The annual survey of the incidence of greening carried out by Fundecitrus indicates that the disease affects 30,81% of orange trees in the Duartina region, which encompasses important orange-producing cities such as Duartina, Ubirajara, Lucianópolis and Espírito Santo do Turvo. Although the incidence is considered high and is above the average for the citrus belt of São Paulo and Triângulo/Southwest Mineiro (20,87%), the number indicates a progressive stabilization, with no increase in the disease for the third consecutive year.
Greening is considered the worst citrus disease today and has no cure. It reduces the productivity of trees and its high destructive power is a threat to the sector, which has great economic and social importance for the Duartina region, whose orange production should represent approximately 30% of everything that will be harvested by the belt in this season.
The disease was identified for the first time in Brazil in the center of the citrus park, in 2004, where the Duartina region is located. The longer time of occurrence associated with local climatic conditions, which are favorable to the spread of greening practically throughout the year, has led to higher incidences.
Despite this, the adoption of rigorous internal management, carried out within the farms, combined with external management, carried out around the properties, led to the result – the region had the second highest participation rate in external management actions carried out in partnership with the Fundecitrus, 51,9% of the citrus commercial area.
External management is characterized by the replacement of uncontrolled citrus plants and myrtles located around commercial orchards with other fruit and ornamental species, which are not attractive to the insect that transmits greening, the psyllid – it uses attractive plants in backyards and sidewalks to feed and reproduce and then migrate to the orchards, making control difficult.
According to Fundecitrus agronomist Guilherme Rodriguez, the formation of groups of citrus growers to carry out external control was fundamental for the stabilization of the disease in the Duartina region, as by joining efforts it is possible to expand the area of activity, have greater availability of professionals and share the costs. Most of the farms that carry out external control in the region are part of groups.
“The essence of the union arose from contact between producers to carry out joint regional greening management, which later expanded to the entire citrus belt. Furthermore, the union between the links in the chain, such as the Department of Agriculture and Supply and the Coordination of Sustainable Rural Development [CDRS], in partnership with Fundecitrus, promoted lectures in schools and debates in City Councils seeking to amplify the topic for the community, a differentiator for the region”, says Rodriguez.
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