EPA Approves Gene-Edited Rootstock to Combat Citrus Greening in Florida
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a gene-edited rootstock designed to resist citrus greening bacteria, offering a potential solution for Florida's struggling citrus industry. Citrus greening, a bacterial infection spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, has devastated Florida's orange groves since its arrival in 2005, causing a drastic decline in fruit production. Yianni Lagos, from the company Soilcea in Tampa, Florida, developed the gene-edited rootstock, known as CarriCea T1, using CRISPR technology. This rootstock aims to maintain the tree's immune system, allowing it to fight off the greening bacteria and reduce reliance on insecticides. The focus on the rootstock is critical because the bacteria primarily damages the root system even before symptoms appear on the leaves. Growers are now planting trees with this gene-edited rootstock in test fields to observe its long-term performance.
