Integrated Huanglongbing Management for Florida Citrus
Posted August 2025
Researchers: Ozgur Batuman, Lauren Fessler Mathews, Sanju Kunwar, Ana Redondo, Fernando Alferez, Ute Albrecht, Yannis Ampatzidis
Contact: Ozgur Batuman, UF/IFAS SWFREC obatuman@ufl.edu
Summary:
No stand-alone strategy has been identified for effective huanglongbing (HLB) management. Our best option to manage HLB in citrus groves relies on using an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. IPM uses all available disease management tools, including vector management (with insecticide or IPCs), removing unproductive HLB-affected trees to reduce inoculum sources, injecting oxytetracycline (OTC), and using plant growth regulators. Since 2016, our research team has been developing practical solutions against HLB, which Florida citrus growers are increasingly adopting. These include using IPCs during planting to prevent initial infection, trunk injections of OTC to mitigate disease symptoms and improve yield and fruit quality, and applying brassinosteroids (Brs) to shield new growth from reinfection. Additionally, we are assessing new tools such as systemic acquired resistance inducers (SARs), HLB-tolerant interstocks, and an automated trunk injection system. Field studies evaluating these approaches have demonstrated promising results. IPCs effectively block Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) infection, OTC reduces bacterial titers and fruit drop, while Brs and SARs enhance tree productivity and protect new shoots from ACP-mediated reinfections and citrus canker. Collectively, these IPM tools offer a viable strategy for managing HLB in commercial citrus groves, supporting sustainable production despite the disease’s presence. Ongoing field trials aim to refine and integrate these tools into comprehensive IPM programs, with a proposed management plan tailored for Florida groves.
Take Home Message:
- HLB must be managed by using an IPM strategy.
- We identified practical IPM tools for HLB management, including IPCs, OTC-injections, use of SARs, and Brs.
- We propose an IPM strategy that growers can immediately adopt for HLB management.
