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Foreign Pest Major Concern For Local Citrus Growers

Written by KEYT Assignment Desk

Story Created: Mar 17, 2010 at 3:18 PM PST

Story Updated: Mar 17, 2010 at 5:26 PM PST

Saticoy, CA-- Citrus growers are worried about a disease that has devastated crops in Florida and Mexico.

So far, the insect that carried the disease has not been seen in Ventura county. However, it has been spotted as close as Van Nuys

Traps are now set up around the County for the Asian citrus psyllid, that can carry the deadly citrus greening disease.

The owner of Petty Ranch in Saticoy says, you should look for the pest under new leaves. The insect looks like a grain of brown rice and creates a waxy residue, similar in shape to elbow macaroni.

Ventura County's half a million dollar citrus crop employs 7,000 people every year, and agriculture officials are urging everyone, who has a citrus tree to report the insect immediately .

There is no way to kill the disease the insects carry, but there are pesticides that can kill the pest.
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