- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
- Author: Anne Schellman
As part of our coverage of California Invasive Species Action Week, today we focus on a pair of invasive species that “work” together: an insect called the Asian citrus psyllid and the plant disease it can spread, huanglongbing.
Our long-time readers will know that we write about these pests quite a bit. That's because this pest pair has the potential of causing profound economic harm to the California citrus industry. So please read on and found out what you can do to help.
The Basics
The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is a very small flying insect that feeds on citrus plants...
- Author: Anne Schellman
- Contributor: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Did you know that every 60 days, a new and potentially damaging invasive species enters California?
California residents can help in the fight against invasive species by learning and participating next week (June 2-10) in the California Invasive Species Action Week.
What is an invasive species?
Invasive species are non-native plants, animals, or pathogens that can cause economic or environmental harm. These invading species can damage:
- Native plants and animals—especially those that are endangered
- Agriculture—both farming and ranching operations
- The...
Nutgrass, also called nutsedge, could easily be one of the top 5 nuisance weeds gardeners deal with in the garden and landscape. While we don't know that for sure, we do know that nutsedge is a very challenging weed to control.
Yellow and purple nutsedge are the two species most often found in California. Yellow nutsedge grows throughout the state, while purple nutsedge is found mostly in southern California.
Nutsedge is difficult to control because the plants form small underground tubers and rhizomes. Most of these tubers are found in the top six inches of the soil but can also be found even deeper. Removing the tubers by hand is the best way to remove small plants but may require continued monitoring and hand...
If you are puzzled by curling leaves on plants in your garden or landscape, you may need to do some detective work to figure out the cause. Curling leaves can be caused by many problems, including insect damage, disease, abiotic disorders, or even herbicides.
Insects
There are several insect pests that cause leaves to curl when they suck plant juices of new or young leaves that are still growing. These include aphids, thrips, and whiteflies.
Peach leaf...
San Luis Obispo County has seen more than 20 detections of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) since January 2018, according to Citrus Insider. The majority of these invasive insects have been found in the backyards of residential properties in the city of Nipomo.
If you haven't yet heard about this insect, Asian citrus psyllids can carry and spread the incurable citrus disease huanglongbing, also called HLB or citrus greening disease. Citrus trees infected with HLB develop mottled leaves and produce misshapen fruit that stays green and tastes bitter. There is currently no treatment for the disease, which usually kills trees within three to five years.
Due to these ACP finds, citrus growers in SLO County are on high alert,...