World’s No. 2 Citrus Exporter South Africa Detects Bud Rot
- Pathogen found in papaya orchards located in two provinces
- Agriculture department urges caution in moving materials
Officials in South Africa, the world’s biggest exporter of citrus after Spain, discovered bud rot in commercial papaya orchards in two provinces and warned farmers to exercise caution when moving plants to stop the spread.
The agriculture department reported that it found the pathogen that’s also known as gray mold and is capable of destroying thousands of hectares of various species including pineapple and citrus, in both the northernmost Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.