Citrus greening, a serious disease spread by the Asian Citrus Psyllid, appeared in Florida in 1998. This fatal disease, Huanglongbing disease (HLB), has spread across the world. As of today there is no prevention or cure. Useful informational links for this presentation are here - Citrus Greening Information Links, Citrus Greening Vector and a recipe for Gluten Free Banana Orange Bread.
St. Johns County Assistant Horticulturalist, Sarah Thomlinson, spoke with our club about the disease as it manifests itself in northeast Florida.
Here is her presentation:
And here is her handout.
We had a hands-on activity trying to diagnose the causes of the decline in the citrus grove just outside of our garden at Alpine Groves using a hand-held magnifying glass. I was sure every plant was infected with citrus greening, but actually the plants were suffering from a variety of issues: nutrient deficiency, sooty mold, canker, brown spot, etc. Of the 5 samples, only two had citrus greening. We misdiagnosed almost all the plants. Sarah, whose specialty is citrus greening, was able to identify the real maladies. Mostly the citrus had not been maintained properly with a fertilization schedule, and appropriate pesticides and maintenance practices. If you suspect your citrus has a problem, get in touch with your appropriate UF/IFAS Extension service to get a proper diagnosis and treatment regime.
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| Sarah diagnosing a citrus |
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| nominal rust damage on orange |
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| Nutrient deficiency |
As for Citrus Greening, there are several improvements being made, including new citrus cultivars for our area that are tolerant. New maintenance practices have been developed for the homeowner and professional agriculturalist. See the presentation above for ideas.
The bottom line: do your research on new varieties that are citrus greening resistant and follow the proper maintenance routine to help them stay healthy.
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| catching some rays on a citrus tree |
