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HLB affects 30% of Hondura's citrus crops

30% of Hondura's citrus crops nationwide have been affected by the pest known as Huanglongbing (HLB), which could lead to drastic reductions in production and export volumes if no measures are taken to control the disease. 

The most affected area at the moment is Sonaguera, Colón. Experts warned that if the necessary measures to tackle the pest are not adopted, the losses could be catastrophic.

"The pest is advancing rapidly and may cause 100% of the crops to be lost. According to experts, so far about 30% of the national production has been affected. The disease is transmitted by the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter sp which originated in China. It lives in the phloem (veins) of the plant, where it manages to disrupt the normal flow of basic nutrients, which has an impact on the plant and fruit's growth, "said Víctor González Lauck, national research director of the Honduran Agricultural Research Foundation (Fhia). 

The researcher said that, in such circumstances, the collaboration of growers devoted to the cultivation of oranges, lemons, tangerines and grapefruit is essential. "Even if a producer is very careful with his/her plants, if the neighbour is not, the plants will always be in danger," said González Lauck.

Damage to crops 
Milton Palma, representative of Finca San Isidro, in La Lima, Cortés, said that the pest already attacked his crops and estimated his losses at more than 30,000 Lempiras ($ 1,600).

Javier Velasquez, agricultural health official of the International Organisation for Plant and Animal Health (Oirsa), said growers should remove any plants presenting symptoms of the disease to prevent it from spreading. He added that more than 20 million Lempiras ($ 1 million) are needed to fight the bacterium.

Alberto Bográn, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Cortés (CCIC), made a call to growers of Oirsa and Fhia to address this problem. "We need to develop programmes to learn how to control the pest; if not, citrus production will disappear," he warned. 

"We are working to establish strategies for the control, management and monitoring of the pest, as it has caused great havoc in countries like Mexico and Brazil. We must work to prevent that from happening here," said Roberto Paz, regional coordinator of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG). Paz stated that a nursery will be created for the growing of plants more resistant to the disease with the goal of protecting the sector's future.


Source: Laprensa.hn
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