California: New lab seeks cure to deadly tree-killing disease

In a lab souast of Los Angeles, researchers are opening a new front in yearslong battle against a tiny pest that has wreaked havoc on citrus groves around world. California citrus growers and packers and University of California, Riverside on Thursday marked opening of an $8 million lab dedicated to finding a solution to tree-killing disease kwn as Huanglongbing that has ravd groves in Florida, Brazil, and China.

Re | Banglesh's 'Tree Man' Who Suffers From Rare Skin Disease Returns To Hospital As Condition Worsens

$8million lab to find a solution

Until w, scientists said that y haven’t been able to take a close look at disease in California because of strict measures aimed at preventing contagion since it hasn’t reached state’s commercial groves. That will change with Biosafety Level-3 lab near campus, which was funded by growers and will let researchers study bacteria carried by Asian citrus psyllid in a secure environment.

“It’s kind of a race against time,” said Dave Smith, general manr of Booth Ranches in Orange Cove, California, and chair of California Citrus Research Foundation, which raised money for lab.

Huanglongbing was detected more than a dece ago in Florida and has walloped state’s orange production. This year, Florida expects to produce 70 million boxes of oranges, down from 247 million in 2003 before disease took hold and, along with hurricane dam and rising development, decimated industry, said Andrew Meows, a spokesman for Florida Citrus Mutual.

Re | Sufficient Sleep Cuts Cardiovascular Disease Risk

A blow to citrus industry

disease — which causes yellow spotting and veins and misshapen and bitter fruit — has dealt a heavy blow to citrus industry in many countries, but it has h a lesser impact in California. About 1,600 trees have been infected in Sourn California backyards, but commercial orchards furr rth have so far been spared. Government authorities have opted a spate of measures to limit spre, including quarantines and taking out sick trees.

Growers in California — which supplies more than 805 of country’s fresh citrus — also have been working to stave off threat. Farmers w cover fruit transported throughout state to prevent psyllid, an insect that feeds on trees and can carry disease, from moving to new communities.

In Ventura County, growers spray pesticides to get rid of psyllid. However, insects are becoming more pesticide-resistant and, in process, helpful insects are also getting wiped out, said Harold Edwards, president of Limoneira in Santa Paula, California. “Eventually, we’re going to lose that fight,” he said.

Re: Pregnancy Tips On Nutrition: Fruits That Are Must-haves For Moms-to-be

California’s more than $3 billion-a-year citrus industry dates back more than a century. One of original trees brought to city of Riverside, kwn as parent navel tree, still stands in a park, though officials have covered it to stave off infection.

Georgios Vidalakis, director of Citrus Clonal Protection Program at University of California, Riverside, said citrus boomed in California in late 1800s. In deces that followed, researchers in Riverside started a citrus breeding program, which helped develop new varieties, and a citrus collection, which w has more than 1,000 kinds of trees, he said.

Vidalakis, a plant pathologist, oversees a program aimed at ensuring trees don’t introduce diseases into region. But without ability to study illness, research was hampered until experts and growers joined toger to build lab, he said. “This disease is like thing we have ever faced as plant pathologists,” he ded. “We need all hands on deck."

A way out?

Amid rows of leafy-green trees in campus’ citrus collection, curator Tracy Kahn points to a small one covered with green pods that she said might help develop disease-tolerant citrus. But re’s work to be done and t eugh time available at a secure lab in rrn California to test new varieties against disease, she said. “We have things w that we want to put in re, but it hasn’t been rey, until w,” she said.

Researchers in Florida and elsewhere have also been searching for a cure. But states have different growing climates and citrus varieties — Florida oranges are largely for juice while California dominates fresh fruit market — and may demand different solutions, experts said.

“We’re looking for prevention and a cure,” said Joel Nelsen, interim executive director of California Citrus Research Foundation. “If we don’t produce fresh citrus in California, body gets any citrus.”

Re | Food For Healthy Teeth: Tips For Oral Health And Dental Hygiene