For the first time ever, a citrus tree disease known as the Citrus Yellow Vein Clearing Virus was found in the United States during a farm inspection in Tulare. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of the Citrus Yellow Vein Clearing Virus (CYVCV) on the Tulare farm.
The virus has never been found in the Americas before. CYVCV is untreatable and can cause significant economic loss and decrease in fruit production, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).
Citrus Research Board’s Chief Research Scientist Melinda Klein said that there is little information on how the nation or state will cure and address the virus, as it is so new to the region. Klein said APHIS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are taking the lead in investigating the virus instead of the state or county because it is a national concern, not just a local one.
Source: thesungazette.com