What to do if I have citrus greening?

[johnsonw]

So I purchased a blood orange earlier this year and planted it in my backyard. It produced quite a few flowers and I even got several fruit. However, later this year, I discovered yellowing leaves as well as small fruit that has turned yellow and fallen off the tree. After some research, I'm beginning to wonder if it has HLB / citrus greening (see attached pictures). What's interesting, however, is that most of what i've read indicates that symptoms don't appear for a couple of years. I'm seeing these symptoms the same year I planted the tree, which means it was probably infected before I bought it and just not showing any signs at the time of my purchase.

I was wondering if my tree is now a lost cause or if there is a way to still successfully get fruit. It looks like a grower named Maury Boyd has had some success with his trees by using a cocktail of nutritional supplements and pesticides. This tree has only been in my yard for almost a year and I would really like to save it. I have Bayer fruit systemic pesticide that I can apply to the roots as well as some horticulture oil. I also have a fish and kelp foliar spray that I can apply, but that's all I have at the moment. Can anyone point me to a resource that will help me treat the tree appropriately so that it might stand a chance? Thanks!

[LaCasaVerde]

too many variables here.
Young trees drop first fruits regularily  as they are not old enough to hold the fruit to maturity and decide to grow instead. You are also correct greening doesent appear overnight. Have you screened for the Asian citrus psyllid? If not please do. There are many online videos as to how to do this.  That being said, if purchased by a nursery or online nursery in Florida these young plants are soil drenched to slow the spread of the disease by killing the Asian Physilliad as it is the vector. The expiration time of the coverage is usually banded to the trunk of the tree. Not to say you cant get greening but this does diminish the odds a little. Your pics do not look like the disease to me as the leaf pattern is less circular spotted and discoloration appears more blotchy and crosses veigns in hlb.  Edges of leaves are catipillar damage The second pic looks like all the yellow leaves are more difficenty. HLB is more irregular from one side of the leaf to the other (visual symptoms)- those loof mostly yellow. Viens befome corky and raised.  Since you planted your citrus have you had any new growth? Often citrus will experience shock  andstop growing (sometimes up to 6-7 months for me). During this time period it is not uncommon to see leaf yellowing.If it IS  growing- have you fertilized?

In a nut shell. Clip a leaf and take to your local Agricultural  dept. Or call them and they will tell you where to take it. Greening must be tested in a lab to confirm its presence.

The only real way to know though is to have your local Agricultural dept test a leaf sample. If positive  confirmation Remove and Burn-
Anywhere the Asian Citrus psyllid is present the disease can spread.

[LaCasaVerde]

There is no treatment....  You can try these growers techniques for prolonging the decline of the specimin but in the end Ive never read where the bacteria is actually controled - then permantely repressed in the host. I also question keeping plants alive with this bacteria as those growers are allowing the psyliad to spread the disease from these already comprimised groves to others In my  personal research on the disease ive only seen that heating the tree to high temps had  killed the bacteria .  Im constantly on the watch for Greening here unfortunatley for us Florida growers  


On a better note- look closely at the pics on this link. It should take you to a slideshow showing greening symptoms on a leaf. I dont see that on your pics. Then again I could only see a few leaves.

http://cisr.ucr.edu/citrus_greening.html

If you cant tell for sure-  call as I mendioned earlier and take them a leaf.

Finally - I narrowed my selection to  imidacloprid systemic. I use Macho 2.0 for inground plants. You can decide- here is a good article to start  on recommended insecticides from California as I believe they have seen what has happened in Florida and give a wider range of selection-
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/r107304411.html

[Millet]

With a tree that is less than one year from a secure screened nursery I doubt that the tree has HLB.  It is too early too show symptoms of HLB. 
However, your tree could well have a mineral deficiency.  Further, it is quite common, even normal,  for a one year old citrus tree to drop fruit before they grow to maturity. A young Florida grown citrus trees should receive 6 light applications of fertilizer equally spaced apart during their first year.  Did you give your tree that care? - Millet

[bsbullie]

Has anybody used this with controlled results?

https://sunbeltresearch.com/product/c-s-s-citrus-spray-solution-gallon/

[Millet]

It claims to cure everything, even viral diseases. - Millet