. Intensive trapping and visual surveys are ongoing, but no additional insects have been detected. Previous sites found with psyllids in Arroyo Grande that received treatment in the recent past remain free from the pest.

The first detection of psyllids in California occurred in San Diego County in 2008. Since then, it has been found throughout Southern California. “The new detections in southern San Luis Obispo County reminds us to be diligent in our efforts to find and treat this serious pest and to ask the public to refrain from moving citrus trees into the county from quarantine areas of the state,” said Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer for San Luis Obispo County Martin Settevendemie.

This pest is of serious concern to California’s commercial citrus groves and countless citrus trees in landscapes because it is responsible for spreading Huanglongbing, also called “Citrus Greening,” a plant disease that is fatal to all types of citrus trees. This disease has been found on citrus trees in backyard settings in southern California. The best way to protect against the disease is to stop the pest. The plant disease does not affect human health and citrus fruit is safe to consume.

Staff from the San Luis Obispo County Agricultural Commissioner’s office and officials from the California Department of Food and Agriculture continue to search for this pest by monitoring hundreds of insect traps placed in urban neighborhoods and commercial orchards throughout the county.

Community members can do the following to protect backyard citrus trees and the local citrus industry:

• Buy local. Purchase citrus trees from reputable local sources selling plants that have been routinely inspected by the Agricultural Commissioner’s staff. Citrus fruit is safe to eat. Support local growers by purchasing fruit from local supermarkets or farmers’ markets.
• Do not transport citrus plants or plant parts into the county from quarantine areas and follow local quarantine restrictions. Call (805) 781-5910 for information about quarantine areas.
• Check residential landscaping often for signs of unusual symptoms or strange insects. Contact the local University of California Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener Program at (805) 781-5939 for help identifying unusual plant symptoms or pests.
• If asked, allow the Agricultural Commissioner’s staff to place an insect trap in your yard and cooperate with officials if it becomes necessary to exclude or eliminate psyllids from San Luis Obispo County.

For more information about the Asian citrus psyllid visit the California Department of Food and Agriculture website at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov.

Share To Social Media

Comments

About the author: News Staff

The news staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote or edited this story from local contributors and press releases. The news staff can be reached at info@pasoroblesdailynews.com.