Citrus industry in Reunion started in the 1960s, with introduction of propagating plant material from countries where citrus bacterial canker disease (CBCD) had never been reported. CBCD possibly occurred in Reunion at that time on wild citrus trees in Creole gardens. Control of CBCD in nurseries can potentially improve disease control in new grove planting, as infected plants would be the main source of primary inoculum. Development of diagnostic tools. Xanthomonas axonopodis pv.citri (Xac), associated with infected nursery citrus, is a target of international phytosanitary quarantine. A sensitive and specific detection technique of Xac was developed allowing detection of approximately 102 cells per gram of citrus leaf. Climatic conditions in Reunion and spread of Xac in groves and nurseries. In most citrus growing areas in Reunion, year-round temperatures and annual rainfalls are conducive to infection by Xac. Spatiotemporal analyses of CBCD in simulated nurseries. Spatial and spatio-temporal studies confirmed that disease patterns were aggregated in the field over time. Increase of disease rates was greater in plots with overhead irrigation, and, in the case of plots with drip irrigation, it was associated with natural rainfall.To minimize CBCD transmission to new grove, a modernization scheme for local citrus plant production was proposed. Durability of a clean planting stock strategy. Grapefruit plants produced according to this improved scheme have been planted under various environmental conditions to experimentally determine the durability of citrus canker control resulting from the use of disease-free plants combined with other integrated control measures. Conclusion The improvement of the citrus nursery production scheme will essentially benefit citrus cultivars of low or moderate susceptibility to CBCD