The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Mexico reinforced technical and outreach actions in the border area of Tamaulipas to prevent the spread of citrus bacterial canker (CBC), as part of the Comprehensive Agronomic Plan of the Government of Mexico to protect national citrus production and guarantee the supply of these essential fruits for the diet of the population.

Through a bilateral effort between the National Agro-alimentary Health, Safety and Quality Service (Senasica) of Mexico and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (APHIS-USDA), specialists apply plant health measures that mainly benefit citrus producers, as well as residents on both sides of the border who have commercial backyard fruit trees or orchards.

In northern Tamaulipas — Matamoros, Reynosa, Río Bravo, San Fernando, and Valle Hermoso — technical staff from Senasica and APHIS are exploring backyards in urban areas to detect trees that show symptoms of infection with Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, the bacterium that causes citrus bacterial canker.

The collaboration of the inhabitants of the area is essential, since trained staff must enter homes to check citrus trees, detect the disease and take samples for diagnosis in authorized laboratories. To facilitate this interaction, the staff comes properly uniformed, with official identification and in pick-up vehicles (red or white) with logos of the plant health authorities.

To date, 6,425 backyards have been explored in 36 municipalities of Tamaulipas and 474 positive trees have been located.

CBC is a disease of quarantine interest that affects lemon, orange, grapefruit, and lime trees. It can lead to the gradual death of branches and premature fall of leaves and fruits, as well as reducing the commercial value due to visible damage to leaves, branches and peel. Symptoms include pimple-like lesions or brown crusts on leaves, branches, stems, and fruits. The pest spreads quickly through infected plant material or high winds.

The only way to stop its advance is to eliminate infected trees, under procedures controlled by plant health specialists.

Mexico ranks fifth in the world in citrus production, with almost 640 thousand hectares cultivated in 28 states.

Currently, the CBC is only present in backyards of a confined area in northern Tamaulipas and is in the process of eradication, which is why the collaboration of the owners is required.