The University of Florida received a $1,499,445 federal Project Grant award from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Specialty Crop Research Initiative (CFDA 10.309) to address the Huanglongbing (HLB) disease affecting citrus crops in Florida, Texas, and potentially California.
The key objectives of the grant are to: 1) develop and test high-volume trunk injection methods to improve the distribution of therapeutic treatments in citrus trees, 2) create region- and species-specific trunk injection methods to target low-transpiration portions of the canopy, and 3) test a phenology-based approach to optimize the timing of therapeutic injections. The research will be conducted in all three citrus-producing states to account for regional differences. Two sub-awards were made to Texas A&M University-Kingsville to evaluate injection treatments in Texas, and to the University of California, Riverside to investigate the efficacy of the injection technique in California. The overall goal is to increase citrus yields and tree health in affected regions through improved therapeutic delivery. Successful completion of the project is expected by December 2027.
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