The Plant Protection Directorate has identified Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV)-infected trees in Xagħra and along the Marsalforn route in Gozo. CTV impacts citrus trees, causing decline, reduced fruit yield, and potential tree death, particularly in those grafted onto sour orange rootstock. Symptoms include yellowing leaves, stunted growth, stem pitting, and poor fruit quality. The virus is transmitted through aphids and infected budwood, with no cure available once a tree is infected.
The Government Gazette indicates that areas within 500m of the detected virus will undergo contingency measures due to the threat CTV poses to citrus trees in the Maltese Islands. Infected trees will be tagged by Plant Protection Directorate officials and subsequently destroyed. Owners of CTV-infected trees will receive written notification regarding the destruction schedule. The destruction process involves uprooting, cutting, and burning the trees at a designated location under the supervision of the Monitoring and Control Unit.
According to Dennis Sciberras, head of the Plant Protection Directorate, CTV is common in Malta, with isolated detections in garden centers, open fields, and citrus orchards, primarily affecting young citrus plants. "Although several cases have been identified over the years, the virus has been successfully eradicated through the efforts of the Monitoring and Control Unit. Malta continues to maintain its status as a protected zone, as recognized by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072," he stated.
CTV enters the islands primarily through trade, especially via infected citrus plants or rootstocks. Local spread occurs mainly through aphid vectors. Sciberras noted that Toxoptera citricida has not been reported in Malta.
Source: Malta Today