The citrus greening disease that is killing orchards worldwide has hit the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, and California could be next. The disease is spread by infestations of the Asian citrus psyllid. While the disease does not affect humans, the potential threat of the disease to the $1.6 billion California citrus industry has U.S. and Mexico officials working together on a solution.Unfortunately, there is currently no way to get rid of the disease. As Jerry Hirsch writes in his article for the Los Angeles Times, Beth Grafton-Cardwell, a entomologist with the University of California Riverside, and director of the Lindcove Research and Extension Center, believes that if the Asian citrus psyllid hops on the “virtual insect highway across the width of Mexico” California could be in trouble. Grafton-Cardwell describes the disease as ‘“a citrus grower’s worst nightmare.”’ Jim Churchill, a tangerine grower, believes, ‘“It would put us out of business.”’
The disease apparently ruins the taste of citrus fruit on the trees before it kills the plant. Florida has been dealing with the disease since 2005, and since then the disease has been responsible for the death of “about 5% of its trees every year.” Florida’s Department of Citrus believes the diseases could “put the Sunshine State out of the orange juice business . . .” The disease has caused serious damage to citrus industries located in China, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Brazil.
Since the insects carrying the disease are asexual, one insect alone can establish colonies of disease carrying insects. There are no effective predators to use against the insects. Currently, $50 million has been put in the budget to deal specifically with citrus greening research and containment efforts. These efforts have not yet yielded a disease-resistant plant, but in the meantime the researchers are racing against the clock to be ready to handle a potential outbreak.
To read the Los Angeles Times’ article click here.
Posted: 08/18/09
