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Arizona NCPN
Citrus Budwood Program

Citrus screenhouse at University of Arizona, Yuma Agricultural Center in Yuma, AZ

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Inside screenhouse.

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The Arizona Certified Budwood Program was created in the 1960s with a focus on CTV and viroids (Exocortis and Cachexia/Xyloporosis). The program is located in Yuma, Arizona, and it is a collaborative effort between the Yuma County Citrus Pest Abatement District (YCCPAD), the University of Arizona, and the Arizona Crop Improvement Association. The program consists of one office and an in-ground, unprotected budwood block holding approximately 100 varieties that also functions as the University of Arizona variety collection.

The Arizona Citrus Clean Plant Network is located at the University of Arizona, Yuma Agricultural Center in Yuma, AZ.  The AZ-CPN maintains a foundation collection of about 150 disease-free citrus varieties, including lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, pummelos, mandarins and citrus relatives in a 72 x 38 screened facility that excludes insect vectors.  Additionally, there is an 8 x 20-foot headhouse. These trees and the screenhouse are inspected by the Arizona Department of Agriculture officials twice a month.  

These trees have gone through disease screening program at the Citrus Clonal Protection Program (CCPP) in Riverside, CA. Disease free foundation stock in Arizona is vital for Arizona citrus nurseries and for future growers needs. 

The Arizona citrus industry is linked to the California citrus industry. The Arizona NCPN-Citrus protected collection of foundation trees acts as a backup for the CCPP in California. Now that the CCPP is within the quarantine for Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) in both Tulare and Riverside Counties and under the HLB quarantine in Riverside County, it is especially important to have a backup.  

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