Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #138799
Title: CITRUS CANKER: THE PATHOGEN AND ITS IMPACT

Author
item Gottwald, Timothy
item GRAHAM, JAMES - UNIV OF FLORIDA
item SCHUBERT, TIM - FDACS, DPI

Submitted to: APS Net Plant Pathology Online
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2002
Publication Date: 8/12/2002
Citation: Gottwald, T. 2002. Citrus Canker: The Pathogen and Its Impact. APSNET Plant Pathology Online.

Interpretive Summary: The publication represents a review of citrus canker article published both on the web and in an electronic refereed scientific journal. Citrus canker is an introduced plant disease, the eradication of which has received considerable press attention and legal challenges, has produced far-reaching political and socioeconomic impact in Florida, and has implications for national and international trade. The history and distribution of the disease in Florida and worldwide are discussed as are its symptomology, infection process, host range and effect on crop loss. The diversity of canker strains, their identification, diagnosis and characterization are explained in detail. The epidemiology of the disease and the development of control and eradication strategies and the development of sampling methods for detection/delimiting the disease based on the epidemiological findings are discussed for the US and other areas of the world where canker in under eradication/suppression. The social, political, and legal issues that surround the citrus canker eradication program are presented as are a brief history or regulatory policy decisions and their effect on the epidemic.

Technical Abstract: Increasing international travel and trade have rendered US borders more porous and dramatically increased the risk of introductions of invasive plant pests into agricultural crops. Currently in Florida, one such invasive species is Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac), a bacterial plant pathogen that causes Asiatic citrus canker. Citrus canker is an introduced plant disease, the eradication of which has received considerable press attention and legal challenges, has produced far-reaching political and socioeconomic impact in Florida, and has implications for national and international trade. The history and distribution of the disease in Florida and worldwide are discussed as are its symptomology, infection process, host range and effect on crop loss. The diversity of canker strains, their identification, diagnosis and characterization are explained in detail. The epidemiology of the disease and the development of control and eradication strategies and the development of sampling methods for detection/delimiting the disease based on the epidemiological findings are discussed for the US and other areas of the world where canker in under eradication/suppression. The social, political, and legal ramification on regulatory policy relative to citrus canker are discussed also.