By County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office
Sep. 17, 2024 | 11:24 AM
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The California Department of Food and Agriculture declared a new citrus quarantine in Fallbrook on Sept. 16 after detecting the fatal citrus tree disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, in one mandarin tree in a residential neighborhood in the Fallbrook area during regular inspections.
This bacterial disease is a major threat to San Diego County’s $138 million annual citrus crop and can impact residential citrus tree owners. HLB causes misshapen, bitter fruit and eventually kills infected trees. There are over 456 businesses that may be affected by the new quarantine, including over 100 growers with approximately 830 acres of commercial citrus, four commercial nurseries, and a farmer’s market in downtown Fallbrook.
