Citrus Canker

Citrus canker causes citrus leaves and fruit to drop prematurely, and results in lesions on citrus leaves, stems and fruit. Fruit infected with the bacterium that causes citrus canker (Xanthomonas axonopodis) is safe to eat, but it may not be marketable because of the lesions. While citrus canker is not harmful to people or animals, it can be found on numerous species of citrus and their hybrids. Hosts that are highly susceptible to the disease are grapefruit, Mexican lime, sweet lime, lemon and trifoliate orange. While not established in California, in 2022 citrus canker was confirmed in nursery stock in a South Carolina nursery. CDFA was notified that potentially exposed citrus nursery stock was purchased from the South Carolina nursery and shipped into California. CDFA collected all citrus nursery stock from the South Carolina nursery and removed and destroyed them. CDFA conducted a one square mile radius delimitation survey around each location where the nursery stock was received, and no citrus canker positive trees were detected.