Citrus greening disease found in Ramona

RAMONA — The California Department of Food and Agriculture declared a new citrus quarantine in Ramona this week after two citrus trees in a residential area tested positive for Huanglongbing, a citrus greening disease.

It is the first HLB quarantine in the Ramona area and adds to existing quarantines in Oceanside, Rancho Bernardo, Valley Center and Fallbrook.

“Valuable lessons from Florida’s devastating HLB experience have shaped the way California regulates and responds to citrus threats,” Agricultural Commissioner Ha Dang said. “So far, this has helped limit the HLB destruction of California’s citrus industry.”

A key point of the quarantine includes protecting the region’s food supply by restricting people and businesses from moving citrus nursery stock, plant parts and fruit outside the quarantine boundaries, according to officials.

HLB is not harmful to people or animals, but is deadly to citrus and “could be devastating to the county’s citrus industry.” Officials said HLB is a major threat to the county’s $144 million annual citrus crop that could affect residential citrus tree owners.

HLB is spread by tiny insects, the Asian citrus psyllid, carrying the bacteria when they feed on citrus trees. Samples from trees on the property where HLB was confirmed were undergoing additional tests for the disease, county officials said.

Signs of infected trees may include areas with mottled-yellow leaves, asymmetrical fruit, which is parti...