Georgia has been put under a federal quarantine to help prevent the spread of a devastating citrus disease.
The quarantine follows the discovery in Georgia of “citrus greening” (CG), a disease that causes citrus fruit to be bitter and unusable. The disease is also known as Huanglongbing or HLB and is caused by the bacterial pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The disease was found on a lemon tree in Savannah.
The quarantine means that nurseries in the state cannot ship citrus plants (or related host plants that may also carry the disease) to other states. The effect on the state’s nurseries would be minimal since few nurseries do this. Citrus plants include oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, lemons, limes, kumquats and calamondins. Two other plants occasionally offered for sale that could serve as hosts are orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata), a tender shrub with fragrant white flowers, and trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata), a thorny and cold-hardy shrub with white flowers sometimes used as a barrier or as a novelty plant.
There are no growers in the state producing citrus fruits for sale. However, there are some citrus plants growing in gardens in the state, especially in southern and coastal Georgia.
“Although we are not a citrus producer, we do not want to inadvertently spread a disease that could cripple citrus producers in other states,” said Tommy Irvin, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture. “Georgia residents should not carry citrus plants, other host plants or citrus fruit with them when they go to other states,” Irvin added.
Citrus greening was also found in Charleston, S.C., in March. The disease-causing bacteria are spread from plant to plant by a small insect called the Asian citrus psyllid, which has also been found in Georgia.
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Heath Inspection Service (APHIS) will be doing some monitoring in the state to determine extent of the disease.
For more information please visit www.saveourcitrus.org or www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/chrp/greening/citrusgreening.html.
State News
June 17, 2009
Georgia quarantine helps protect America's citrus crop
- State News
-
-
New director picked for state environmental agency
Gov. Sonny Perdue has picked a new head for the Georgia agency that finances infrastructure meant to save and clean water, preserve land and maintain the state’s fuel tanks.
Continued ... - Man set to be executed for 1998 triple slaying
- Governor taps Democrat to head public defender system
- State revenues post a gain
- Lustful Court residents tire of sinful street name
- Strip club co-owner killed during robbery
- New manager named for Okefenokee wildlife refuge
- Sep 7, 2010
- Deal releases education plan for Georgia
- Three arrested after teen girl kidnapped
- Top state court considers voter ID law
- Feds: Nuclear power plant should proceed
- Isakson seeks overhaul to immigration, health care
- Shrimp and grits back at Jekyll festival
- Macon man drowns during outing at lake
- Sep 3, 2010
- Racially charged dispute stirs congressional race
-
New director picked for state environmental agency
