Why Soilcea?

Soilcea is creating CRISPR-edited citrus trees that are resistant to the citrus industry’s deadliest diseases. Two bacterial diseases, citrus canker and Huanglongbing (citrus greening), are decimating the Florida citrus industry, having destroyed millions of trees, cost the state billions in lost revenue, and reduced by over 80% Florida citrus production. Soilcea is developing new citrus varieties with resistance to these deadly pathogens using CRISPR precision breeding.

CRISPR Precision Breeding

The USDA and EPA issued guidance that they will not regulate CRISPR precision breeding that could occur naturally. Unlike traditional GMOs that involve inserting a foreign gene (like a bacterial gene) into a plant, Soilcea is using CRISPR breeding to make small edits in genes that make a tree susceptible to citrus greening and canker. Nature constantly deletes DNA susceptible to diseases and slowly adopts the beneficial change through natural selection. At Soilcea, we are advancing a natural process in time to save the Florida citrus industry.

Team

Yianni Lagos, JD/MBA/CFA

Chief Executive Officer

Bio

Dusica Coltrane 

Lead Protoplast Scientist

Bio

Quinton Allen, PhD

Scientist

Bio

Ron Edwards

Business Advisor

Bio

Chas Parise

Research Associate

Aly Palumbo

Lab Technician

Madison Closs

Intern

Ron English

Citrus Grower

Contact

yianni@soilcea.com

Copyright © 2023 Soil Culture Solutions, LLC (d/b/a Soilcea)