5B-62.009. Requirements for Citrus Nursery Sanitation

(1) All equipment entering or leaving the nursery must be clean of all plant material, soil and decontaminated in accordance with Department procedures using approved decontamination products as described in the Citrus Nursery Stock Certification Manual, Revised 08/14, as incorporated in Rule 5B-62.004, F.A.C.

(a) Budding knives, clippers and other cutting implements shall be sterilized between different groups of propagations using a solution of household bleach 20% by volume. Sterilization solution shall be made up fresh each day.

(b) All equipment should be kept on site.

(2) Nursery employees who work with citrus produced outside of the structure shall not return to work within the structure until the following day.

(3)(a) Prior to entering the nursery everyone must decontaminate with a personal decontamination product as described in the Citrus Nursery Stock Certification Manual, Revised 08/14, and wear a clean garment provided by the nursery. A link to a recommended list of products is found in the Citrus Nursery Stock Certification Manual. If gloves are worn, they must be disposable gloves or decontaminated each day and kept on site.

(b) All persons entering a registered citrus nursery structure as specified in Rule 5B-62.010, F.A.C., or a soil storage area shall walk through a sanitizing foot bath containing a decontaminant such as copper sulfate or equivalent product labeled for such purposes.

(4) All plants, plant parts (except seed), soil, peat, sawdust, mulch, manure or other plant-growing or potting media entering the approved site for the production of commercial citrus nursery stock must be accompanied by a letter issued by the department indicating that the product is free from the burrowing nematode Radopholus similis.

(5)(a) All pots, cans or other containers used to produce commercial citrus nursery stock free of nematodes of citrus must be stored in such a manner to prevent contact with the ground or contamination by flooding, rain-soil-splatter or ground water runoff.

(b) Growing containers shall be cleaned and decontaminated between crops of commercial citrus nursery stock.

(6) All nematode-certified growing or potting media used for commercial citrus nursery stock must be stored at least 18 inches above the ground or on concrete or asphalt that is above ground level and not subject to flooding or ground water runoff.

(7) Non-certified nursery stock shall not be grown in or introduced into the same greenhouse or structure with certified citrus nursery stock.

(8) Any plant certified free of nematodes that is dropped or set on the ground no longer meets nematode certification and shall not be returned to the bench.

(9) Nursery records shall be made available to division inspectors for:

(a) All chemical applications;

(b) Nursery budding and tree movement records.

(10) It shall be the responsibility of the nurseryman to:

(a) Prevent encroachment of Rutaceous subfamilies Aurantioideae, Rutoideae and Toddalioideae plants, and the use of non-certified material, which would endanger the nursery site of becoming infested with injurious nematodes of citrus.

(b) Follow established sanitation procedures to prevent nematode, Diaprepes, psyllid, aphid or other common plant pest infestation of the nursery site as described in the Citrus Nursery Stock Certification Manual, Revised 08/14.

(11) Nursery areas and perimeter shall remain weed free.

(12) Citrus nursery sites must be planted within 12 months of departmental approval.

(13) Any citrus nursery stock or budwood source tree found infected or exposed to plant pest infestation shall be subject to immediate quarantine action and will not be eligible for certification until released from quarantine by the department.

Rulemaking Authority 570.07(23), 581.031(1), 581.1843(3) FS. Law Implemented 570.07(13), 581.031(1), (6) FS. History–New 12-26-06, Amended 2-25-15.