Florida’s citrus industry is facing serious threats from an Asian insect. The insect can be a carrier of bacteriathat attack citrus trees. The spread of the bacteria shows the danger of bringing non-native organisms to American soil.
Florida’s citrus growers are world famous for their production of oranges, lemons, limes and other citrus fruit. But now they are burning orange trees damaged by a brown insect called psyllid. The insect comes from Asia and carries what the Chinese call the “yellow dragon disease”.
Bacteria from the insects block the capillary system inside the trees. Slowly, the trees choketo death. The fruit from the diseased trees is small. It falls off the tree, and the tree eventually dies.
No citrus-growing countries have developed a cure. Farmer Ellis Hunt is very worried. In his words, “when you spend the money to raise it, and get it almost there, and it turns loose and hits the ground, that’s …a disaster. That’s heartbreaking”.
Florida’s $9-billion citrus growing industry is second only to Brazil. It is fighting foreign competition and a drop in sales in the United States. Sales are decreasing because Americans are avoiding sugar and carbohydratesfor health reasons. The citrus industry’s 75,000 jobs depend on finding a cure to the disease.