California Ag Network

Category: Citrus Industry

  • Karen Ross To Headline California Citrus Conference

    Visalia, Calif., (October 10, 2017) – The California Citrus Conference, scheduled for October 11, will feature California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary Karen Ross as its keynote speaker.

    All those associated with the California citrus industry are invited to attend the free one-day event of presentations and demonstrations sponsored by the Citrus Research Board (CRB) at the Wyndham Hotel in Visalia, California. The conference will share the “best of the best” in research developments, according to CRB President Gary Schulz, and will emphasize work being done to combat huanglongbing (HLB).

    “HLB, which has decimated the citrus industry in other growing regions throughout the world, has now been found in over 150 residential trees in California,” said Schulz. “Secretary Ross will convey to growers that the CDFA understands the urgency of finding a cure for this devastating disease and stands foursquare behind the CRB’s wide-reaching research efforts.”

    “This disease is fatal to citrus trees,” Ross said. “It has no cure, so the solution must come from research – research that is already well underway, thanks to foresight and funding from growers and our state and federal leaders.”

    Ross has served as CDFA Secretary for nearly seven years. She previously was chief of staff for U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and also had been president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers and vice-president of the Agricultural Council of California. Under her stewardship, the CDFA has worked diligently to track, contain and slow the spread of Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) and HLB by setting traps, treating trees in infested areas and removing HLB-positive trees.

    Other featured topics and speakers at the conference will include:

    • “The Very Latest in ACP and HLB Treatment Strategies and Detection Challenges” presented by Beth Grafton-Cardwell, Ph.D., director of the Lindcove Research and Extension Center and research entomologist, University of California, Riverside, and Carla Thomas, plant pathologist and epidemiologist, University of California, Davis.
    • “Exploration and Exploitation of the Microbial Communities That Associate with Citrus Trees” presented by Johan Leveau, Ph.D., professor of plant pathology, University of California, Davis.
    • “Improving Nitrogen Management of Citrus” presented by Steve Petrie, Ph.D., of Yara North America Inc.
    • “Being Active Is Not Being Bold” presented by Joel Nelsen, president of California Citrus Mutual.
    • “An Update from the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee (CPDPC)” presented by Nick Hill, CPDPC chairman.
    • “Priority Post-Harvest Research to Control Insect Pests of California Citrus” presented by Spencer Walse, Ph.D., research chemist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Agricultural Research Service, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center.
    • “Panel Discussion: Biological Control Program for Asian Citrus Psyllid in California and Arizona” presented by Greg Simmons, Ph.D., entomologist with USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, David Morgan, Ph.D., biocontrol specialist with CDFA and Richard Stouthamer, Ph.D., entomologist with the University of California, Riverside.
    • “Citrus Breeding for California: New Tools to Meet the Challenge of HLB” presented by Mikeal Roose, Ph.D., professor of genetics at the University of California, Riverside.
    • “Streamlining the Introduction of Citrus Varieties from HLB-infested Areas into California. A Case Study – Florida” presented by Georgios Vidalakis, Ph.D., professor and UC extension specialist in plant pathology, University of California, Riverside and director of the Citrus Clonal Protection Program.

    The event also will feature scientific poster presentations, networking opportunities and continuing education units, which have been approved by the Department of Pesticide Regulation.

    A complimentary breakfast buffet will be served from 6:30-9:00 a.m. Morning conference sessions are scheduled from 9:00 a.m.-noon, and will be highlighted by the keynote address from Secretary Ross. Following a free luncheon, afternoon sessions will run from 1:15-5:00 p.m.

    To register or request additional details, contact the CRB on line at www.citrusresearch.org  or by phone at 559.738.0246.

    Additionally, a special session, “Train the Trainer: Best Practices for Citrus Field Crews to Prevent the Spread of ACP/HLB” will be conducted in Spanish only from 7:00-9:00 a.m. Pre-registration for this seminar is required through www.citrusinsider.org or by phone at 559-592-3790.

  • California Fresh Fruit Magazine – September/October Issue – Read It Here!

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    You can read the PDF version of the September/October Issue of California Fresh Fruit Magazine HERE!

    • The Survival of a Small Farmer
      Growing Berry Crops in Santa Barbara
    • Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
      Orchard Pest Update – Peach Growers Beware
    • Laurel Wilt Disease Devastates
      Seminar Preps CA Growers for this Deadly Fungus
    • Keeping it Fresh
      California Fresh Fruit News Briefs
    • Autumn Orchard Tasks
      Management Decisions Following Heavy Crop

  • Medfly Infestation Triggers Quarantine In Portion Of Los Angeles County

    Sacramento, Calif., (September 15, 2017) – A quarantine has been declared due to a Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) infestation detected in the Sun Valley neighborhood in northern Los Angeles County.  Two adult males, nine females, and 55 larvae have been detected. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) are working collaboratively on the eradication.

    The 89-square mile quarantine is in the northern San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles County, northwest of the City of Burbank.  It is bordered on the north by the Angeles National Forest; on the south by Griffith Park; on the west by I-405; and on the east by the Verdugo Mountains.  Additional information, and a link to the quarantine map, may be found here: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/medfly/regulation.html.

    Increased numbers of sterile male Medflies are being released in the area as part of the eradication effort.  In addition, properties within 200 meters of detections are being treated with an organic formulation of Spinosad, which originates from naturally-occurring bacteria, in order to eliminate any mated females and reduce the density of the population. The flies lay their eggs in fruit, so crews will also remove fruit from trees within 100 meters of sites where larvae and multiple adult flies have been found.

    Agricultural officials are working with fruit growers, wholesalers, and retailers in the area to ensure that the infestation does not spread through commercial channels. Local residents and home gardeners in the quarantine zone are urged to consume homegrown produce on site and not move it from their property.  These actions protect against the artificial spread of the infestation to nearby regions where it could affect California’s food supply and backyard gardens.

    The sterile fly release program has a proven track record of eradication in California.  Sterile male flies mate with fertile female flies in the natural environment but produce no offspring.  The fly population decreases as the wild flies reach the end of their natural life span with no offspring to replace them.

    The Medfly targets more than 250 types of fruits and vegetables, which could significantly impact California’s agricultural exports and backyard gardens. Damage occurs when the female lays eggs inside the fruit.  The eggs hatch into maggots and tunnel through the flesh of the fruit, making it unfit for consumption.

    Residents who believe their fruits and vegetables are infested with fruit fly larvae should call the state’s toll-free Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899.

    While fruit flies and other invasive species that threaten California’s crops and natural environment are sometimes detected in agricultural areas, the vast majority are found in urban and suburban communities.  These invasive species often enter our state by “hitchhiking” in fruits and vegetables brought back illegally by travelers returning from infested regions of the world.  To help protect California’s agriculture and natural resources, CDFA urges travelers to follow the Don’t Pack a Pest program guidelines (www.dontpackapest.com).

     

  • CDFA Announces Vacancy On The Citrus Pest And Disease Prevention Committee

    Sacramento, Calif., (September 12, 2017) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture is announcing one vacancy on the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee. The Committee advises the CDFA secretary on activities associated with a statewide work plan that includes outreach and education programs; and programs for surveying, detecting, analyzing, and treating pests and diseases specific to citrus.

    The members receive no compensation, but are entitled to payment of necessary travel expenses in accordance with the rules of the Department of Personnel Administration.

    A committee vacancy exists for a grower representative from the Coastal District and will expire on September 30, 2019. Individuals interested in being considered for a committee appointment should send a brief resume by September 11, 2017 to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services, 1220 N Street, Room 221, Sacramento, California 95814, Attention: Leandro Ramos.

    For additional information, contact: Leandro Ramos, Program Manager at (916) 654-0317, or e-mail (leandro.ramos@cdfa.ca.gov).

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture protects and promotes California’s $47 billion agricultural industry. California’s farmers and ranchers produce a safe, secure supply of food, fiber and shelter; marketed fairly for all Californians; and produced with responsible environmental stewardship.

    For additional information on the California Department of Food and Agriculture please visit our website at www.cdfa.ca.gov.

  • CDFA Announces Vacancy On The Citrus Pest And Disease Prevention Committee

    Sacramento, Calif., (September 7, 2017) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture is announcing one vacancy on the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee. The Committee advises the CDFA secretary on activities associated with a statewide work plan that includes outreach and education programs; and programs for surveying, detecting, analyzing, and treating pests and diseases specific to citrus.

    The members receive no compensation, but are entitled to payment of necessary travel expenses in accordance with the rules of the Department of Personnel Administration.

    A committee vacancy exists for a grower representative from the Coastal District and will expire on September 30, 2019. Individuals interested in being considered for a committee appointment should send a brief resume by September 11, 2017 to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services, 1220 N Street, Room 221, Sacramento, California 95814, Attention: Leandro Ramos.

    For additional information, contact: Leandro Ramos, Program Manager at (916) 654-0317, or e-mail (leandro.ramos@cdfa.ca.gov).

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture protects and promotes California’s $47 billion agricultural industry. California’s farmers and ranchers produce a safe, secure supply of food, fiber and shelter; marketed fairly for all Californians; and produced with responsible environmental stewardship.

    For additional information on the California Department of Food and Agriculture please visit our website atwww.cdfa.ca.gov.

  • Quarantine For Citrus Disease Huanglongbing Extends To Portions Of Riverside And San Bernardino Counties

    Sacramento, Calif., (August 31, 2017) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have established a 94-square mile quarantine in portions of Riverside and San Bernardino counties following the detection of the citrus disease huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, in a single citrus tree in the city of Riverside. HLB is a deadly disease of citrus plants and closely related species, and can be transmitted from tree to tree by the Asian citrus psyllid.

    The quarantine boundaries are on the north, Interstate 10; on the east, Box Springs Mountain Reserve; on the west, Riverside Municipal Airport; and on the south, East Alessandro Boulevard. HLB quarantine maps for Riverside and San Bernardino counties are available online at:www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/pe/InteriorExclusion/hlb_quarantine.html. Please check this link for future quarantine expansions in these counties, should they occur.  Quarantines are already in place for HLB in portions of Los Angeles and Orange counties.

    The quarantine will prohibit the movement of all citrus nursery stock out of the area, while maintaining existing provisions allowing the movement of only commercially cleaned and packed citrus fruit.  Any fruit that is not commercially cleaned and packed, including residential citrus, must not be removed from the property on which it is grown, although it may be processed and/or consumed on the premises.
    Residents are urged to take several steps to help protect citrus trees:

    • Do not move citrus plants, leaves or foliage into or out of the quarantine area, or across state or international borders.  Keep it local.
    • Cooperate with agricultural crews placing traps, inspecting trees and treating for the pest.
    • If you no longer wish to care for your citrus tree, consider removing it so it does not become a host to the pest and disease.

    DFA crews have already removed the infected tree and are in the midst of a treatment program for citrus trees to knock down Asian citrus psyllid infestations within 800 meters of the find site. By taking these steps, a critical reservoir of the disease and its vectors will be removed, which is essential to protect the surrounding citrus from this deadly disease.

    HLB is a bacterial disease that attacks the vascular system of plants.  It does not pose a threat to humans or animals.  The Asian citrus psyllid can spread the bacteria as the pest feeds on citrus trees and other plants. Once a tree is infected, there is no cure; it typically declines and dies within a few years.

    CDFA, in partnership with the USDA, local county agricultural commissioners and the citrus industry, continues to pursue a strategy of controlling the spread of the Asian citrus psyllids while researchers work to find a cure for the disease.

  • When Farm Labor gets too Tight, Consider H2A Guestworker Program

    As labor grows tighter, growers are mechanizing their operations as much as possible; however, the need for a solid seasonal labor force is not going away anytime soon. Although not an easy one to utilize, the H2A Ag guestworker program is what more and more growers and farm labor contractors are using to meet their labor needs. Watch this brief interview with Bob Erickson from Foothill Packing and Jeanne Malitz from Malitz Law as they explain the program, and how to get involved in it. Read more in American Vineyard Magazine.

  • How to Check Your Citrus Trees for a Deadly Disease and the Pest that Spreads It

    Riverside, Calif., (August 4, 2017) – The incurable citrus tree disease huanglongbing, or HLB, has been detected in Los Angeles and Orange counties and most recently in Riverside. The citrus disease is spread from tree to tree by Asian citrus psyllids, the insects that move the bacteria that cause huanglongbing.

    There is no known treatment for huanglongbing, which kills citrus trees.

    Citrus trees infected with huanglongbing develop mottled leaves and produce fruit that is misshapen, stays green and tastes bitter. There is no known treatment for the disease, which usually kills the tree within three to five years, according to UC Cooperative Extension specialist Beth Grafton-Cardwell.

    Huanglongbing, which is also known as citrus greening, has already devastated the citrus industries in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas.

    You can help prevent this disease from destroying California’s citrus as well as your own trees.

    Look for yellowed leaves on citrus trees. Nutritional deficiencies can also cause citrus trees to have yellow leaves so it is important to know the difference. Nutrient deficiency causes a similar pattern of yellowing on both sides of the leaf. HLB causes blotchy yellow mottling and is not the same on both sides of the leaf.

    To identify the Asian citrus psyllid and the disease symptoms of HLB, see the fact sheets, videos in English and Spanish and other resources at http://ucanr.edu/acp.

    If you see any trees that display symptoms of huanglongbing, contact your local agriculture commissioner.

    To learn about the latest research, visit UC ANR’s new Science for Citrus Health website at http://ucanr.edu/sites/scienceforcitrushealth.

    More resources on Asian citrus psyllids and huanglongbing:

  • UC has Boots on the Ground in an Unrelenting Search for Asian Citrus Psyllid

    Ventura, Calif., (August 3, 2017) – With two magnifying loops around her neck and a truck stocked with vials and tools for insect collection, Joanne O’Sullivan scouts Ventura County citrus orchards every day. She walks the perimeter, examining newly emerging leaves and tapping branches with a PVC wand to bat pests onto her clipboard.

    O’Sullivan is one of four scouts hired and trained by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources scientists to carefully and continuously monitor citrus orchards for Asian citrus psyllid, an invasive pest in California that can spread the devastating huanglongbing disease.

    Joanne O’Sullivan is one of the scouts hired by UC to search for and collect Asian citrus psyllids.

    In Florida, where the pest was left unchecked when it first invaded citrus growing regions, the disease swept through the state. Citrus production in the Sunshine State plummeted 60 percent in 15 years.

    “We don’t want to let that happen here,” said Beth Grafton-Cardwell, UC Cooperative Extension entomology specialist. Grafton-Cardwell hired O’Sullivan and her colleagues who monitor citrus in San Diego, Imperial, Riverside and San Bernardino counties to scour dozens of orchards to document how treatments to control ACP are working. Next year scouts will be added in Tulare and Kern counties.

    When ACP are found, they are carefully bottled and sent to the lab to determine whether they carry the bacterium that causes huanglongbing disease.

    The expansive ACP monitoring effort is funded by a $1.45 million multi-agency coordination grant from the USDA. The project funds promising tools and long-term solutions to reduce the spread of huanglongbing. Led by Neil McRoberts, a professor of plant pathology at UC Davis, the grant also provides funds for two other activities.

    O’Sullivan taps branches with a PVC wand to knock off insects.

    One is a collaboration with California Citrus Mutual to offer free citrus tree removal to homeowners in areas where HLB is known to occur. The second is modeling data from the CDFA HLB survey program, in which psyllids and symptomatic plant tissue are tested for the bacteria. Trees may have the disease but not show symptoms, so testing the psyllids is a more effective way to find infected trees. The modeling work will improve the ability to predict the locations of infected trees.

    However, the main thrust is monitoring citrus treatments and their impacts on the ACP population with a team of scouts. A mix of conventional and organic farmers and growers who use biological integrated pest management programs to manage their orchards were recruited for the project. The farmers make ACP treatment decisions informed by research results that show the best treatments and timing.

    “Most growers are coordinating their treatments to get a bigger bang for their buck,” Grafton-Cardwell said.

    With just six months of data, the monitoring program has already yielded important information about Asian citrus psyllid.

    “We’re seeing more psyllids on the borders than the centers of groves,” Grafton-Cardwell said. “And so eventually, we will make recommendations that at certain times of year or when populations are low, the grower will only need to spray the borders of the grove.”

    If she finds ACP, O’Sullivan places them in vials to be sent to a lab for testing to determine whether they are carrying the bacterium that causes huanglongbing disease.

    This will reduce costs and the impact of pesticides on natural enemies.

    “The early data have also revealed which chemicals are the most effective for psyllid control. We’ve found that organic growers need to be more aggressive in the frequency of treatments, because the organic insecticides are not as effective as conventional insecticides,” she said.

    At 8 of the 49 Ventura County ranches in the project, yellow sticky traps were placed in trees to monitor for ACP’s natural enemies, including lady bugs, green lacewings, and Tamorixia radiata, tiny wasps from Pakistan that were released in California to battle ACP.

    When O’Sullivan sees one of the natural enemies at work in the field, she pauses to observe the process.

    “Sometimes I’ll see a lacewing munching on an ACP and I’ll say, ‘Go man, go!’” O’Sullivan said.

     

     

  • HLB Detected on Residential Property in Riverside

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have confirmed the detection of the citrus disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, in Riverside County. The disease was detected in plant material taken from a grapefruit tree in a residential neighborhood in the city of Riverside near I-215.

    The infected tree has been removed and agriculture officials are moving swiftly on mandatory surveying in an 800-meter area. Mandatory treatments will soon follow. CDFA staff will visit all regulated entities in the quarantine area, including retail and production nurseries and packinghouses. Additionally, local, state and federal agriculture authorities are working together to determine potential implications to the University of California, Riverside, which will fall within the 5-mile quarantine area.

    Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer Ruben Arroyo plans to take an aggressive stance on any abandoned groves in the area, and the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program outreach team is already working with the City of Riverside to inform residents of the actions needed to stop HLB’s spread.

    Learn more in the press release shared by Riverside County.