During this reporting period (October, November, and December, 2015), the transgenic plants being produced for this project continued to grow at two different locations in secure greenhouses and growth chambers. Seven independently-transformed citrus plants carrying the FLT-antiNodT fusion protein expression construct are growing in Dr. McNellis’ lab at the Pennsylvania State University at University Park, PA, and an additional eight independently-transformed citrus plants carrying the FLT-antiNodT fusion protein expression construct are growing at Dr. Tim Gottwald’s lab at the United States Horticultural Laboratory in Fort Pierce, Florida. These plants are continuing to be propagated at both Ft. Pierce and Penn State. We now have propagated each line at Penn State with about 10 propagated trees rooted per transgenic line. In addition, we used genomic DNA analysis (Southern blotting) to confirm the presence of the anti-HLB gene in the genome of the grapefruit trees. Control plants that have been through the transformation process were also generated during the reporting period. These plants are the best comparison to the FLT-antiNodT plants in terms of plant behavior and disease resistance. These control plants will be sent to Penn State from Lake Alfred during the next reporting period. We call these the “transformation control” trees. Our collaboration with Dr. Janice Zale (University of Florida Mature Citrus Transformation Facility, Lake Alfred) to transform varieties important to the Florida citrus industry, including the ‘Valencia’ and ‘Hamlin’ sweet orange varieties and the ‘Citrumello’ and ‘Carrizo’ rootstocks with the FLT-antiNodT expression construct, continued during the reporting period. Hamlin and Carrizo transformants are now growing at Lake Alfred. Dr. Zale will maintain the original transformants, and will send propagated cuttings to Penn State soon. During the reporting period, Dr. McNellis applied for and was granted USDA permits to move sweet orange, rootstock, and “transformation control” trees to Penn State. This will set us up well for tests on these new trees.