Just thought you all might like to know what is going on now.
They have found CG on three trees downtown. There was an article in the paper on Monday about it and they have had it in the news.
The USDA is currently going door to door in downtown Charleston looking for sick trees.
I have started the move of the expo to Cypress Gardens, I HAD to get it out of Charleston County. Let's hope the Expo happens BEFORE they discover either the ACP or CG in Berkeley County!
I have also gotten word that one of the homeowners that has an infected tree is planning on suing about having the tree destroyed.
Darren

I can understand the greening when you take into acount the proximity of SC to Fla.............As far as suing the USDA over the destruction of a citurs tree..............its been tried before and guess who will win that one.....much as it should be...........the USDA is charged with doing what is prescribed to them as eradication of disease through eradication of diseased trees and the destruction of the ACP...............guess we will all have to suffer in one form or another...let us hope that some good comes of the hassel and the heartache............David

Citrus Greening cannot be stopped, it will only be a matter of time. Might as well put our efforts in trying how to live with it. Our company has very promising trials in learning how to live with the disease and still getting the same quality fruits in parts of the Philippines and the tree living normally even if infected. There are other alternatives aside from our approach, and to still have our beloved citruses, it is going to cost the citrus industry slightly more, one way or another, but it is not hopeless as in losing the entire industry.

What make Greening so difficult to control, is that a diseased tree shows no symptoms for the first couple years. During this time, phyllids, going from tree to tree can transfer the disease from the diseased tree to many other trees before any sign of sickness begins to show up. Now instead of one or two trees sick, there could by ten times, or more, with greening from just one psyllid insect. -Millet (1,354-)

When one citrus tree shows signs, it is often already too late for the other trees around it even if they don't show any symptoms. Many tropical citrus orchards often lasts only 5 years then they die out.

One key component is to start off an orchard with certified uninfected trees, then undergo a prevention and reinvigorating program for your citrus trees.

Sometimes, simple approaches to intercropping and Integrated Pest Management without the use of synthetic proprietary chemicals will enable the orchard to last more than 15 years and going in the middle of citrus greening infested area.

The whole problem here is that the USDA did nothing to prevent this disease from moving out of FL. To this day there are no signs posted in most FL informing the public that it is illegal to move citrus out of the state. I can guarantee that this was brought into Charleston on a infected tree from FL.

Here is a link to our city paper. http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/may/04/disease_could_devastate_crops80977/

Heres a quote from the the article.

Quote:

Plant disease inspectors will start going door to door Tuesday in downtown Charleston, looking at backyard orange and lemon trees for signs of a disease that could wipe out the nation's citrus crop if it gets out of the city.

Now there is a reporter that has not done a bit of research on the subject.

Hey Laaz,
I actually sent a letter (E-mail) to Mr. Dave Munday the guy that wrote the article. He left a bunch of stuff out, like telling people not to move trees out of Charleston County. Not to be bringing trees in from Florida and a few other things.
I tried to explain to him that people are going to get worried that their tree might be or is infected and try to move it to a friends house in Dorchester or Berkeley county. Then the disease is really getting around.
The Clemson Extension agent, Amy Dabbs, was on the news talking about it. They interviewed her for about 15 minutes and used about 10 seconds. She was not happy and neither was I. She didn't even want to do the interview, she tried to get them to come talk to me but I was not on "Payroll" and would not be considered credible.
I have contacted the USDA and they will be coming to my house sometime in a week or so to check on my plants. I know they all look good right now, I am actually not worried.
Darren

Newspaper people are notorious for getting the facts wrong. Most of the time the reporters I see assigned to these stories are young people that don't really have the time, or experience, to do a thorough job. I always take their stories with a grain of salt.

It is my understanding that the USDA is bringing 6 experienced USDA inspectors out of Florida to survey trees in SC, and that they will begin with Charleston County. I was also told that in SC, if you want your citrus tree inspected, you should call to call the "Citrus Greening Hotline", at 843-746-2950.

I often travel to Florida where we have a daughter. The citrus trees are still sold there as Lazz mentions. I could be wrong, but I believe control (of lack of control) of this problem lies with the state. I don't believe the USDA has control over tree movement until the tree crosses the state line. At this point, trucks, trailers and vans are supposed to be inspected at Florida Ag inspection stations. I sometimes pass through the one on I-95, and can tell you that I can’t remember having seen anyone looking into a vehicle or trailer, mine included. It would be impossible to check each POV, and for that matter, physically check every commercial vehicle. If you have ever drove down I-95, and observed the number of trucks, vans and trailers on the road, you would understand why. Inspecting each truck would cause the biggest traffic jam you ever saw. Lastly, it is only a hunch, but I have the feeling that Florida really has no interest in controlling the sale of these trees.

I do have hopes that the USDA, and state authorities here, can at least slow the spread of the disease. I know that the people in SC are dedicated individuals who, under the circumstances, seem to be doing a good job.

It is true that signs of greening do not show up for some time after the tree is infected, but samples of trees and psyllids near the infected trees can be tested to determine if, and how far, the disease has spread. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that it was found early enough to keep it from gaining a foothold in SC.

One thing that gives me a little cause to be hopeful is that I haven’t heard of it having spread further in Orleans and Washington parishes in Louisiana. Anyone else heard anything in this regard?

Ned

Folks in Charleston County or I guess anywhere in SC can also go to this website to have their trees checked:

http://www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/plant_industry/invasive_exotic_programs/citrus_greening.html

Darren

NED--"One thing that gives me a little cause to be hopeful is that I haven’t heard of it having spread further in Orleans and Washington parishes in Louisiana. Anyone else heard anything in this regard? "

Based on the USDA National map--they are still showing just 2 parishes in LA as having Greening.

Good Darren, I wasn't aware of that link.

Skeeter, I wonder if it has spread beyond the orginal findings? If they have destoryed the infectied trees found initially, and no other have been discovered, that would be great news.

Also, I found this interesting: http://www.growingproduce.com/floridagrower/?storyid=1534

I agree with JoeReal
Citrus Greening cannot be stopped once it is on continent, (it is same for many kind of tree diseases),
I really do not understand tactic of your inspectors, judging by numbers of hew down citrus trees during last 50 years in fights against some diseases in USA (milions and milions trees) I think the most dangerous and lethal citrus tree disease is named "USDA agent with chainsaw".
Imagine in Japan - they grow citrus trees for centuries and also they have all kind of citrus tree diseases, but they still have strong citrus industry and you can find many very very old trees there.
I live in Slovakia and we have many kinds of diseases on pears, apples, peaches atc. but we never do killing programs ( like that mentioned above). We try to learn diseases, cure them or produce resistent trees or rootstock, but you will never find resistent tree if you hew down healthy trees in range around infected trees (like I read somewhere in this forum).
Because when there is healthy tree midst ill trees, most likely it could by resistent tree - hope for breeding.
PS.: I apologize for my english.

Very good point Radoslav! In fact the USDA and some other farmers are scouting some naturally resistant trees in abandoned orchards in Florida. They same as they do in Brazil and China.

In the Philippines for example, we learned the longevity of the citrus orchard when citrus greening hit one of the trees, and we know how to prolong the longevity of the citrus orchards using various techniques. Recognizing such effect, growers can plan around the disease, prepare for it, and refine their techniques to manage the disease. It may not even be close to 50% protection for all cultivars, but then not all cultivars are suited locally anyway and locals have to live with the citrus types that they can grow. All of these means more work and it will be no longer easy money.

Considering that many of our hobbyists here are pushing the envelope of where we can grow citruses beyond their normal range and how we care for them, the citrus greening disease is just one of the problems we have to learn to manage. Eradicating it is an impossible task. We have to learn our lessons with citrus canker, that after millions of trees cut down, it was a hopeless battle.

The confluence of factors in the current times, with rapid movement and shipment of goods, along with climatic changes (what ever caused the climatic changes I don't care, but it is here upon us ), it will only be a matter of time in California. I am ready to deal with the disease if it ever comes my way.

Skeet, I want you to observe the effect of AZ41 on citrus canker. We have very encouraging studies in the Philippines. I've learned we can display third party scientific studies in our website as long as we don't claim those properties in our products.

We don't have citrus canker or greening here in NW Florida--I think the closest case of Canker is about 8 hr drive from here. I am much more worried about greening--in fact we are closer to the greening in LA and ACP to the west in AL and MS.

Actually, I don't believe it was USDA policy that cut trees in Florida. As far as I know that was state policy, and was carried out by state agents.

Stopping the spread of canker by destorying trees, as Florida did, did not work. They finally recognize the fact and have discontinued the practice. I for one, don't believe they should be faulted for trying.

The USDA regulates the movement of trees and fruit across state lines, and works with state agents to control diseases within the individual states. The USDA performs an important job in this county, and should be commended for it. Have they made mistakes? Who hasn't? Only those who stand aside and do nothing.

Here are but two USDA programs that everyone in the USA (especially the South) can all be thankful for. I am old enough to remember the screwworm, and I can tell you that the sight of them at work could turn your stomach, not to mention devastate valuable livestock herds. I don't remember the bowl weevil, because when I came along, cotton was no longer a viable crop in the South.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boll_weevil

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw_worm


Ned