Citrus Canker Eradication Program

 

Contents:

This page provides selected articles on the citrus canker eradication program. This webpage provides supporting documents to Chapter 1: Citrus Canker Eradication Program. The eradication program began in October 1995 and ended on January 10, 2006.

Chapter 1 covers a brief summary of prior attempts at eradication citrus canker and the 1900-ft policy as implemented in year 2000. A breakdown of the cost of eradication, number of trees destroyed, and the organizations involved in the program are discussed in Chapter 1.

Related Chapters: Chapter 1

Key FDACS Documents

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) provides very sparce information on citrus canker, as far more worse citrus diseases and pest have been discovered.

Citrus Canker FAQ

Citrus Pests and Diseases

Citrus Canker Comprehensive Report (pdf file)

Citrus Health Response Program (CHRP)

Related websites:

International Society of Citriculture

American Phytopathological Society

Includes Phytopathology, Plant Disease, Plant Management Network journals.

(1) Program Ends

January 10, 2006 Chuck Conners, Deputy Secy of Agriculture, declares eradication infeasible.

January 11, 2006 Bronson concurs with the USDA.

(2) Links on the Program

FDACS Comprehensive Report on Tree Removals

This report is unfortunately not comprehensive. It does not provide details on how many positive trees were found in nurseries and groves. It does not breakout the removals year so we don't know how many positive and exposed trees were destroyed in the 125-ft period (1995- Jan 2000) and in the 1900-ft policy.

Difficulties with inspecting properties in urban Florida (Harvester article, interview with FDACS/DPi Director Richard Gaskalla)


USDA-APHIS April 1999 Environmental Assessment Report

Page 2 of this report states, "A localized outbreak of bacterial citrus canker in Manatee County in 1994 was declared eradicated, but no funding was provided despite a recommendation from the USDA and FDACS for further surveillance of high risk areas."

 

Key documents on the epidemic and eradication program:

Karen M. Jetter, Daniel A. Sumner and Edwin L. Civerolo, Ex ante Economics of Exotic Disease Policy: Citrus Canker in California, Draft copy, Dec 7, 2000.

Dr. Civerolo likely wrote the section of the biological aspects of citrus canker, given his background and affiliation with the USDA/ARS.

May/June 2000, Search and Destroy, Florida Steps up the War on Citrus Canker, Harvester, Florida Fruit and Vegatable Association.

Interview with Richard Gaskalla. Problems with backyard inspections include overgrown yards, dogs, locked gates. It is stated that "we're lucky to get 25 properties inspected a day." About half do not have any citrus trees.

Also Mr. Gaskalla claims about 90% accuracy, but samples are not normally taken and tested in a laboratory.

Articles by Department, USDA and UF/IFAS Scientists involved in the Eradication Program

Gottwald, T.R.,, 2000, Citrus Canker, American Phytopathological Society.

Gottwald, T.R et al, The Pathogen and Its Impact

Schubert, et al., Meeting the Challenges of Eradicating Citrus Canker in Florida- Again.

Graham et al. , Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri: factors affecting successful eradication of citrus canker

These articles provide an understanding of the biological aspects of citrus canker.

A 2014 article by Dr. Gottwald, with a discussion of citrus canker and citrus greening, and includes more recent advances in control of both these diseases, is provided in the link below.

Gottwald, T.R., 2014, Citrus disease with global ramifications including citrus canker and huanglongbing.

I take issue with the articles authored by Dr. Gottwald on the long distance pathogen dispersal. The dissemination of citrus canker and program history from a different perspective are discussed in my book: Florida's Citrus Canker Epidemic: Pieces of a Puzzle..

Lowe, D., 2009, Current Situation, Management and Economic Impact of Citrus Canker in Florida

The 2009 article states that the total program cost exceeds 1.3 billion dollars. I understood the lime groves acreage in Homestead were reduced by 50%, but Mr. Lowe corrects me. There are no more lime groves as of year 2009 according to the author.

Also, the maps presented in this article, show sections where citrus canker has been previously discovered. A section is one square mile. If one citrus tree has been discovered anytime in the past, then the entire section is considered positive, even though the positive tree and surrounding trees were eradicated during the program. This is particularly true of Miami-Dade area where there was massive eradcation of residential citrus trees.

In sum, the maps do not provide information of where active infected trees existed in the year referenced in the map. Nor do they provide information where citrus trees exist today.

Short Notes:

These notes extend discussion within my book. They generally follow the chapters in the book. A complete list of notes are provided on a separate page under "Short Notes and Quotes." See links in Menu.

Chapter 1 - The Citrus Canker Eradication Program

SN 1.1 Why this website?

SN 1.2 Dr. Whiteside's Contribution to Citrus Canker Research

SN 1.3 Risk Assessment Group and Task Force

SN 1.4 A Summary of Worldwide Incidences of Citrus Canker

SN 1.5 Okeechobee Saga

SN 1.6 What is an exposed tree?

SN 1.7 Eradication Delays and Related Statistics

SN 1.8 Overwhelming emotions by Patricia Haire

SN 1.9 Citrus Canker and Giant Swallowtails by Roger Hammer

Chapter 2: Four Decades of Eradication Programs

SN 2.1 Additional Notes on Canker War I