The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently awarded universities $20.1 million to research the Huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The funding is available through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program (CDRE) authorized under the 2014 Farm Bill.
HLB, commonly known as citrus greening disease, threatens the production of citrus crops across the U.S.
“Huanglongbing is a bacterial plant disease that is not harmful to humans or animals, but is fatal for citrus trees,” according to Southwest Farm Press.
Since the SCRI CDRE program’s inception, USDA has donated $43.6 million in research dollars to combat the disease.
Universities in California, Florida, New Mexico and Washington received the grants. Although universities in Texas did not receive funds, the Lone Star State can benefit from the research conducted.
Two universities will use the funds to grow the pathogenic bacterium artificially, which can help manage the disease. Other universities will use the pathogen’s proteins to detect early presence in citrus fruits. Those schools will also study the rootstocks of plants that are immune to citrus greening.