Growing Citrus: A multipronged HLB management strategy

Overview

Since the initial find of huanglongbing (HLB) in Florida, there has been much discussion about a silver bullet as the one solution to HLB. Within a few years after the rapid spread, it was realized that a silver bullet or HLB-resistant germplasm would take a long time to be developed. In the short-term, we would need to find a solution to living with HLB. Living with HLB includes a multipronged approach. With the coordination of local, state, and federal funding, along with collaborations around the world, UF/IFAS has determined a multipronged approach is the current answer to HLB to produce high quality fruit for a positive economic return.

• Irrigation
• Nutrition
• Soil Health
• OTC Trunk Injection
• Plant Growth Regulators
• Disease Management
• Integrated Pest Management
• Individual Protective Cover

The foundation of the multipronged approach is irrigation and nutrition. Without these two, the other strategies will not be effective. A single management tool will not maintain HLB trees for the long term, but an integrated approach from the management strategies above can maintain productivity and longevity of HLB-affected trees.

A multipronged approach is needed to manage HLB.
Credit: M. Sutton, Created with BioRender.com