Agriculture officials reported the news Tuesday morning to more than 200 community leaders gathered at an emergency meeting to deal with the citrus canker that has been found on 31 trees at 16 residences.

Brian Bolay, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's plant protection and quarantine division, said no new infections were found Monday and that all 31 infected trees found to date are in the same area near Weatherford Drive, on the south side of State Road 674, the community's main thoroughfare.

``It doesn't mean there aren't any more out there, but it's a good sign,'' he said.

Later in the day Tuesday, state agriculture department spokesman Denise Feiber said test results on three suspect tree samples came back negative, holding the total infectious trees to 31.

It will be two weeks before officials know the extent of the canker problem and are able draw up a list of trees that will be destroyed. They also will define a quarantine zone where movement of fruit and trees will be limited. Also, lawncare workers inside the zone will have to follow special decontamination procedures, Bolay said.

Dan Robl, plant pathologist with the USDA, said there are two factors that are helping to limit the spread of canker.

``One of the pluses is the cool temperatures that cause the bacteria to not grow as much,'' he said. ``And this is the dry season. The citrus canker is spread by wind and rain; it needs the rain in order to spread.''

This is the second time in the past five years residents here have had to deal with citrus canker. In late 1999 and early 2000, the state removed more than 2,000 trees from yards and imposed a two-year quarantine over a 20-square- mile area. No new citrus trees were allowed to be planted inside the zone until the quarantine was lifted in February 2002.

Residents with questions can call the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services hot line at 1-800-282-5153.

Reporter Liz Bleau can be reached at (813) 633-4323.