A small occurrence of citrus greening disease (huanglongbing or HLB) can escalate quickly if growers are not careful. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, cautioned producers about the disease during the recent Georgia Citrus Association meeting.
“The issue is not widespread yet (in Georgia) for sure,” said Oliver. “We don’t think the vector is really prevalent here for the most part. It seems to be relatively isolated in the places that it’s found. But learning lessons from Florida and Brazil and all of the issues they’ve had over the last 15 years with greening lets us know that even a little bit can become a major problem.”
HLB was found in a grove in Grady County, Georgia earlier this year. The find led to the removal of almost 70 trees. Growers planting new citrus trees should ensure they purchase certified trees if they are getting them from out of state. Oliver stresses the importance of preventing the disease from becoming more prevalent in the South Georgia production area.
Read the full article on citrusindustry.net.
