MANAGER FOR the Citrus Certification Programme of the Jamaica Citrus Protection Agency (JCPA), Michael Nicholson, is urging farmers not to purchase citrus plants from uncertified nurseries.
Seedlings should only be bought from the 10 certified nurseries located islandwide to eliminate the risk of purchasing plants which may be vulnerable to the citrus tristeza virus, he said.
"Many diseases do not manifest themselves immediately. Some of them take years, and when you are ready for reaping, the disease may manifest itself and either cripples or kills the tree, which means that you have wasted, not only the money to buy the plant but the years of care and fertilisation," he added.
According to Mr. Nicholson, the use of certified planting material was vital to the success of the citrus replanting programme. He noted that a significant percentage of Jamaica's citrus trees were previously budded on sour orange rootstocks, which were vulnerable to the citrus tristeza virus.
He said the JCPA ensured that nurseries are equipped to produce citrus seedlings under ideal conditions so that they remain virus free. "Their physical infrastructure, technical capacity and their procedures must be such that they can produce plants of a required quality," he added.
Mr. Nicholson pointed out that the nurseries were frequently monitored by field officers from the agency, who make suggestions for corrective action. "They check the records to make sure that things are done properly," he said.
Additionally, he said that information on every plant leaving a nursery must be recorded on a "tree movement form", which indicates where the tree would be planted and its rootstock. "This would enable the agency to be in a better position to manage outbreaks of diseases should they occur," he added.
Mr. Nicholson pointed out that plants purchased from certified nurseries must carry a JCPA tag, indicating the rootstock of the tree, when it was budded and an identification number.
He warned that it was unlawful for persons to sell uncertified plants or operate an uncertified nursery, pointing out that offenders could face prosecution or be fined.
The JCPA is responsible for implementing and monitoring the citrus certification programme, which falls under the Citrus Replanting Programme. The programme involves the replanting of some 2,833 hectares with approved certified planting material that are resistant to the citrus tristeza virus.
