San Marino Residents Asked to Treat Trees For Dangerous Pests

The Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program issued the following alert Wednesday:

State agriculture officials are calling on homeowners to self-treat backyard citrus trees to help protect citrus from a devastating insect called the Asian citrus psyllid.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has been trapping and treating for the Asian citrus psyllid since 2008 and is now calling on homeowners to take a more active role in the fight to save San Marino citrus. To maximize the effectiveness of its resources, the CDFA now has a heavier focus on treating the perimeters of the greater Los Angeles area to prevent the psyllid from spreading to other parts of California.

What is a Psyllid?

The Asian citrus psyllid is a tiny insect that feeds on the leaves and stems of citrus plants. The real danger lies in the plant disease psyllids can carry – Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. While not harmful to human health, HLB destroys the taste of citrus fruit and juice, along with the production, appearance and value of citrus trees. Once a tree is infected with the disease, there is no cure and the tree will eventually die. The pest, but not the disease, is confirmed to be in Imperial, San Diego, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties, sparking quarantines in those areas.

Tips for Homeowners

San Marino homeowners are asked to regularly inspect their backyard citrus for signs of the Asian citrus psyllid and to contact their local garden center or nursery to identify products that will help protect their trees from the pest.

“It is estimated that 70 percent of homeowners in the greater Los Angeles area have citrus trees in their backyards, which means San Marino residents play a crucial role inhelping to protect California’s beloved citrus trees,” said Ted Batkin, President of the California Research Board and participant in the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program.

The Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program is offering the following tips to homeowners:

·      Inspect your citrus trees each month or whenever watering, spraying, pruning or tending trees. It is especially important to inspect during active growth or flushing.

·      Buy citrus trees from reputable, licensed California nurseries.

·      Do not bring any plant material into California from other states or countries and don't move citrus plants out of quarantined areas, because they might be carrying psyllids.

·      Dry or double bag plant clippings before putting them in green waste recycle bins to avoid moving psyllids.

For more information and to find out what to look for, visit www.CaliforniaCitrusThreat.org.

If you think you have found a psyllid, act fast. Speak to your local garden center or nursery to identify the products that will help protect your citrus tree.

If you need to contact a nursery, is a local resource for San Marino residents.

Have you seen an Asian citrus psyllid? What do you think of residents being asked to step up and inspect and treat their own trees?