The recent Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference featured seminars from several scientists who are working on solutions to fight huanglongbing (HLB) disease.
GENETIC RESEARCH
Vivian Irish of Yale University presented her research on combating HLB through gene editing. She noted several promising gene-editing targets have been identified. Plans call for getting these lines planted to evaluate their resistance to HLB. This could begin in 2028.
Robert Turgeon of Cornell University presented his ongoing research on engineering citrus trees to produce anchored single-chain antibodies in their phloem that target and immobilize Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the HLB-causing bacterium.
ACP MANAGEMENT
Bryony Bonning of University of Florida spoke about her research using pesticidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins in citrus to manage the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). Bt has been used successfully for decades in crops like cotton and corn to help manage pests. Bonning said there are good Bt candidates that could help significantly control the ACP.
Nelson Arno Wulff of Fundecitrus presented his research from Brazil on the use of volatile compounds from the guava plant to repel ACP in citrus groves to reduce HLB incidence. This tactic has been deployed in Brazil with promising results.
DANTZLER RECOGNIZED
Rick Dantzler, retiring chief operating officer of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), has helped organize the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference educational seminar during his 8-year tenure. Throughout the conference, he was recognized and praised for his service in this critical phase of the fight against HLB.
As the seminar wrapped up, Dantzler said a few words in reflection about his time at CRDF. He thanked growers for funding research and the massive effort put forth by scientists who have worked to find a solution to HLB.
“When you think about what you have seen today in this seminar, just look how far we have come,” Dantzler said. “I just can’t help but believe that there is no pathogen on Earth that can withstand that kind of intellectual assault from such knowledgeable people. As I say goodbye, I will add that growers are the heroes of this story, because without them, there would be no point to this effort. It has been an honor of a lifetime to serve this industry, and I will miss you all.”
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