Sacramento, California - An additional portion of San Luis Obispo County has been placed under quarantine for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) following the detection of one psyllid within the City of Arroyo Grande, in the Highlands area.  The quarantine expansion adds 32 square miles, bringing the total quarantine area in San Luis Obispo County to 275 square miles.  The 32 square mile expansion is bordered on the north by Los Padres National Forest; on the south by the Southern Pacific Railroad; on the west by Georgia Avenue; and on the east by Villa Creek. 

A link to the quarantine map may be found here: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/go/acp-qmaps.

The quarantine prohibits the movement of citrus and curry tree nursery stock out of the quarantine area and requires that all citrus fruit be cleaned of leaves and stems prior to moving out of the quarantine area.  An exception may be made for nursery stock and budwood grown in USDA-approved structures that are designed to keep ACP and other insects out.  Residents with backyard citrus trees in the quarantine area are asked not to transport citrus fruit or leaves, potted citrus trees, or curry leaves from the quarantine area.

ACP county-wide quarantines are now in place in Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura counties, with portions of Fresno, Kern, Madera, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo and Santa Clara counties also under quarantine.

The ACP is an invasive species of grave concern because it can carry the disease huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening.  All citrus and closely related species, such as curry trees, are susceptible hosts for both the insect and disease.  There is no cure once a tree becomes infected, the diseased tree will decline in health and produce bitter, misshaped fruit until it dies.  HLB has been detected just once in California – in 2012 on a single residential property in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County.  This plant disease does not affect human health.

Residents in the area who think they may have seen ACP or symptoms of HLB on their citrus trees are urged to call CDFA’s Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899.  For more information on the ACP and HLB, please visit: www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/acp .