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Lime plant with citrus canker identified in Karama

Department of Primary Industry and Resources

A restricted area (RA) has been declared in Karama after citrus canker was found on a lime plant in the northern suburb.

The RA has been declared to prevent spread and support eradication of the bacterial disease which has serious impacts on citrus production. Citrus canker does not pose any risks to human health.

National Citrus Canker Eradication Program Manager Claire Morton said their team had confirmed the infected lime plant found in a Karama residential property was from the original source of the citrus canker disease, indicating the disease has not spread.

“All infected plants that we’ve located since citrus canker was first identified in the Northern Territory in April 2018 are from the original source, which is good news that there is still no evidence of citrus canker spreading naturally in the NT,” she said.

To eradicate citrus canker from the Territory, residents are asked to contact the National Citrus Canker Eradication Program if they have any citrus plants. Citrus plants purchased or received after 1 January 2017 are of particular interest, as they may have been in direct contact with a diseased plant.

“It’s great to have the support of NT residents in locating citrus plants and working with us to ensure their citrus plants are healthy,” said Ms Morton.

“With residents’ active support for the eradication program, including reporting symptoms of the disease, and not growing citrus plants in any of the restricted areas, we’ll be able to eradicate the disease. It will be great to have the Territory declared free of citrus canker, and to have all of the current movement and quarantine restrictions lifted.”

The new restricted area in Karama includes all properties within a 600 metre radius of the infected plant, including Crocodylus Park, CSIRO and the Peter McAulay Centre (Berrimah Police Station).

It is the 13th citrus canker restricted area to be declared in the Northern Territory since April 2018. Maps of all restricted areas in the Territory are available on the NT Government citrus canker webpage, www.nt.gov.au/citruscanker.

“The Department of Primary Industry and Resources will be directly contacting all businesses and residents in the Karama restricted area to advise them of the movement restrictions that are now in place for citrus plants and fruit in their area,” said Ms Morton.

“Residents can also call or message us on 0436 643 470 with any questions, or to book a time for plant health inspectors to visit.”

Media contact: Raechel Squires, 0428 040 551


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