"In a worrisome development for citrus growers in California, or anybody there who has a beloved lemon or orange tree in the yard, the citrus disease huanglongbing, or citrus greening, has been found in southeastern Los Angeles County, the California Department of Food and Agriculture reports. It's the first time the disease, one of the most serious scourges of citrus, has been reported in the state."
"'It's a gut shot,' Joel Nelsen, president of industry group California Citrus Mutual, said in a telephone interview. 'We've been looking for this, and unfortunately we've found it.'
The disease is caused by a bacterium that is thought to have originated in China and is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, a pest that feeds on citrus trees and other plants. The bacteria attack the trees' phloem, or vascular tissue, preventing the transport of nutrients. Once infected, trees die within about five years; despite years of research, there is no known cure or treatment for the disease.
Found in Florida in 2005, the disease has already killed millions of trees and devastated growers throughout the state. The University of Florida estimates that citrus greening has caused the loss of 6,600 industry jobs and erased $3.6 billion in revenue."
Douglas M. Main reports for the New York Times' Green blog April 17, 2012.
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