Saving Our Citrus: Addressing the Billion-dollar Global Threat of Citrus Greening

Over the past few decades, citrus trees across the country have fallen victim to citrus greening, a disease that has wiped out large swaths of Florida’s once-thriving orange groves. The disease has made its way to Texas and California, the next two largest citrus-producing states, and now threatens every glass of orange juice and slice of grapefruit along with the industries and growers they support.

To protect the economic and cultural impact of citrus, Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists led by Kranthi Mandadi, Ph.D., are seeking novel solutions to support the citrus industry. Mandadi, a professor in the Texas A&M Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology and researcher at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco, has dedicated a decade to studying citrus greening. In the past few years, he and his collaborators have found new potential treatments for citrus greening, offering hope to the producers and consumers alike.

Read more: Hope for the citrus industry