RS maintains greening-free status with monitoring actions

Rio Grande do Sul has stepped up its prevention efforts to maintain the status of a greening-free area (HLB) in citrus groves, following the confirmation of outbreaks of the disease in municipalities in western Santa Catarina. Since 2022, the state has been implementing a Contingency Plan that includes border inspection barriers, inspection of cargo and seedlings, and monitoring of the vector psyllid (diaphorina citri) in risk areas.

Between September 2024 and March 2025, 384 traps were installed in 77 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul, with biweekly collections and negative results to date. The goal is to increase the number of traps and municipalities served each year.

In addition to monitoring, a state regulation published in 2024 (IN 14/2024) began to require prior authorization for the entry of citrus seedlings and propagation materials from other states or abroad, reinforcing phytosanitary control in the region.

Symptoms of greening include yellow leaves, small and deformed fruits, bitter taste and death of plants. The Agriculture Department advises producers to regularly inspect their orchards and report any suspicions by email: vigifito@agricultura.rs.gov.br.

The State Plan for Exclusion and Contingency for HLB/Greening, created in 2023, follows guidelines from the Ministry of Agriculture to guarantee the protection of Rio Grande do Sul's citrus industry and prevent the disease from entering the state.