Faculty and labs at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC).
Field tests of numerous antibacterial products and plant-derived compounds are underway with the goal of eliminating the HLB-causing bacteria in citrus and reversing plant damage to restore tree health.
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant root biologist Lorenzo Rossi discusses a new research project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the latest episode of the All In For Citrus podcast.
According to Rossi, the lead investigator of the project, the main goal of the study is to find a specific natural, plant-derived antimicrobial compound capable of killing Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the HLB-causing bacterium.
The research is a collaboration between multiple agencies and the private sector. Rossi is joined by Robert Shatters, a USDA research molecular biologist serving as the project director.
“The good thing about this project is that if there are growers who have a compound that they believe has an effect against HLB, they can bring the compound to …..
Learn more about Field-Testing Natural Compounds to Fight HLB on the Citrus Industry website.