An adult Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) collected from a rural residential property outside the city of Imperial in Imperial County has tested positive for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the bacterium associated with Huanglongbing (HLB). The ACP was collected from a residential citrus tree on 30 October and confirmed positive on 13 November. This is the first confirmed CLas-positive adult ACP in Imperial County.
An HLB quarantine zone will not be established based on this detection. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner's office are conducting surveys in surrounding areas to locate ACP and collect samples from all host plants.
Plant material from the original detection site has been collected for further testing. The host tree where the CLas-positive ACP was found received a foliar treatment and was voluntarily removed by the homeowner under the supervision of the Imperial County Agricultural Commissioner's office. The removal is intended to support containment efforts in the area.
HLB has not been detected in any citrus trees in Imperial County. Authorities are urging residents and industry members to continue managing ACP populations to reduce the risk of future transmission.
Growers in Imperial County can contact the County Agricultural Commissioner's office or the CDFA Pest Hotline at +1 800 491 1899 for information. CDFA requests that anyone who observes or suspects ACP or HLB symptoms in groves report them immediately through the hotline.
Source: Citrus Insider
