The Department of Agriculture has reinforced safety measures in the province of Valencia to address the prevention and control of citrus yellow nerve chlorosis virus (CYVCV), a disease that threatens production and quality of crops—particularly lemon, lime, and bitter orange trees—across the region.
Officials shared these reinforced actions with the citrus sector during a meeting focused on bolstering surveillance in crop fields and private gardens, monitoring insects that can transmit the virus, and the precautionary immobilization of affected nurseries to curb its spread.
Vicente Tejedo, the regional secretary of Agriculture, stated that, acknowledging uncertainty surrounding the virus’s true impact on producing areas, the Valencian Community is proactively activating preventive measures both in the field and within the nursery system, strengthening surveys and control of plant material.
The meeting also included a presentation of inspection results conducted so far in the Valencian Community, alongside coordinated actions with other autonomous communities and the Ministry of Agriculture. Joint efforts between the Plant Health Service and Hev to develop new, faster, and more effective diagnostic methods were also highlighted.
A Virus Under Observation
CYVCV is not currently considered a quarantine pathogen within the European Union, but it was added to the European phytosanitary alert list at the end of 2022. The virus can also affect orange and mandarin trees without displaying visible symptoms, complicating detection and increasing the risk of unchecked spread.
Scientific studies indicate that the virus is transmitted by aphids and whitefly, as well as through contaminated grafts or pruning tools, underscoring the Generalitat’s emphasis on prevention and early detection.
