A slew of organizations are working together start a propagation program that will provide HLB-tolerant citrus trees.
A number of organizations are working together to make a propagation program that will provide HLB-tolerant citrus trees a reality, according to a Citrus Industry article. Organizations like the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC), Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), and many more are securing funding, finding accommodations, seeking proposals, and more to expedite the process of bringing to program to fruition for Florida citrus growers. Explore the details below.
Details of the Propagation Program for HLB-Tolerant Citrus Trees
According to the article, the propagation program is “intended to quickly produce and commercialize trees showing tolerance or resistance to HLB disease.” The trees produced will come from “escaped trees” like the Donaldson tree, a citrus tree located at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Whitmore Farm that produces an abundance of oranges and appears healthy even though it is infected with HLB.
The program would be funded through $1 million in nonrecurring state general revenue funds, according to (FDOC) Executive Director Shannon Shepp. FCC Chairman Steve Johnson said in a meeting on the program, “It is exciting to see that work is already underway on something we all are hoping will be helpful in our fight against citrus greening. As we patiently await updates on this and other research, we continue to push forward with promoting Florida citrus to consumers.”
Funding for the program is pending approval by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
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