2014 ASHS Annual Conference

Greening or Huanglongbing (HLB) disease of citrus was discovered in Florida in 2005.  It can kill a citrus tree in 5 years and imparts off-flavor to the fruit and subsequent juice.  The disease is thought to be caused by a bacteria (Liberbacter asiaticus), is vectored by a psyllid and is now found in all citrus growing areas in Florida, drastically reducing yields.  Our laboratory is working on both ends of the problem, keeping the trees alive and productive, and for my unit, identifying the off-flavors and the chemical compounds responsible as well as developing strategies to manage the disease-induced off-flavor.