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NEWS
More Citrus Canker Detected in Louisiana
October 5, 2016
Baton Rouge, La. (Oct. 5, 2016) – Citrus Canker was recently detected throughout Plaquemines Parish and two locations in St. John the Baptist Parish by the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Since multiple locations of the citrus disease were identified, all of Plaquemines Parish is pending federal and state quarantine for both citrus nursery stock and fruit.
Federal and state quarantines restrict the movement of regulated articles such as citrus trees and fruit out of the quarantined area.
Citrus Canker is a bacterial disease of citrus trees which was first identified in June of 2013 at City Park in New Orleans.
Citrus trees located within in the quarantined area which are to be sold outside of the quarantine, must be grown in a USDA APHIS approved structure. If citrus trees are not grown in a USDA APHIS approved structure, then those trees may only be sold within the quarantined area.
The current citrus canker quarantined areas include: parishes of St. Bernard and Orleans, and portions of Jefferson, Lafourche, St. Charles, and Plaquemines. In addition to the Plaquemines Parish finds, the recent finds in St. John the Baptist Parish have initiated a survey of the parish by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the USDA. Once the survey is completed, regulatory action will be taken in St. John the Baptist Parish.
Citrus fruit growers may sell fruit within the quarantined area, but may not move fruit outside of the quarantined area unless the fruit is treated with a USDA approved chemical treatment.
The disease is spread by wind driven rain and causes lesions on the leaves, stems and fruit. The fruit is still edible and is not harmful to humans.
If you believe your citrus trees have citrus canker, contact the LDAF Horticulture and Quarantine Programs office at 225-952-8100 or the USDA at 225-298-5410. For more information on citrus canker, contact LSU AgCenter Plant Pathologist Raj Singh at 225-578- 4562 or rsingh@agcenter.lsu.edu. For a citrus canker factsheet, visit www.LSUAgCenter.com.