Greening, the new threat of the Spanish citrus

It is a bacterial disease transmitted by an insect, the Diaphorina citri, documented already in the Canary Islands and Galicia, which is the vector causing the disappearance of much of the citrus, before rich and now almost extinct in some countries of Asia . The Citrosol CEO, Benito Orihuel warned of its presence in the Iberian Peninsula during his talk as part of the technical sessions of Fruit Forum in the recently completed 2015 Fruit Attraction in Madrid.

“It is the great challenge facing the citrus industry faces today,” confirmed the scientific director of the Valencian company, specialist in post-harvest treatments.

In English this disease is known as Greening. The damage occurs are deformations on buds and fruit varied colorations. Disease reduces production and eventually kills the tree.

It has been detected in all Asian regions where citrus is grown, except in Japan: Outside Asia in Brazil, Florida, Texas and recently in California (USA), and in various parts of Mexico.

Today national strategy is not implemented to prevent its spread. Benito Orihuel emphasized that although insect and disease “that requires more humid climates Mediterranean, their possible adaptation to them in the future would be a danger of unimaginable proportions”.

Citrosol tools

Orihuel talk formed part of a forum organized jointly by the Polytechnic University of Cartagena and the National Research Institute and Agricultural and Food Technology, INIA. In this context, the company responsible for Potríes described Citrosol tools used to lengthen the shelf life of fruit in citrus shipments intercontinental nature, maintaining the highest standards of food safety.

Fresh citrus fruits are rotten sensitive products, chilling injury and physiological skin disorders. Benito Orihuel listed some of the solutions proposed Citrosol as its wax coating, the Zero Discharge system that allows an application of fungicide having maximum and constant efficiency without environmental dumping, or Citrocide system for washing and disinfection of fruits and vegetables. All products patented by the Valencian company.

Source: Citrosol