Florida citrus industry crisis due to citrus greening and invasive species
Florida's citrus industry is in crisis, with orange production falling by 94% from 244 million boxes in 1997 to 14.5 million today, the lowest in over a century, primarily due to the Asian citrus psyllid and citrus greening disease. As of February 28, 2026, researchers are using gene-editing technology like CRISPR to develop citrus greening-resistant oranges, with potential availability next year, while California has declared a new citrus quarantine in Ramona due to the discovery of Huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The 2025-26 orange harvest is projected to be the lowest in nearly a century, with an estimated 12 million boxes of fruit, further exacerbated by drought and hurricanes. The FDA is also reviewing the minimum Brix level for pasteurized orange juice due to declining Brix levels in Florida oranges.
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22 updates
2026
22 updatesResearchers are using gene-editing technology like CRISPR to develop citrus greening-resistant oranges, with potential availability next year. Meanwhile, California has declared a new citrus quarantine in Ramona due to the discovery of Huanglongbing (HLB) disease, learning from Florida's experience with the devastating impact of the disease.
via abc-7.com
The University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is now enlisting Florida residents in the fight against citrus greening and the Asian citrus psyllids. Workshops have shown that a significant majority of participants are willing to help identify, monitor, and manage the pests and disease.
Florida citrus growers are facing reduced crop yields due to drought, exacerbated by global temperature increases and extreme weather events. This adds to the existing challenges of citrus greening disease and hurricanes, further impacting the industry's viability and contributing to rising food production costs.
via thecooldown.com
Florida's citrus industry has seen a dramatic collapse, with orange production falling by 94% from 244 million boxes in 1997 to 14.5 million today, the lowest in over a century. This decline is attributed to the Asian citrus psyllid and citrus greening disease, with a definitive solution still estimated to be a decade away.
via youtube.com
Florida's citrus industry is actively developing new strategies to combat the invasive citrus psyllid, the carrier of citrus greening disease. Researchers are exploring genetically modified trees incorporating a pest-resistant gene and implementing protective screening structures to shield trees from the psyllids. These efforts aim to mitigate the significant reduction in acreage and production caused by the pest and disease.
University of Florida researchers are now focusing on creating citrus tree varieties tolerant to greening disease for coexistence, rather than a definitive cure. The Millennium Block project, established in 2019 with 5,000 trees, is currently undergoing hand-harvesting for evaluation.
The UF/IFAS Millennium Block project, a seven-year research initiative, is currently undergoing harvest to identify citrus varieties and rootstock combinations tolerant to citrus greening. Researchers are evaluating fruit quality, marketability, stress tolerance, and yield, with results expected later this year.
The FDA is reviewing the minimum Brix level for pasteurized orange juice, a standard set in 1963, due to declining Brix levels in Florida oranges caused by severe weather and citrus greening. This review proposes lowering the minimum Brix requirement.
Florida's citrus production has fallen to its lowest levels since 1930, further emphasizing the severity of the ongoing crisis. This decline is primarily attributed to Citrus Greening disease and other systemic challenges over two decades.
Florida's orange harvest for the 2025-26 season is projected to be the lowest in nearly a century, with an estimated 12 million boxes of fruit. This decline is largely attributed to the ongoing citrus greening disease and the impact of Hurricane Milton.
The Florida citrus industry is showing early signs of a comeback, attributed to the implementation of innovative treatments, therapies, and the development of disease-tolerant trees. Despite this optimism, orange production for the current season remains low.
via youtube.com
Florida citrus growers and industry associations have urged the U.S. EPA to expedite the approval of Soilcea's CarriCea T1 rootstock, a genetically modified rootstock developed with UF using CRISPR technology, which has shown reduced disease levels against citrus greening in field trials.
via regulations.gov
The USDA projects Florida's orange production for the 2025/2026 season to hit a new record low of 12 million 90-pound boxes. This forecast represents a 1.6% decrease from the previous year.
Researchers at the University of Florida are exploring novel and target-specific antimicrobial treatments aimed at diminishing Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the bacteria responsible for citrus greening. This represents a new avenue of treatment being pursued.
via ufgi.ufl.edu
Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) published a detailed study on the invasive short-spined thrips, a pest causing significant economic losses. Additionally, Texas A&M AgriLife Research is leading a multi-institutional study to develop sustainable delivery systems for citrus greening treatments.
via vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com·vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com
Florida citrus growers' 2026 pest management strategies include targeting peak flush periods to control pests such as the Asian citrus psyllid and citrus leafminer. Researchers are also developing new approaches to protect fruit and maintain tree productivity.
University of Florida scientists are actively pursuing advanced research to combat citrus greening, including testing genetically modified citrus trees designed to kill psyllids. Researchers at the Crop Transformation Center are also using gene editing and AI to identify and introduce genes for natural tolerance into new citrus varieties.
Orange yields in Florida have plummeted from 500 boxes per acre to around 50, leading to local stores importing citrus due to inconsistent and poor-quality local produce. This highlights the severe crisis facing the industry.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins outlined the USDA's 2026 research priorities, emphasizing the protection of American agriculture from invasive species, specifically highlighting citrus greening and its estimated cost to Florida.
via m.farms.com
The Florida citrus industry has experienced a nearly 95% reduction in orange production since 1998 due to citrus greening disease. This severe decline has led to some citrus land being converted for housing.
Researchers at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are now investigating older citrus varieties for their natural resilience to citrus greening disease. This effort aims to help farmers reduce costs associated with the disease.
via wgcu.org
New strategies, including peptide sprays and hot water treatments, are emerging to combat Huanglongbing (HLB) in Florida's citrus industry. These methods aim to address the devastating effects of citrus greening disease.
via accuweather.com
2025
25 updates
2025
25 updatesThe Florida citrus industry is experiencing a resurgence, driven by innovative technologies such as 'Citrus Under Protective Screen' (CUPS) structures. These large screened enclosures effectively keep out the Asian citrus psyllid, preventing the spread of greening disease and fostering faster tree growth.
via youtube.com
Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are exploring Australian 'finger limes' as a potential alternative or solution for Florida's citrus industry. This initiative aims to address the severe impact of citrus greening disease.
via clickorlando.com
The Florida citrus industry has shifted its strategy from eradicating citrus greening to managing the disease. Production has declined by over 90% from pre-HLB levels since the disease was first detected two decades ago.
ARS scientists discovered a sweet orange tree named 'Donaldson' showing natural tolerance to citrus greening despite infection. University of Florida researchers are also implementing short-term solutions, long-term genetic resistance strategies, and studying biological control agents and Citrus Under Protective Screen (CUPS) to combat the disease.
via thepacker.com·ars.usda.gov·vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com
The Florida citrus industry is battling multiple fungal diseases, including greasy spot, greasy-green, citrus black spot (CBS), and phytophthora brown rot, in addition to citrus greening. Researchers from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are providing updates on these challenges.
A new UF/IFAS study is examining the movement of the systemic insecticide imidacloprid through Florida's sandy soils and its potential to contaminate shallow groundwater, highlighting environmental concerns alongside citrus greening.
The IR-4 Project is exploring emerging biological solutions to combat citrus greening, specifically by incorporating antimicrobial peptides from spinach (defensins) into citrus trees using a harmless virus.
via ir4project.org
Florida's citrus industry experienced a 24% reduction in acreage for the 2025-2026 growing season compared to the previous year. This contributes to a 94% drop in orange production since 2005, attributed to disease, hurricanes, and development pressure.
via wlrn.org
The University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is now engaging Florida residents in workshops to manage the Asian citrus psyllid, while new research identifies ten novel insect-specific viruses for potential biological control. Concurrently, the Florida citrus industry is shifting towards agroecological 'push-pull' pest management and away from chemical-intensive practices due to legal challenges.
via blogs.ifas.ufl.edu·apsjournals.apsnet.org·beyondpesticides.org
Florida citrus growers have a new tool, Fluopicolide, to combat Phytophthora spp., which are bacterial and fungal pathogens causing root damage and crop loss. An estimated 16 million citrus trees in Florida are affected by these pathogens.
via ir4project.org
Florida citrus growers are now contending with greasy spot disease and growing fungicide resistance, alongside existing challenges like citrus greening. A newly identified disorder, 'greasy green,' linked to the fungus Zasmidium citri-griseum, is specifically affecting grapefruit.
UF/IFAS researchers have observed significant reductions in Asian citrus psyllid populations, ranging from 66% to 95%, attributed to natural enemies as part of biological control efforts. This demonstrates the effectiveness of a specific pest management strategy.
A UF/IFAS entomologist advises Florida citrus growers to target flush periods for insecticide applications to effectively manage the Asian citrus psyllid.
Governor Ron DeSantis approved nearly $140 million in funding for Florida's citrus industry as part of the 2025-26 state fiscal year budget. This substantial investment is earmarked for citrus research and revitalization efforts.
Florida's citrus industry has experienced a staggering 95% decline in orange production since the 1997-98 season. Major producers like Alico Inc. are ceasing operations, deeming citrus growing in Florida no longer economic.
via visiontimes.com
Bayer has partnered with the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) to combat citrus greening disease. Additionally, scientists have engineered citrus trees with an 'attract-and-kill' system, utilizing virus-induced gene silencing and RNA interference to lure and eliminate Asian citrus psyllids.
UF/IFAS breeders have released six new citrus varieties that are tolerant to Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening. These new scion and rootstock selections are intended to help growers combat the disease and improve the quality of not-from-concentrate orange juice.
Florida Senate President Ben Albritton is advocating for $125 million to be allocated for planting replacement citrus trees, as part of the state Senate's 2025-26 budget proposal which includes $200 million to support the citrus industry.
Florida's citrus industry decline is also attributed to freezes and rapid urban development, in addition to disease and hurricanes. This decline has allowed California to surpass Florida in citrus production.
via ehn.org
Invaio Sciences and Silvec Biologics are developing new solutions to combat citrus greening. Invaio Sciences' Trecise™ technology, which delivers active ingredients directly into trees, showed a 30% improvement in Florida trials in 2023.
UF/IFAS researchers are developing innovative solutions to combat citrus greening by using plant hormones, such as gibberellic acid and synthetic auxins, to improve tree health. This approach aims to enhance the trees' natural defenses against the devastating disease.
via wuft.org
The Florida state legislature allocated $47 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year to support the citrus industry. This funding aims to assist the industry which is experiencing a severe decline due to citrus greening disease, extreme weather, and market pressures.
University of Florida scientists are developing genetically modified citrus trees to resist the Asian citrus psyllid, the carrier of citrus greening disease. This novel approach involves inserting a gene from a soil-borne bacterium to enable trees to produce a protein that kills young psyllids. The research is currently in lab and greenhouse stages, aiming to combat the significant reduction in Florida's citrus acreage and production.
via IFAS·The Cool Down
Researchers are now exploring gene-edited plants that can recognize pathogens and activate the tree's immune response. This represents a new approach in the ongoing efforts to combat citrus greening disease.
The state's citrus industry anticipated one of its lowest production levels on record, with citrus greening having reduced total production by 74% and recent hurricanes further compounding the challenges, though new science offers some hope.
via southernagtoday.org·invasivespeciesinfo.gov·floridacitrus.org·aglab.ars.usda.gov·en.wikipedia.org
2024
7 updates
2024
7 updatesFlorida's citrus production has declined over 90% since 2005, exacerbated by low fruit prices and rising input costs. Separately, University of Florida researchers successfully grew a genetically modified tree that produces a protein effective in killing baby Asian citrus psyllids.
Researchers are studying how hurricanes may have spread invasive species across Florida and Georgia by creating maps using data on known locations for non-native species combined with recent storm flood data.
via wusf.org
The Florida citrus industry is attempting to recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Milton, which exacerbated existing challenges. This natural disaster added a new layer of difficulty to the industry's ongoing struggles.
Florida International University (FIU) researchers have discovered that citrus trees naturally tolerant to greening disease harbor bacteria producing novel antimicrobials. These compounds have shown high effectiveness in killing the citrus greening pathogen in controlled environments.
via news.fiu.edu
A federal court has ruled against the EPA's approval of streptomycin for use in Florida citrus, raising concerns about the industry's reliance on chemical-intensive methods and their environmental impact.
Scientists are exploring agroecological methods, such as 'push-pull' pest management, to combat the Asian citrus psyllid and citrus greening disease in Florida. This technique involves distracting pests with attractive plants and luring them to trap crops, aiming to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides.
A report highlighted that Florida citrus production had declined from nearly 300 million boxes in 2003-04 to under 20 million boxes in the 2022-23 season, a 75% reduction attributed largely to citrus greening.
via southernagtoday.org·invasivespeciesinfo.gov·floridacitrus.org·aglab.ars.usda.gov·en.wikipedia.org
2023
4 updates
2023
4 updatesNearly 20 years after its appearance, farmers and researchers continued to struggle against citrus greening, with orange production at a fraction of what it was two decades prior, exacerbated by hurricanes.
via southernagtoday.org·invasivespeciesinfo.gov·floridacitrus.org·aglab.ars.usda.gov·en.wikipedia.org
Florida International University scientists are investigating natural compounds from plant microbiomes to combat citrus greening, with the USDA awarding $500,000 for research into antimicrobial compounds. Researchers are also testing gene-edited citrus trees designed to resist the disease, with early results showing promise, though commercial planting is still estimated to be years away.
Florida International University (FIU) scientists are investigating the use of a plant's own microbiome to combat citrus greening. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has provided $500,000 to FIU for this research, aiming to find natural compounds that can suppress the bacteria causing the disease.
via FIU News
Scientists are investigating natural compounds derived from a plant's microbiome as a potential strategy to combat citrus greening disease. This research aims to identify antimicrobial agents that could suppress the disease, offering a new avenue for protecting Florida's citrus industry.
via news.fiu.edu
2022
1 update
2022
1 updateFlorida experienced its worst orange crop in 70 years, with nearly every citrus grove infected and production slashed by 78%, costing the state nearly $8 billion.
via southernagtoday.org·invasivespeciesinfo.gov·floridacitrus.org·aglab.ars.usda.gov·en.wikipedia.org
2014
1 update
2014
1 updateReports indicated that nearly all of Florida's citrus groves were affected by greening disease, with production significantly reduced compared to pre-greening levels.
via southernagtoday.org·invasivespeciesinfo.gov·floridacitrus.org·aglab.ars.usda.gov·en.wikipedia.org
2010
1 update
2010
1 updateCitrus Greening had spread throughout all traditional citrus areas of Florida, including Central Florida, Southwest Florida, and Indian River.
via southernagtoday.org·invasivespeciesinfo.gov·floridacitrus.org·aglab.ars.usda.gov·en.wikipedia.org
2008
1 update
2008
1 updateBy 2008, Citrus Greening had been identified in most of Florida's citrus-growing counties, posing a serious threat to the entire U.S. citrus industry.
via southernagtoday.org·invasivespeciesinfo.gov·floridacitrus.org·aglab.ars.usda.gov·en.wikipedia.org
2007
1 update
2007
1 updateThe Florida Department of Citrus began redirecting significant funds from marketing to greening-related research, starting with almost $2 million in the 2007-2008 season.
via southernagtoday.org·invasivespeciesinfo.gov·floridacitrus.org·aglab.ars.usda.gov·en.wikipedia.org
2006
1 update
2006
1 updateWithin a year of its initial detection, Citrus Greening had spread to twelve counties across Florida.
via southernagtoday.org·invasivespeciesinfo.gov·floridacitrus.org·aglab.ars.usda.gov·en.wikipedia.org
2005
1 update
2005
1 updateCitrus Greening disease (HLB) was first detected in non-commercial citrus in South Florida.
via southernagtoday.org·invasivespeciesinfo.gov·floridacitrus.org·aglab.ars.usda.gov·en.wikipedia.org
Story began · 20 years, 11 mo ago