VISALIA, CA. The California citrus industry is taking a collective gasp after hearing a potentially deadly invasive pest made its way into a commercial grove in Ventura County.

The Asian citrus psyllid – an aphid-like insect that feeds on the leaves of citrus trees and other citrus-like plants – can be a carrier of a fatal citrus tree disease, Huanglongbing, also known as HLB or citrus greening disease. While not harmful to human health, HLB destroys production, appearance and value of citrus trees, and the taste of their fruit and juice. Once a tree is infected with the disease, there is no cure and the tree will eventually die. It is considered a death sentence for California citrus – both commercially as well as in urban areas where homeowners enjoy growing and eating their own citrus.

The discovery – in the La Conchita area of Ventura County – is the fourth commercial find in the state in the past year. Other finds include three in Imperial County, the most recent being last month near Calexico.

“As alarming as it is, we learned from other parts of the world this pest can travel quickly and easily,” said Ted Batkin, president of the California Citrus Research Board. “The research board is increasing its resources in the region to augment the state’s efforts in inspection and trapping.

“We’re all on alert. This serves as a reminder to the state, the industry and the science community that we must continue our aggressive efforts in finding this pest and mitigating its impact on our citrus.”

Alongside the commercial discoveries, urban areas – typically residential yards – in which the pest has been found include Yuma, Imperial, San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties, sparking a quarantine in those areas.

The pest and the disease have already caused devastation in Asia, India, parts of the Middle East, South and Central America, and Florida. The pest and the disease have also been found domestically in Louisiana, South Carolina and Georgia. In Florida, the psyllid and HLB are ravaging the citrus industry, destroying acres of trees and putting the state’s $9.3 billion citrus industry at risk. The insect pest, in the absence of disease, is also found in Hawaii, Texas and California.

“While all tests in California have thus far come back negative, it is only a matter of time as the disease migrates toward California,” Batkin said. “We feel we’re making great strides in our trapping and detection, and in our collaboration with national and international colleagues in working toward solutions to limit the affect of the pest and the disease. But this discovery in another commercial grove just tells us we have to take that diligence to an even higher level.”

Reports from South America show HLB is making its way to the U.S. border. At an October tri-national meeting of industry leaders, scientists and government officials from the U.S., Mexico and Belize, attendees learned of nearly one-third of the more than 6,000 tests in Belize have come back positive for HLB. Belize first discovered the pest in 2005 and presence of the disease last summer. In August 2009, HLB had been found in six citrus trees in El Cuyo, Mexico, which is located on the Yucatan peninsula and near the city of Merida. Merida is located several hundred miles north of Belize.

For more information and to find out what to look for, visit www.CaliforniaCitrusThreat.org. If you think you have found a psyllid, act fast and call the CDFA hotline at 800-491-1899.