Orange Juice Might Get Scarce

Charles E Hill

Mon Jul 28 21:11:33 -0700 2008

manage

California oranges are mostly eating oranges.  Orange juice comes from Florida and Brazil more than anywhere else.

When I lived in Florida, going to a grocery store you'd see a dozen different types of oranges.  Apples were granny smith, golden delicious and red delicious.  That was pretty much it.

When I moved to Washington (State), it was the opposite.  Dozens of varieties of apples.  But for oranges there were California navels, and that was pretty much it.  Easy to peel, but very bland and dry compared to what I was used to from Florida.

So, if the aphid is in Florida and Brazil, OJ is already in deep juice.  If it hits California, we're going to see eating oranges take a hit.

Orange Juice Might Get Scarce

Uncle Entity

Tue Jul 29 16:55:21 -0700 2008

manage

I think you're better off in Washington, OJ will kill you.

Orange Juice Might Get Scarce

Cairnarvon

Mon Jul 28 23:37:08 -0700 2008

manage

Considering that the psyllids found weren't infected, isn't this rather like spotting a rat and then worrying the bubonic plague is making a come-back?

Obviously a psyllid presence is a prerequisite for Huanlongbing to spread, but even given their presence (which so far hasn't been demonstrated), it's not a given that it will. It also doesn't seem to be that hard to treat.
This story strikes me as a lot of worries over nothing.

spraying

zogger

Tue Jul 29 12:16:25 -0700 2008

manage

Yes, they haven't found it in California yet, but where it has spread they keep finding new infestations of it. It appears it is not quite as easy to get rid of as one might think. the reference URL in the article goes to an official cal citrus site where they are treating the possibility of it occurring seriously. http://www.californiacitrusthreat.com/ Here is a US ag department writeup where a research proposal for HLB studies was the "top ranked" one they had for 2007 granting (proposal written in 2006). http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/061109.htm Here is some more on the general alert gowing out, because finding an active infected host triggers an automatic and severe quarantine (where tht previous link came from, that task force just started). That quarantine would extend beyond citrus and into any host plant species that could carry the insect. http://www.capitalpress.info/main.asp?SectionID=67&SubSectionID=616&ArticleID=43193&TM=65326.14 So, it looks to be a big deal so far. They just don't want it to turn into a bigger deal.

Off the wall, just on the subject of pesticides and so on, I was reading more about that in general last night, of the around 1,000 known serious pests, none of them are eradicated yet with pesticides/sprays, whereas a host of harmless species have been severely effected.

Invasive species

President4242

Tue Jul 29 06:27:50 -0700 2008

manage

Invasive species is one of the basic dangers we need to deal with for global trade- personally I think it's a cost that has been socialized that the importing corporations need to start paying for in the form of some sort of insurance.

Invasive species

Nathan Smith

Tue Jul 29 12:34:12 -0700 2008

manage

No, see the plan is to globalize biodiversity as well.  Soon there will be no more invasive species. =P

Invasive species

President4242

Tue Jul 29 17:53:24 -0700 2008

manage

Ah, I see- just like with human cultures, by making the native species extinct.