Asian Citrus Psyllid Triggers Infest Investigation

The detection of an adult Asian Citrus Psyllid in an insect trap in a residential neighborhood in Cayucos has prompted a high density trapping delimitation survey of the surrounding area to determine if an infestation exists.

Since March, 2014, Pest Detecion Specialists from the County Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture have trapped Asian Citrus Psyllids in the cities of San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande. Quarantines restricting the movement of citrus nursery stock and citrus fruit are in effect in a five-mile radius surrounding the San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande detection sites. A quarantine for Cayucos will also be established by the California Department of Food and Agriculture to prevent the spread of this serious plant pest. Control efforts will take place in the near future in the area immediately surrounding the Cayucos site.

Staff from the San Luis Obispo County Agricultural Commissioners office and officials from the California Department of Food and Agriculture continue to search for this pest by monitoring hundreds of insect traps placed in urban neighborhoods and commercial orchards throughout the county.

This insect pest is of serious concern to Californias commercial citrus growers because it is responsible for spreading Huanglongbing, also called citrus greening disease, a plant disease that is fatal to all types of citrus trees. This includes citrus trees in countless landscapes across the county as well as commercial citrus orchards grown in San Luis Obispo County which were valued at over $13 million in 2013. A single citrus tree infected with Huanglongbing was found in a Los Angeles County backyard in 2012. To date no additional detections of the disease in California have occurred. The disease does not affect human health Martin Settevendemie, County Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer asks community members to avoid moving citrus plants or plant parts outside quarantine areas to avoid the risk of spreading this serious pest.

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Asian Citrus Psyllid Triggers Infest Investigation