Many people believe genetics will be the eventual key that unlocks more permanent solutions to HLB. Whether it be traditional breeding or new technologies, one day there could be a citrus tree that is resistant or tolerant enough to make the disease a non-factor.
One such key could be CRISPR technology to deliver a tree that is engineered to resist HLB. That is the topic of the All In For Citrus podcast October episode. Podcast host Frank Giles and Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, have an extended discussion on the topic.
Rogers said there has been a great deal of interest among growers about the potential use of CRISPR to develop a tree resistant or tolerant to HLB. While a good deal of research progress has been made with the technology, he wants to set realistic expectations about the timeline of the research. It is a time-consuming process that targets single genes within the citrus DNA. Cells are grown starting in a Petri dish before eventually growing into a traditional citrus plant. Only then can testing in the field be conducted to see if true resistance has been achieved.
During the podcast, Rogers details the research being conducted by Nian Wang, a UF/IFAS microbiologist, who has pioneered CRISPR work in citrus. Wang was the first scientist in the world to transform citrus using the CRISPR technique.
Wang has already transformed four lines of citrus to be resistant to canker. These plants are a proof-of-concept as the research targets HLB resistance. Rogers said there is more work to be done, but Wang’s CRISPR science holds much promise.
To hear more about CRISPR and the search for HLB resistance, don’t miss the October episode of All In For Citrus. The podcast is a joint partnership between AgNet Media and UF/IFAS.
All In For Citrus, Episode 49 September 2022
All In For Citrus, Episode 48 August 2022
All In For Citrus, Episode 47 July 2022
All In For Citrus, Episode 46 June 2022
All In For Citrus, Episode 45 May 2022
All In For Citrus Episode 44 April 2022
All In For Citrus, Episode 43 March 2022
All In For Citrus, Episode 42 February 2022
All In For Citrus, Episode 41 January 2022
All In For Citrus, Episode 40 December 2021
All In For Citrus, Episode 39 November 2021
All In For Citrus, Episode 38 October 2021
All In For Citrus, Episode 37 September 2021
All In For Citrus, Episode 36 August 2021
All In For Citrus, Episode 35 July 2021
All In For Citrus, Episode 34 June 2021
All In For Citrus, Episode 33 May 2021
All In For Citrus, Episode 32 April 2021
All In For Citrus, Episode 31 March 2021
All In For Citrus, Episode 30 February 2021
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