The Jamaican government has shut down the nation's citrus nurseries in an effort to contain a dangerous disease that threatens the island's valuable citrus industry.

Jamaica's ministry of agriculture said Tuesday that it ordered the closure of the nurseries and banned the sale of all citrus plants in order to protect the $43 million industry from the citrus greening disease known as HLB .

The disease is spread by an aphid-like insect and leaves fruit discolored, sour and unusable, eventually killing the tree itself. Scientists have not yet found a cure.

The disease also threatens citrus production in parts of the United States, South America and Asia.