State declares citrus quarantine in Ramona after disease found in 2 trees

The California Department of Food and Agriculture declared a new citrus quarantine in Ramona this week after two citrus trees in a residential area tested positive for Huanglongbing, a citrus greening disease.

It is the first HLB quarantine in the Ramona area and adds to existing quarantines in Oceanside, Rancho Bernardo, Valley Center and Fallbrook.

In January of this year, NBC 7 reported on an Escondido nursery owner who said state agriculture crews destroyed 32,000 citrus plants at his business when HLB was found about five miles away from his nursery. He is now suing the state of California in federal court, claiming state agriculture crews are destroying tens of thousands of his plants without compensation.

Not long after that report, NBC 7 reported on a similar situation in which a Fallbrook couple said state agriculture employees found the disease about 250 yards from their property the year prior and told them 10 fruit trees on their property had to be removed.

“Valuable lessons from Florida’s devastating HLB experience have shaped the way [California] regulates and responds to citrus threats,” Agricultural Commissioner Ha Dang said. “So far, this has helped limit the HLB destruction of [California’s] citrus industry.”

A key point of the quarantine includes protecting the region’s food supply by restricting people and businesses from moving citrus nursery stock, plant parts and fruit outside the quarantine boundaries, according to officials.

HLB is not harmful to people or animals, but is deadly to citrus and “could be devastating to the county’s citrus industry.” Officials said HLB is a major threat to the county’s $144 million annual citrus crop that could impact residential citrus tree owners.

HLB is spread by tiny insects, the Asian citrus psyllid, carrying the bacteria when they feed on citrus trees. Samples from trees on the property where HLB was confirmed were undergoing additional tests for the disease, county officials said.

Signs of infected trees may include areas with mottled-yellow leaves, asymmetrical fruit, which is partially green and bitter. The disease destroys the appearance and value of the trees, eventually killing infected trees, typically within a few years.

County officials said if the disease is detected in additional citrus trees in quarantine areas, CDFA officials will contact properties regarding treatment and removal of the infected trees. Nearby trees will be treated and survey efforts will be increased to prevent the spread of the disease in the area, they added.

What should you do if Huanlongbing is found in your area?

Officials advised the following steps in quarantine areas:

— Do not move citrus plants, leaves or foliage into or out of the quarantine area;

— Remove all leaves and stems and thoroughly wash backyard citrus before moving from the property where it was grown;

— Dry or double-bag plant clippings prior to disposal;

— Cooperate with agricultural officials who are inspecting trees, taking samples and treating for the pest;

— If residents no longer wish to care for a citrus tree, consider contacting a tree removal service to discuss options to help ensure trees do not continue to be a host to the pest and disease, and;

— Only buy citrus trees from reputable local nurseries.

The county advised reporting citrus trees that seem to be sick or dying to the CDFA at 800-491-1899 or cdfa.ca.gov/plant/acp. More information about the disease can be found at CaliforniaCitrusThreat.org. More information on moving commercial citrus and HLB quarantine regulations can be found at 760- 752-4700 or sdcawm.org.

Maps for the HLB quarantine can be found at cdfa.ca.gov/citrus/pests_diseases/hlb/regulation.html.