Plagues,
Pestilences and Diseases
Deadly Citrus Disease Confirmed in South Texas
100_0928 By: Cole Shooter
A deadly citrus tree disease responsible for destroying citrus
trees in Florida, Africa, Asia, and South America has been found
in Texas.
The Texas Department of Agriculture and the USDA Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service have confirmed their finding of citrus
greening, a destructive bacterial citrus disease.
The disease poses no threat to human health and does not damage
the fruit, but does do severe damage to the trees.
A section of Hidalgo County has been put under temporary emergency
quarantine, meaning that any plants that can host the disease and
are within a five-mile radius of the infected tree cannot be moved
from the quarantine area. Citrus fruit taken from trees in the
area cannot contain any leaves or debris before being taken from
the quarantine area as well.
“Recognizing other states and countries have dealt with citrus
greening for years, we have trained and prepared for this
possibility,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said.
“It is important to remember the oranges and grapefruit produced
in Texas are safe to eat.”
Citrus greening attacks the vascular system of plants, and there
is no cure for a tree once infected. The bacterium is transmitted
by an insect called the citrus psyllid. Other states with
confirmed citrus greening are Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and
South Carolina.
Symptoms of the disease include yellow shoots, twig dieback, tree
decline, and reduced fruit size and quality. Older leaves become
mottled or discolored, and the fruit drops off before ripening.
Citrus greening was first found in a tree in a commercial orange
grove in San Juan. Texas is the second-leading grapefruit
producing state in the country, and third in orange production