US(CA): State to prepare citrus trees against citrus-endangering insect

The California Department of Food and Agriculture held an open house Thursday at CalWORKS in El Centro to explain extermination methods for the invasive Asian citrus psyllid.

“Citrus is a $1.8 billion per-year industry in California, so obviously something that kills citrus trees will have an impact on the state economy,” said Kevin Hoffman, primary state entomologist for the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

The CDFA and county Agricultural Commissioner’s office held the open house. Experts were available to inform the public about the Asian citrus psyllid and treatment plans against it.

Hoffman said the Asian citrus psyllid (pronounced SILL-id) is a flying insect that originates in China and Japan. He said the insect feeds on the shoots at the tips of citrus tree branches.

“It’s a sap sucker,” Hoffman said.

The insect has the potential to carry a bacterial disease called Huanglongbing to citrus trees, which eventually kills them. He said the insects have been found in Imperial County since 2008. However, he said despite the presence of the insect in California, there have been no cases of the Huanglongbing disease in the state.

He said the bacteria that the Asian citrus psyllid carries can take two to three years before it affects a citrus tree. Fruit becomes bitter and the tree dies within five years, he said.

He said the insect only feeds on citrus trees and the Huanglongbing disease only affects citrus trees.

The CDFA will begin treating a swath of Imperial County surrounding El Centro. Treatments have already begun in Imperial and elsewhere in the Valley. Charles Salocks, senior toxicologist at the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, said Cyfluthrin will be sprayed on citrus trees in the area. CDFA will go door to door to confirm a date to spray citrus trees.

Salocks said Cyfluthrin is a typical household product used against fleas and ants and is chemically identical to Advantage flea and tick treatments for pets. Once sprayed, the tree and surrounding area would be safe in about an hour, he said.

He said Imidacloprid would be poured over the soil below the tree, which would absorb the pesticide through the roots. According to the CDFA, it is used on several fruit, vegetable and grain crops and does not affect humans who consume the citrus fruits.

“It’s a pretty safe method,” Salocks said about the dual pesticide treatments.

Hoffman said treatments have been effective. He said the Asian citrus psyllid has not been found north of Los Angeles. However, the CDFA is tackling the insect as a precautionary measure, he said.

The CDFA and California citrus growers are funding the statewide treatments.

Hoffman said the insects are almost impossible to detect unless there is an unusually large colony on a tree.

El Centro resident George Fowlkes said he is hesitant to use pesticides. However, he said since the Asian citrus psyllid could kill off his tangerine, tangelo and grapefruit trees if it carried Huanglongbing, he will allow his trees to be sprayed.

“I don’t put on any kind of chemicals, but I will have the state people come and apply (them),” he said.

Residents who live in the Asian citrus psyllid treatment area received information through the mail about the insect and treatment methods.


Source: ivpressonline.com

Publication date: 6/28/2010

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