Fact Box: What is Citrus greening?
Citrus greening or Huanglongbing is a deadly disease of citrus which greatly affects the production of the fruits in several parts of India.
Causing agents:
- It is caused by motile bacteria, Candidatus Liberibac
ter
Symptoms:
- Yellowing of leaf veins and adjacent tissues
- Premature defoliation
- Dieback of twigs
- Decay of feeder rootlets and lateral roots.
- Infected fruits are small, lopsided with bitter taste, may fall prematurely
How does it spread?
- In India the bacteria are spread by a vector- the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri).
- It is a sap-sucking, hemipteran bug in the family, Psyllidae.
How can it be controlled?
- It can be managed by focus Integrated Pest Management (IPM) efforts using disease-free nursery trees, reducing infection sources (inoculum) by frequent surveys and diseased tree removal, and suppressing Asian citrus psyllid through area-wide management.
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Month: Current Affairs - June, 2013
Category: Science & Technology Current Affairs