As part of the National Programme for Prevention of the Huanglongbing (HLB), the most destructive disease of citrus worldwide, the National Health and Food Quality Service (SENASA) reminded farmers that the disease was transmitted mainly through the propagation or diseased citrus material, which could seriously affect citrus production areas.
The greatest difficulty in managing the disease lies in its large latency: the plant shows no visible symptoms until after six months, or up to two years, of being infected.
It's important to stress that the only health guarantee against the HLB is the production of certified citrus plants in greenhouses, in accordance with SENASA's 930/09 and ex SAGPyA 149/98 resolutions.
The certification process means that the plants acquired by the producers came from buds and seeds free of HLB, tristeza, psorosis, Exocortis, Cachexia-xyloporosis, CVC and canker.
Producers must comply with the following regulations to prevent the HLB from entering the country:
• Only cultivate citrus plants of known origin.
• Buy plants in nurseries registered at SENASA and at the National Seed Institute ( lnase).
• Keep the traffic documentation that back the citrus plants acquired from third parties for two years.
Source: Senasa.gov.ar