Researchers in Riverside and Maryland may have witnessed a breakthrough in the fight against a pest-borne bacterial disease that threatens to destroy California's citrus industry. A kind of virus first spotted in the 1950s, has been found to spread effectively throughout the vascular systems of citrus trees. This material could prove useful to delivering helpful therapies.
While a considerable about of testing remains to be done, hopes are high enough that a company founded to commercialize the discovery reports having already raised millions of dollars from investors.
Work done by two researchers at the University of California, Riverside — citrus pathology specialist Georgios Vidalakis and UCR plant virologist Kiran Gadhave — as well as University of Maryland scientist Anne Simon has won financial support from the California Citrus Research Board in Visalia.
Bakersfield.com reports that, if tests prove the approach is safe, not only could it allow farmers to treat their orchards for diseases, but it could also help them fight insects carrying them.
Photo source: UCRiverside