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Archive Number 20091030.3748
Published Date 30-OCT-2009
Subject PRO/PL> Huanglongbing, citrus - Americas: update

HUANGLONGBING, CITRUS - AMERICAS: UPDATE
****************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

[1] Dominican Republic
[2] Mexico (Yucatan, Quintana Roo)
[3] USA

******
[1] Dominican Republic
Date: 26 Oct 2009
Source: Prensa Latina [in Spanish, trans. Corr.SB, edited]
<http://www.prensa-latina.cu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=131825&Itemid=1>


Dominican agricultural producers warned of the rapid expansion in the  
country of huanglongbing (HLB), a pest known as "the AIDS" of the  
crop, which can devastate plantations within 3 to 5 years. A major  
corporation warned that some 130 orange trees in 8 provinces tested  
positive for the disease; the only remedy is to spray to kill the  
vector [the Asian citrus psyllid]. Environmental pollution plus  
skyrocketing costs of production are the 2 main drawbacks of the  
spraying that can halt the infection.

All indications are that the disease entered through the ports with  
imported materials and tourists. The pest has been present in greater  
quantities in plantations in the province of Hato Mayor (East), known  
as the citrus capital of the country, Azua, Puerto Plata, Santiago de  
los Caballeros (North), Montecristi, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde  
(northwest) and Maria Trinidad Sanchez (northeast). 5000 people have  
lost their jobs in the province of Hato Mayor, said the company,  
Barcelo, which has requested immediate assistance from the authorities.

The disease was 1st detected in 2008 [ProMED-mail post 20090601.2034],  
and so far, no drastic prophylactic measures have been taken, although  
experts agree that if the pest gains strength, citrus orchards in the  
Dominican Republic  will disappear in just half a decade. HLB is a  
plague that drastically reduces plant productivity and turns the sweet  
fruit sour.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>

******
[2] Mexico (Yucatan, Quintana Roo)
Date: 15 Oct 2009
Source: North American Plant Protection Organisation (NAPPO) [edited]
<http://www.pestalert.org/oprDetail.cfm?oprID=401>


As part of the actions applied by the "Prevention campaign against the  
introduction of citrus quarantine pests" in the State of Yucatan,  
huanglongbing was detected in samples collected from backyard trees  
located in the municipalities of Tizimin, Rio Lagartos, Mococha and  
Chemax, State of Yucatan [ProMED-mail post 20090720.2570] and Lazaro  
Cardenas in the State of Quintana Roo.

The National Service for Plant Health (SENASICA) in collaboration with  
the states have initiated actions for the "Emergency protocol for the  
detection of huanglongbing": intensive search for symptoms to detect  
contaminated plants; delimiting the outbreak in order to begin or  
apply actions to eliminate positive plants; and the intensive and  
systematic control of the vector. They are also organizing training  
events and outreach activities targeted to growers, technical staff  
and the general public.

According to International Plant Protection Convention standards, it  
is considered that huanglongbing in Mexico is a pest that is present  
only in some areas of the states of Yucatan and Quintana Roo and  
subject to official control to avoid its spread.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>

******
[3] USA
Date: 21 Oct 2009
Source: The Yuma Sun [edited]
<http://www.yumasun.com/news/citrus-53671-psyllid-pest.html>


A feared citrus pest has finally made an appearance in Arizona, with  
the discovery of a single Asian citrus psyllid in a sticky trap in a  
residential area of San Luis, Arizona. The find was confirmed by John  
Caravetta, Arizona Department of Agriculture. He said the insect was  
found about 800 meters from the Mexican border and approximately 2 km  
from where the pest was found in 2008 in Mexico.

The psyllid is of grave concern because it can carry the disease  
huanglongbing [HLB], which is considered a serious threat in the US.  
The disease has spread throughout the state of Florida, and [the  
psyllid vector] has been found in Louisiana, South Carolina, Georgia,  
Southern California and Mexico. Last summer [July 2008], HLB was  
detected on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula [see ProMED archives below].

Arizona agriculture officials have been looking for the psyllid for  
several years, Caravetta said. Efforts were stepped up in Yuma County  
with the finding of the psyllid near the border in 2008. "We want to  
determine where the infestation might be, then target that area for  
treatment and put a buffer around it," he said.

Caravetta said the finding of the insect is the 1st in Arizona. "We're  
the last citrus-producing state in the USA to detect it." The insect  
has been sent to USDA [US Department of Agriculture] for confirmation  
and to determine whether it carried the citrus greening disease,  
Caravetta said.

Fortunately, he said, there is a good buffer of several miles of  
desert and vegetable fields between where the pest was found and the  
nearest commercial citrus grove. As for homeowners, he said they  
should be regularly inspecting their trees.

[Byline: By Joyce Lobeck]

[Additional recent information:
Spread of citrus psyllids in California
<http://www.mydesert.com/article/20091029/NEWS07/910290318/1006/news01>
HLB impact in Florida
<http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE5983N520091009> - Mod.DHA]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>

[Huanglongbing (HLB, also called citrus greening), is one of the most  
damaging diseases of citrus crops affecting leaves and fruits. In  
northern and central America, it is caused by the fastidious  
phloem-inhabiting bacterium _Candidatus_ Liberibacter asiaticus. Its  
vector is the Asian citrus psyllid (_Diaphorina citri_), but it is  
also often spread by grafting and possibly seed transmission. The  
vector is specific to _Citrus_ and close relatives, and thus the  
disease is confined to these crops. Two other species of _Ca._ L.  
(africanus and americanus) can cause HLB in different areas. For more  
information on HLB, see links and previous posts listed below.

Maps
Dominican Republic:
<http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/lgcolor/docolor.htm>
<http://healthmap.org/r/00NZ>
Mexico:
<http://www.mexico.us/map.htm> and
<http://healthmap.org/r/00BG>
Mexican states:
<http://www.map-of-mexico.org/mexico-states.gif>
USA:
<http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/usa-state-and-capital-map.html>
Worldwide distribution of _Ca._ L. asiaticus (updated July 2008):
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/bacteria/Liberobacter_asiaticum/LIBEAS_map.htm>
Worldwide distribution of the Asian vector _D. citri_ (updated July 2008):
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/insects/Diaphorina_citri/DIAACI_map.htm>

Pictures
HLB symptoms:
<http://www.caes.gov.tw/english/images/plant_02_5.jpg>
HLB symptoms and vector photo galleries:
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/bacteria/Liberobacter_africanum/LIBESP_images.htm>  
and
<http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/citrus_greening/gallery.shtml>

Links
HLB information:
<http://www.spc.int/pps/PDF%20PALs/PAL%2045%20HLB.pdf>,
<http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/quarantine/naqs/naqs-fact-sheets/citrus-greening>,
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/bacteria/Liberobacter_africanum/LIBESP_ds.pdf>  
and
<http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&issn=0015-4040&volume=087&issue=03&page=330>
Extensive reviews and background on HLB:
<http://www.ivia.es/iocv/enfermedades/huanglongbing/HUANGLONGBING.htm> and
<http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/huanglongbing/> (with pictures)
HLB 1st report Dominican Republic:
<http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PDIS-93-6-0668B>
HLB 1st report Mexico:
<http://www.pestalert.org/oprDetail.cfm?oprID=384>
Taxonomy of liberibacter species via:
<http://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/34019>
Information on the Asian citrus psyllid:
<http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/quarantine/naqs/naqs-fact-sheets/pests_of_plants_asian_citrus_psyllid>  
and
<http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/insects/Diaphorina_citri/DIAACI_ds.pdf>
Taxonomy of _D. citri_:
<http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=200477>
  - Mod.DHA]

[see also:
Huanglongbing, citrus - Mexico: 1st rep (YU) 20090720.2570
Huanglongbing, citrus - USA: (GA) quarantine 20090622.2283
Huanglongbing, citrus: control 20090601.2034
Huanglongbing, citrus - Belize: 1st report 20090518.1853
Huanglongbing, citrus - Bhutan, Iran, Americas 20090415.1436
2008
----
Huanglongbing, citrus - Cuba: 1st report 20080829.2707
Huanglongbing, citrus - USA, Mexico: update 20080701.2006
Huanglongbing, citrus - Bhutan: (Chukha) 20080520.1676
Citrus diseases - Philippines, India: replanting 20080130.0375
2007
----
Huanglongbing, citrus - USA: (TX), vector quarantine 20071212.4000
Huanglongbing, citrus - Viet Nam, USA: new biocontrol 20070912.3018
Huanglongbing & citrus tristeza virus, citrus - Philippines (NV) 20070709.2175
Huanglongbing, citrus - Pakistan, US (FL) 20070616.1961
2006
----
Huanglongbing citrus - USA (FL) 20060322.0894
and older items in the archives]
......................................................dha/msp/jw
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