Workshop Summary for Conference ProgramHuanglongbing (HLB), commonly known as citrus greening disease, continues to challenge citrus growers and researchers worldwide. Its devastating impact on tree health, fruit quality, and overall orchard longevity makes it essential to explore adaptive horticultural strategies that can sustain production in affected regions. This workshop provides an in-depth exploration of the horticultural approaches being used to mitigate the effects of HLB, with a focus on real-world applications and current research. The content is designed to equip participants with actionable insights into how orchard management can be adjusted to maintain tree vigor and maximize productivity despite HLB pressure. Topics will include:
Physiological impacts of HLB on citrus growth and development: Understanding how the disease disrupts water, nutrient, and carbohydrate transport, and its implications for tree management.
Nutritional and irrigation strategies: Optimizing inputs to support trees with compromised root systems and reduce stress.
Soil amendments and root health: Exploring the role of organic matter, compost, biochar, soil conditioners, and microbial inoculants in enhancing soil health and nutrient availability to support stressed trees.
Canopy and crop load management: Best practices for pruning, thinning, and canopy maintenance to enhance light interception, reduce disease severity, and promote new growth.
Rootstock and scion selection: Insights into tolerant or better-performing combinations under HLB pressure, and how rootstock choice can influence disease expression.
Replant and tree replacement strategies: Managing orchard renewal while dealing with persistent disease pressure.
Cultural practices integration: How horticultural management intersects with pest control (e.g., Asian citrus psyllid suppression), disease diagnostics, and emerging technologies.
Workshop Format:This workshop will include:-Expert presentations from researchers, university extension specialists, and industry professionals sharing the latest findings and innovations.
-Grower case studies detailing the successful implementation of horticultural practices in HLB-endemic orchards.
-Interactive Q&A sessions and moderated discussions to encourage knowledge exchange and problem-solving tailored to regional conditions.
Learning Objectives:By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:- Identify the key horticultural impacts of HLB on citrus trees.
- Apply practical orchard management techniques including soil amendments and nutrient strategies to mitigate disease effects.
- Make informed decisions about rootstock, scion, canopy, and irrigation strategies.
- Integrate horticultural practices with broader HLB management approaches for sustainable production.
Speakers:
- Chater, John M. jchater@ufl.edu “Cultivar selection, OTC trunk injection, and nutrition are important horticultural strategies under observation for HLB mitigation in Florida”
- Wang,Nian nianwang@ufl.edu “Genetic determinants underneath the Candidatus Liberibacter-triggered immune disease development of citrus Huanglongbing and its control”
- Killiny,Nabil nabilkilliny@ufl.edu “Achieving the traditional control strategies through biotechnological approaches for sustainability: Attract-and-Kill and Repellency to control Asian citrus Psyllid”
- Albrecht,Ute ualbrecht@ufl.edu “Integrating trunk injection of oxytetracycline with other practices to sustain tree health and productivity under HLB-endemic conditions”
- Chandrika Ramadugu chandram@ucr.edu “Citrus Huanglongbing - use of disease tolerant and resistant varieties for sustainable cultivation.”
- Vincent,Christopher I civince@ufl.edu “Mitigating the physiological impact of huanglongbing by shading.”
- Dutt, Manjul manjul@ufl.edu “Rooted in Resistance: Breeding the Next Generation of HLB-Resilient Citrus rootstocks”
- Ashraf El-kereamy (ashrafe@ucr.edu) “Cultural practices to control HLB in California”
