Management

Citrus Canker

  

Decontamination

  • Decontamination has been found to be effective for preventing the spread of citrus canker by human activity
  • Decontamination solutions kill the bacteria; therefore, reduce the spread of the bacteria
  • Decontamination is required by law upon exiting a citrus grove, but most growers require personnel and equipment to be decontaminated upon entering and exiting
  • It is required by the Citrus Health Response Program that employees have annual decontamination training
  • Trainings are available upon request from the University of Florida-IFAS (contact your local county extension agent)

Tree Removal

  • Tree removal is voluntary and is no longer enforced by the state of Florida.
  • In areas previously free of canker, the removal of infected citrus trees is recommended to slow disease establishment agent)

Defoliation and Pruning

  • Defoliants can reduce the inoculum levels in severely affected groves, but there are no approved defoliants for citrus. High rates of legal copper fungicides or fertilizers can be used.
  • Pruning is generally ineffective to control canker and should only be done under dry conditions in a selective manner.
  • Pruning can cause wounds that allow the bacterium to enter the tree

Windbreaks

  • Windbreaks have been proven to slow wind to below 18 mph (8 m/s) and to be highly effective in reducing the spread and severity of citrus canker.
  • They are more effective than copper alone as was demonstrated by Gottwald and Timmer (1995).
  • For more information on the selection of windbreaks, please visit Living and Artificial Windbreaks for Citrus
    Windbreaks and Copper Graphs

Copper Sprays

  • Copper is the only registered product for the prevention of citrus canker.
  • Use rates indicated on the label

Leafminer control