Western Australia's Department of Primary Industries (DPIRD) has confirmed the detection of citrus canker on two properties in Kununurra and Wyndham, linking it to imported plants from the Northern Territory.

It comes as Queensland producers and exporters have called for the NT citrus trade to be halted until a pest quarantine area is declared and all plants within it are destroyed.

In a statement on Thursday, DPIRD said the infected plants and other at-risk citrus plants on the WA properties have been removed and destroyed to minimise the risk of the disease spreading.

The plant disease citrus canker has been confirmed on six properties in the Northern Territory, including one commercial production nursery and two retail outlets, which have now had all of their citrus material destroyed.

The other three NT properties are owned by people with citrus plants in their backyard who contacted authorities.

An outbreak of the virulent disease in 2004 saw millions of trees in central Queensland bulldozed and burned.

What is citrus canker?

• A contagious plant disease that destroyed more than half a million citrus trees in Queensland in 2004. 
• Reduces citrus plants' overall vigour and ability to produce good quality fruit.
• The canker itself is a small brown lesion that occurs on the plant parts — so leaves, twigs and the fruit — surrounded by a round, yellow halo. 
• Spread via wind, rain and human assistance.
• Does not pose any threat to human or animal health.
• Report symptoms to the citrus canker hotline 1800 931 722 or email photos to citruscanker@nt.gov.au