Citrus greening, or Huanglongbing disease, HLB, is the most devastating disease for orange and grapefruit trees in the U.S. Prevention and treatment methods have proven elusive, and a definitive cure does not exist.

Since HLB was detected in Florida in 2005, Florida’s citrus production has fallen by 80%. The disease also threatens other citrus producing states.

Now, a public-private collaboration across Texas, Florida, California and Indiana will draw on prior successes in research and innovation to advance new, environmentally friendly and commercially viable control strategies for citrus greening. Leading the work are scientists from Texas A&M AgriLife Research. The multistate, interdisciplinary research team includes Jinha Jung, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the Lyles School of Civil Engineering.

The $7 million, four-year AgriLife Research project is part of an $11 million suite of grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to combat HLB. The coordinated agricultural project is also a NIFA Center of Excellence.

Source: New research takes aim at devastating citrus greening (AgriLife Today)