Huanglongbing (HLB) is the most serious disease affecting citrus crops worldwide, but the Mediterranean has so far been spared.
Since it began to spread rapidly in the 2000s, Huanglongbing disease (HLB) has decimated citrus crops, substantially reducing yields and revenues for producing countries (Brazil, China, USA). To date, just two world regions have escaped: Australia/New Zealand and the Mediterranean.
According to a 2019 report by the French ANSES agency, there is a high risk of the disease becoming established in the Mediterranean. The reason is the presence in Spain and Portugal of the psyllid Trioza erytreae, the vector insect of the bacterium responsible for the moderate form of HLB in Africa.