GMO Trees Or Perhaps Only GMO Rootstocks

[Millet]

Scientists at the University of Florida say they have found a new weapon to fight back against citrus greening: genetically modified trees. By using a gene isolated from a mustard plant, the researchers are able to create new trees that possess increased resistance to greening and decreased disease severity. They found that some of the trees even remained disease-free 36 months after being planted in a field with a high amount of diseased trees. The researchers plan to further their research by transferring the gene into commercial  rootstocks to continue to fight back against the citric greening bacteria.

Millet

[phantomcrab]

I just returned from a TBRFC meeting and the presentation was about promising new citrus varieties. Their HBL resistance is generally better than current citrus. Much recent research at UF has been on rootstock resistance and field trials are underway. Seeds for these resistant stocks are in short supply so it may be a while before plants are widely available. Even with this advance, in FL citrus will need some special care (fertilizing) to do well. Citrus is no longer 'plant and forget' like it was back in the day. Some varieties are naturally more HBL tolerant than others and these grafted onto a tougher stock will be within the effort level of the backyard gardener.
I asked about the ongoing GMO citrus trials and the results are looking very good with some totally resistant trees (PCR negative) thriving in greening infested locales. FDA and USDA will have to approve any release of these. That may take a long, long time.
The UF Lake Alfred website contains information about the rootstocks.

[Acocyetly]

I got 10 of the UFR 15, I assume thats one of the ones they're talking about... 3 Years and still no greening on the UF grove.
http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=17816.0

[fyliu]

I guess approval speed depends on how desperate the state is to retain citrus growers and how much growers threaten to leave the industry. How bad is it for growers in FL? From here, I hear it's really bad and people are being forced out of the industry because of heavy financial losses from low yields.

[buddyguygreen]

I visited a Friends citrus grove here in central Florida and they were telling me how just about the entire state is infected with the greening and their 15-30 year old trees are below the average production and suffering bad, they said if this continues they will lose their trees in the next 3 years and maybe be effected so bad that next year will be their last crop. The problem with the GMO trees is its going to take a minimum of 5 years to obtain the trees for a new production but that even when they obtain the trees they will be 5-7 years from producing and 10 years before they get into full production again and thats if everything goes exact to plan. So what the citrus growers in florida are all trying to do is get this chemical thats sprayed on apples and pear trees to be accepted by the EPA and various other florida environmentalist to be sprayed on citrus trees for the greening, but even if that is allowed it would only buy them a few more years. i see everywhere citrus groves that have been here for decades being bulldozed and the property being sold for apartments and housing.

[Waiting]

As a card-carrying tin foil hat wearer I sometimes wonder if this is not incidental but the result of the intentional introduction of the bug and bacteria into the US.

[phantomcrab]

How bad is it for growers in FL?

Pretty bad. There are many abandoned groves in central and south Florida which are not making HLB control any easier. Some forest service equipment has been brought in from Montana to clear entire groves. These machines cut trees at ground level and toss them into chippers. I don't know if any of the groves are being replanted or not.
I (and others) have noticed that there are many mature volunteer citrus trees growing wild in forests that show no signs of greening while nearby groves are infected. Does grafting increase citrus susceptibility to greening?
This is a link to Lake Alfred:
https://news.ifas.ufl.edu/2015/07/updated-florida-citrus-rootstock-selection-guide-available/

[Acocyetly]

I see some being replanted locally, but honestly I see more healthy groves being lost to urban development now.
Lotta folks switched crops or began phasing out citrus after the hurricanes. Its been a very slow death since the 80's where I live.

I have a bout 33 wild ferral citrus trees, no greening. The grove here was mainly wiped out during the  mid 80's and the rest were killed during the Hurricanes so we missed the greening thing even though we musta had young plants at that time. Most of the property turned into a forest/overgrowth

Btw phatom hi from across the bay

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Scientists at the University of Florida say they have found a new weapon to fight back against citrus greening: genetically modified trees. By using a gene isolated from a mustard plant, the researchers are able to create new trees that possess increased resistance to greening and decreased disease severity. They found that some of the trees even remained disease-free 36 months after being planted in a field with a high amount of diseased trees. The researchers plan to further their research by transferring the gene into commercial  rootstocks to continue to fight back against the citric greening bacteria.

Millet

I'm surprised they haven't used genetics from an existing citrus species, rather than making a trasngenic organism.

I know there must be resistant species (varieties), I have personally seen some citrus trees that are totally unfazed by greening, in orchards with plenty of diseased trees

[fyliu]

Mandarin trees are more resistant in general.

I think this is just one approach where the researcher's expertise is in genetic modification. The people with expertise in breeding will be doing that. But I do think there's more money in the newer methods. They can use this case and say they're developing a "cure" for HLB. Whereas breeding is sort of "done" and not "interesting" as far as research goes.

[phantomcrab]

I'm surprised they haven't used genetics from an existing citrus species, rather than making a transgenic organism.

One of the genes being tried is from a close citrus relative but that would still be transgenic. I don't remember which species it comes from. Another trial uses a gene from spinach.
Trying to kill two birds with one stone, these trees are being evaluated for canker resistance too. From what I've heard, this has also been achieved.

[Aaron]

I'm surprised they haven't used genetics from an existing citrus species, rather than making a trasngenic organism.

I know there must be resistant species (varieties), I have personally seen some citrus trees that are totally unfazed by greening, in orchards with plenty of diseased trees

Ive been told numerous time by different people (not sure if that makes it true) there are no resistant species.  If there was a resistant citrus it seems like there are potentially millions maybe billions to be made off it.