Crop Transformation Center

UF/IFAS Crop Transformation Center Focusing on HLB

Dan Citrus, Huanglongbing (HLB)/Citrus Greening, Research, Research

The University of Florida Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Crop Transformation Center (CTC) was founded in 2023 to address the need for rapid development and commercialization of genetically improved crops.  While CTC projects will focus on crop improvement across all major crops grown in Florida, Dr. Scott Angle, who recently returned as Senior Vice President of the UF/IFAS, notes their first project focuses on creating citrus …

Science Key Weapon in Fight Against Citrus Greening

Dan Agriscience, Citrus, Huanglongbing (HLB)/Citrus Greening, Research, Research, This Land of Ours

How science is the key weapon in the fight against Citrus Greening. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. This week we’re focusing on technology in agriculture. Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) is the bacterial pathogen that causes “citrus greening disease,” one of the most destructive diseases of citrus worldwide. PPQ scientists are harnessing the power of CRISPR/Cas systems to …

Citrus Canker Detected in Georgia

Dan Citrus, Georgia, Georgia Department of Agriculture & Industries (GDAI), Huanglongbing (HLB)/Citrus Greening

(Atlanta, GA/GDA/June 14, 2022) — The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) is alerting commercial and backyard citrus growers that citrus canker has been found in the state. Late last week, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDA APHIS PPQ) laboratory confirmed a suspected sample from a commercial citrus grove in Decatur County was citrus canker. “Citrus canker is …

Fungus Suppresses Asian Citrus Psyllids

Dan Citrus, Huanglongbing (HLB)/Citrus Greening, Research

The citrus disease HLB, also known as citrus greening, has a formidable enemy in a fungal pathogen, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers reported. The fungus is Cordyceps javanica, strain Apopka, discovered by research scientist Lance Osborne in the mid-1980s. The fungus was isolated from dead insects on plants in a greenhouse at the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research …

Common Diseases to Look Out for to Protect the Citrus Crop

Dan Citrus, Huanglongbing (HLB)/Citrus Greening, This Land of Ours

Some common diseases to look out for to protect your citrus crop. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Growing homegrown citrus fruits is great if you have the right climate for it, but make sure you’re ready for these citrus diseases. Citrus canker is a highly contagious bacterial disease that leads to yellow halo-like lesions on the fruits, leaves, …

Understanding Physiological Fruit Drop of Citrus

Dan Citrus, Huanglongbing (HLB)/Citrus Greening

Citrus flowers profusely, but less than 2% of the flowers become harvestable fruit. In other words, 98% of the flowers seen during bloom will end up on the grove floor at some point during fruit development, whether as a flower, fruitlet, young fruit or mature fruit. Profuse flowering allows trees to produce enough fruit to carry forward seeds. However, excessive …

Court Blocks Controversial Pesticide

Dan Citrus, Environment, Huanglongbing (HLB)/Citrus Greening

(TALLAHASSEE/June 9, 2021) — In a victory for environmental and farmworker groups, an appeals court has overturned federal approval of a controversial pesticide that supporters say could help fight a disease that has caused heavy damage in Florida’s citrus industry. The decision this week by a panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia came …

Florida Challenged Over Pesticide Decision

Dan Citrus, Cotton, Environment, Florida, Huanglongbing (HLB)/Citrus Greening, Peanuts

(TALLAHASSEE, Wednesday, May 12, 2021/NSF) — Amid arguments about the troubled citrus industry and the health of farmworkers, a chemical company is challenging a state decision to block a pesticide that could help fight a disease that has caused massive damage in citrus groves. AgLogic Chemical, LLC filed an administrative challenge Tuesday, about three weeks after the state Department of …

HLB Control: A New Potential Method

Dan Citrus, Huanglongbing (HLB)/Citrus Greening, Research

A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher has found a material that can be used to silence essential genes within Asian citrus psyllids and in the HLB-causing bacterial pathogen that the psyllids spread. The material is  2’-deoxy-2’-flouro-d-arabinonucleic acid antisense oligonucleotides (FANA ASO), small-sized single-stranded nucleic acids.  The discovery was made by Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski, an associate …