ACP Spreads in Tulare
County, Encroaches on Kern and Fresno Counties; Quarantine Expected
We will keep you updated.
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| Marilyn Kinoshita, Tulare Ag Commissioner |
By Laurie Greene, Associate Editor
TODAY, Tulare County
Agricultural Commissioner, Marilyn Kinoshita told California Ag Today that
three new Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) discoveries were found on Sharpshooter
yellow sticky traps on commercial groves in the county.
An
ACP was found in each of Lemon Cove and Farmersville, located east of Visalia,
and the third in Richgrove, in the south end of the County. Kinoshita was
notified last Thursday night and the CDFA laboratory in Sacramento positively
identified the ACPs on Friday.
Since
the traps are pulled monthly, the dates and times of entrapment are unknown.
Kinoshita
expects to receive the Pest Damage Reports in 1 to 2 days.
According
to standard protocol, after the official identification is made, the state
draws an 800-meter radius for containment and eradication, and a 5-mile radius typically using roads as boundary markers for the quarantine. Kinoshita’s staff members review the boundaries for any adjustments, and then the CDFA reviews the plan and
issues a Quarantine press release.
The
quarantine established for the last discovery (a residence in Dinuba) took three
weeks to process; this discovery may take eight days, per Kinoshita.
Effective
measures for eradication used in Tulare County include foliar and systemic insecticides
and an area-wide approach within the 800-meter site that includes residences
and commercial sites. Kinoshita believes the pests in Tulare County can be
eradicated when they occur, and she does not expect any natural predator
program to be initiated in Tulare County in the next few years.
These
ACP findings are significant because this is the first ACP encroachment into
Kern County, the findings create one large contiguous region, plus they reach an
area near Dinuba that extends into Fresno County. The findings may portend spreading
to Merced and Stanislaus County citrus groves, and possibly to Bay Area citrus
nurseries. Wherever labor moves from location to location and where packing sheds,
bulk product destinations and juices plants are located, these areas are
susceptible to an influx of ACP.
Watch for updates.
Labels: ACP Encroaches on Kern and Freno Counties, ACP Quantine Expands, Expanded Tulare Quarantine, Marilyn Kinoshita reports three new ACP discoveries, New ACP Findings in Tulare County
