Ag Department Certifies Virus-Free Meyer Lemon First Trees Ugo was as the who year Konycn-' were City and John Siam LJ Her-both Frank Little Peach ding largest totaled which is the in Is on Trees Without SACRAMENTO— California has announced the First certification of the popular fruit-producing dwarf-growing Meyer lemon trees since a ram to rid them of diseases in in the mid-1960s Director LT Wallace of the California Department of Food and Agriculture said he expects these improved Meyer lemon trees to be available to consumers in large numbers by qariy summer A limited num-bar may be available soon in some areas The first 1000 trees produced by Hobbs Citrus Nursery VLsalia were from foundation stocks distributed by the University of California Riverside and grown in compliance with Departmen "Regulations for Registration and Certification of Improved Meyer Lemon Trees" Wallace said the state has a strict program to control the production planting and distribution of improved Meyer lemon plants Nurserymen and others interested in the Certification Program which is the only way in California to obtain ' improved Meyer lemon stocks may contact the Nursery and Seed Services unit in the Department of Food and Agriculture 1220 N Street Sacramento Ca 95814 Planting testing and certification fees are required Nurseries in Sunnyvale Fremeont and Ivanhoe have already applied and filed fees to take part in the Meyer Lemon Certification Program Wallace said Because of the danger of transmitting tristeza virus and other virus complexes to other types of citrus trees Meyer ' lemons were banned in certain areas of the state but Wallace said the improved Meyer Lemon plants are now eligible to move into the Meyer lemon free districts The Meyer lemon was brought to the United States in 1906 It was collected by Frank N Meyer near Peking China and introduced into California at the USDA's Chico introduction garden From plantings started in June of that year Meyer lemon spread It was determined in Chico that it is more winter-hardy than ordinary commerical lemon varieties The plant attains a height of from 8 to 10 feet with a generally low-growing bushy appearance It is considered a drawf-grower and is highly prized for urban plantings The fruits are rated large very smooth thin-skinned- very juicy and midly acid The Meyer lemon was found to be generally infested with the ' “seedling yellows" strain of tristeza virus in 1955 and in 1962 it was found to ha a carrier ‘of the “tatterlcaf and cilrange stunt” i TCSV virus complex Thermotherapy I heat treatment) of plant materials was developed in the mid-1960's and the University of California at Riverside applied the technique to Meyer lemons under Financing in part from the Califor-nia-Arizona Citrus League and the citrus Advisory Board ' The University work yejldcd two virus-free selections of Meyer lemon and one was chosen for its superior performance and fruit characteristics IL was distributed uider the control program set up by the state The procedure for obtaining a virus-free Meyer lemon is as follows: 1 Interested party contacts Nursery and Seed Services and information and application is forwarded to him 2 Application with proper fees are returned to the Department - 3 District Supervising State Biologist located nearest applicant is notified 4 District Supervising Biologist gives site approval and discusses the program Application is then accepted and the University of California Riverside is notified 5 University of California wjjl then release the improved Meyer lemon propagating stock to the applicant Separate application is' required for each separate block Each block is to be properly and dearly identified Improved Meyer lemon labels and-or certification seals are to be issued to the participant and affixed to the plants prior to sale Interested parties should contact the University of California for the availability price and procedures in acquiring the Foundation stock i bud wood) Contact Edward M Nauer Specialist Department of Plant Sciences Riverside California 92502 (7141-787-4407 (714) 684-8580 1 RICHARD REZENDES Capay Pigeon ORLAND — Richard Rezen-des a member of the Capay 4-H Club received the trophy for the best utility-pigeon at the recent Northern California Bird Fanciers winter show at the Tehama County Fairgrounds in Red Bluff Rezendes has approximately DEKALB Hero Is i Join with these top California grain and silage com grpwers who produced out-' standing yields in the 1975 DeKalb Yieldmasters Club with: A top California DeKalb grain corn entry of 25220 bushels (1412434 lbs) per acre! An average California DeKalb grain corn yield of 22211 bushels (1243816 lbs) for the top 20 entries!