St. Mary OKs Atchafalaya Construction
July 15, 2008
Rickie J. Harris
July 17, 2008
In an effort to educate the public on the Asian citrus psyllid recently found in Lafourche Parish, the LSU AgCenter is sponsoring an educational meeting to discuss its current situation.
The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 22, at the Agricultural Fair Building located on Texas Street behind Raceland Upper Elementary, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
According to Bobby Fletcher Jr., South Central/Crescent Region Area Agent, the goal of the meeting is to inform residents about the insect and disease and to discuss current recommendations on control management options.
The Asian citrus psyllid is on a quarantined list of pests. The disease it may cause, citrus greening, or huanglongbing (HLB), is on a list of quarantined diseases.
While he would not say where it was found, Department of Forestry Director Craig Roussel said residents have nothing to worry about.
“It was only found on one plant at the retail center,” he stressed. “It’s not a major concern because we haven’t found any on plants planted in the ground in the parish. The plant was properly disposed of; it appears to be the only one.”
The tiny insect is only three or four centimeters long and is the spreader of the disease. The disease, HLB, can prevent citrus fruit from ripening and ultimately kill the tree. Grafting with diseased budwood and feeding habits of diseased Asian citrus psyllids spread HLB.
According to Roussel, in Orleans Parish, where the insect was more common, the proper actions were taken to destroy the pest.
“We found some on a tree,” Roussel said. “(The tree) was cut down and also properly disposed of.”
The state DAF and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) inspectors are continuing to survey south Louisiana for the insect and citrus greening.
Commercial and hobbyist citrus growers in parishes where the psyllid is found will need to comply with a special treatment program to prevent the spread of the insect before the sale of those plants outside the parishes is allowed.
Citrus is a $6.4 million commercial agriculture industry in Louisiana.
For more information on the meeting or other horticultural topics contact Fletcher at (985) 446-1316 or by email at bhfletcher@agctr.lsu.edu.
More information can also be made available on the LSU AgCenter Web site at www.lsuagcenter.com.
