After inspection, citrus grower from São Paulo has until July 15th to submit Cancro-Greening report

With the aim of understanding the reality of São Paulo's orchards, the Agricultural Defense Coordination (CDA) of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply (SAA) informs citrus producers that the canker/greening report must be delivered by July 15th. The document must be sent through the computerized Animal and Plant Defense Management system (Gedave) and must contain the results of quarterly inspections for citrus canker and Greening carried out between January 1st and June 30th, 2024 on all citrus plants on the property .

“We are approaching the end of June, that is, the end of the period for citrus growers to carry out inspections in their orchard. Even though the report can be delivered by July 15th, inspections must be carried out by June 30th, thus covering the period of the first half of 2024”, explains Veridiana Zocoler de Mendonça, agronomist and manager of the State Health Program of Citrus.

The delivery of reports with real data allows the Agricultural Defense technical team to have accurate information about the dispersion and incidence of diseases, enabling better targeting of phytosanitary defense actions and public policies.

With the publication of Ordinance Mapa nº 317, of May 21, 2021, which establishes the National HLB Prevention and Control Program (PNCHLB), the elimination of symptomatic plants became mandatory only for orchards aged eight or less years. Psyllid control, however, is mandatory in all orchards, regardless of age.

In the State of São Paulo, delivery of the report is mandatory for all producers regardless of the age of the plants and delay or non-delivery subjects the producer to the sanctions provided for in State Decree No. 45.211, of September 19, 2000.

Citrus canker

Citrus canker is caused by the bacteria Xanthomonas citri pv. citrus which attacks all varieties and species of citrus, causes lesions on leaves, fruits and branches and, when in high incidence, causes defoliation and fruit fall.

Since 2017, with the publication of Resolution of the Ministry of Agriculture (Mapa) nº 4, of March 22, the state of São Paulo has been recognized as an area under the Risk Mitigation System (SMR) for citrus canker. This procedure makes it possible to adopt phytosanitary measures with the aim of reducing the pest's inoculum potential and maintaining an appropriate level of protection against the disease, enabling the sale of symptom-free fruits both on the domestic and international markets.

HLB (greening)

Greening is caused by bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter spp., and spread by the psyllid (diaphorina citri). The disease affects all citrus plants, and there is no cure: once contaminated, it is not possible to eliminate the bacteria from the plant, which acts as a source of inoculum for contamination of other plants. Greening is today the disease that most threatens citrus farming in the world.