It causes extensive financial loss to growers, shippers, and handlers, not only in Florida, but everywhere in the world, particularly in humid areas or arid areas with heavy dew during harvesting, where citrus fruit are grown for the fresh fruit market. Plate 1 . It can occur at any time during harvesting, handling, and marketing, but it usually occurs at or near harvest.
Mechanical injury forces the toxic oil out of the oil glands.
This oil kills nearby parenchyma, epidermal and subepidermal cells of the flavedo. Citrus peel oil from injured fruit can also cause oil spotting on the surface of adjacent fruit. Fresh oil spotting is barely visible. Symptoms may be seen as the fruit arrive at the packinghouse, but are often not noticed until after degreening or shipment. Cells killed by oil are readily invaded by fungi resulting in increased decay.