With support from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) and the National Science Foundation's Small Business Innovation Research Programs, Soilcea has developed citrus trees resistant to Huanglongbing (HLB or citrus greening). Since its discovery in Florida in 2005, HLB has killed over 50 million trees, resulted in over 33,000 jobs lost, cost the state more than $20 billion in lost revenue, and slashed citrus production by a staggering 95%—from 300 million boxes to 14 million.
Mirroring the evolutionary process of gradual adaptation and natural selection, Soilcea is using CRISPR to bring back Florida’s citrus. Backed by funding from the USDA HLB Multi-Agency Coordinating (MAC) Group and Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension (ECDRE), Soilcea’s new citrus varieties are demonstrating significantly reduced disease levels and vigorous growth in the field. The image below shows the striking difference: a robust, HLB-resistant Soilcea tree compared to a struggling control tree, both planted at the same time.
Jacob Zobrist, PhD
Scientist
Brendan Mormile, PhD
Scientist
Lindsey Logan
Lab Technician
Ron English
Citrus Grower
Keval Patel
Lab Technician
Cecilia Calabi Villarroel
Lab Technician
Ava Turchiarolo
Lab Technician
Alydia White
Research Associate
Elizabeth Newmiller
Lab Technician
Andrew Dill
Greenhouse Grower
Advisory Board
Ron Edwards
President and CEO of Evans Properties
Dr. Harold Browning
President of Premier Citrus Apz
Dave Crumbly
Vice President, Agricltural Services at Florida's Natural Growers
Fran Becker
Senior Vice President of Peace River Citrus Products
Clay Pederson
Managing Director of Agromillora Florida
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