Citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing) is a serious threat to the citrus industry in Florida. The greening bacterium is transmitted by the Asian Citrus Psyllid and causes severe nutrient deficiencies in infected plants. UF/IFAS has been on the forefront of efforts to control citrus greening. Southern Gardens Citrus in Hendry County was one of the first two commercial groves in which greening was found in 2005. In this 2014 video, Rick Kress, the president of Southern Gardens Citrus, talks about the effects of the disease, and Dr. Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski, an associate professor at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, discusses her research on the Asian Citrus Psyllid and her team’s attempts to make the psyllid a less desirable host for the greening bacterium.

Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski conducts citrus greening research. UF/IFAS Photo by Javier Edwards