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Proactive Approach Critical for Future of Florida Citrus

Florida Citrus Mutual discussed citrus greening research with Dr. Harold Browning, director of the University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred in September 2007. Browning touched on research prioritization and the future of Florida citrus with greening during the interview.

FCM: Can greening be beat?
Browning: I’m not going to go so far as to say we can “beat” the disease but I am very optimistic that we can live with it and manage it. However, to be economically sustainable in citrus production in the presence of this disease, significant effort by the entire Florida industry is essential. Other countries have lived with greening over time, but have done so in a variety of ways. It is our goal to evolve citrus management to a point where productive, healthy trees can be preserved in the presence of the disease and in a way that is economically sustainable.

FCM: How long do you think it will take?
Browning: Well, growers need to use current techniques to aggressively manage the disease at the grove level right now regardless of how research progresses. But within a few years, we should learn enough about the disease and its adaptation in Florida to implement additional strategies for its management. Ultimately the development of citrus plants tolerant or resistant to citrus greening is a long-term goal, and we will need to develop successful intermediate strategies until future tolerant or resistant plants can be deployed.

FCM: With more than 130 greening-related research projects in the pipeline, how do we as an industry prioritize?
Browning: The industry and the research community must work together to assess challenges and target appropriate research. Because we don’t know certain things about the disease such as details of the causal agent, its movement, and how the disease manifests itself under Florida conditions, the initial research plan has to be broad. Quickly we will experience areas of progress as well as dead-ends, and will be able to adjust accordingly. Over the next few years, we should be able to refine the research agenda, focusing on fewer projects with more intensity as we learn where progress is being made. With so little knowledge to go on, we are casting a wide net on this initial research plan.

FCM: What would you say to a grower who thinks a solution is too far away for him to manage the disease right now?
Browning: I firmly believe that ignoring the disease serves no purpose. The degree to which we manage the disease right now will have implications for the rate of spread and severity of the disease into the future. Taking a proactive approach is critical for present and future citrus industry health. Growers working together to manage greening in Florida is vital to combating this challenge. We must act now to minimize the impact of the disease in the short term. The steps we take now will pay off in the future once we learn more about the disease.