Silvec Biologics announced that an RNA vector delivery product to combat HLB has progressed to the Full Science Review Phase of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pesticide Regulation Improvement Act registration process.
The product was developed in collaboration with Southern Gardens Citrus (a subsidiary of U. S. Sugar), the University of Florida (UF) and Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Silvec is the exclusive sublicensee of U.S. Sugar’s novel delivery vector developed in conjunction with UF and antimicrobial peptide technologies developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Research.
The product is based on a mild and naturally untransmittable version of a virus found in most citrus trees that has been reprogrammed to express a natural antimicrobial peptide found in spinach. A single application has been demonstrated in field trials to provide long-term reduction in yield declines caused by the HLB bacteria. This product is the first of its kind to use a viral vector to reduce damage from pathogens, is compatible with all commercial citrus varieties and does not genetically modify the tree or its fruit.
“As U.S. Sugar made a strategic realignment to focus on increasing its Florida sugarcane production, we are confident in transitioning our citrus vector technology to Silvec for commercialization,” said U.S. Sugar Director of Research and Special Projects Mike Irey. “We believe this important technology will play a critical role in reducing the scourge of citrus greening (another name for HLB).”
Rick Dantzler, executive director of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), said, “CRDF sees the citrus vector technology as playing an instrumental role in helping to reduce the catastrophic effects of citrus greening on Florida citrus production … Silvec has our full support with its regulatory approval process.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the citrus vector product for commercial use in all Florida counties following a positive Environmental Impact Statement issued by USDA in June 2020.
Silvec, along with its regulatory partner the IR-4 Project, filed an EPA registration application in January 2024 that commenced an 18-month review process.
“We are very excited to build on the pioneering work by U.S. Sugar, the University of Florida and Texas A&M AgriLife Research over the past 15 years and look forward to begin commercializing the citrus vector product once all regulatory approvals are in place,” said Silvec Chief Executive Officer Rafael Simon.
“After years of research and development, we are pleased to see the citrus vector and spinach defensin technology advance to the EPA registration phase and get closer to approval,” said Kranthi Mandadi, professor of plant pathology and microbiology at Texas A&M AgriLife Research.
Source: Silvec Biologics
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