Laserfiche WebLink
1) Citrus canker, 2) Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), 3) <br />Sugarcane pests, and 4) Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus <br />(TYLCV). <br />Extent. Best available data do not indicate that there have <br />been incidents of agricultural pests and diseases in Indian <br />River County or the municipalities. <br />o. Citrus Canker and Citrus Greening — Hazard Identification. <br />Citrus canker was found in Dade County in 2005, and by 2008 <br />it had spread to 32 counties with Florida. Citrus canker is a <br />bacterial disease of citrus that causes premature leaf and fruit <br />drop. It affects all types of citrus, including oranges, sour <br />oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, lemons, and limes. Symptoms <br />found on leaves and fruit are brown, raised lesions surrounded <br />by an oily, water -soaked area and a yellow ring or halo (Indian <br />River County Agriculture Forum, 2009). <br />There is no known chemical compound that will destroy the <br />citrus canker bacteria. In order to eradicate the disease, <br />infected trees must be cut down and disposed of properly. It is <br />a highly contagious disease that can be spread rapidly by <br />windborne rain, lawnmowers and other landscaping <br />equipment, animals and birds, people carrying the infection on <br />their hands or clothing, and moving infected or exposed plants <br />or plant parts. <br />Citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing (HLB) or yellow <br />dragon disease is one of the most serious citrus diseases in <br />the world. It is a bacterial disease that greatly reduces <br />production, destroys the economic value of fruit, and can kill <br />trees. It has significantly reduced citrus production in Asia, <br />Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Brazil. Once infected, there <br />is no cure for a tree with citrus greening disease. In areas of <br />the world where citrus greening is endemic, citrus trees decline <br />and die within a few years. The disease specifically attacks <br />citrus plants and presents no threat to humans or animals. <br />P. Mediterranean Fruit Fly — Hazard Identification. Another <br />threat to Indian River County's agriculture industry is the <br />Medfly. It is one of the world's most destructive pests and <br />infests more than 250 different plants that are important for <br />U.S. food producers, homeowners, and wildlife. It is <br />considered the greatest pest threat to Florida's $1.5 billion <br />Indian River County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Basic Page 53 <br />