Plant Improvement


Generation of non-transgenic HLB-resistant sweet orange varieties using CRISPR-Cas technology

Report Date: 02/04/2025   Project: 21-028   Year: 2025

Generation of non-transgenic HLB-resistant sweet orange varieties using CRISPR-Cas technology

Report Date: 02/04/2025
Project: 21-028   Year: 2025
Percentage Completion: 0.98
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Nian Wang
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Quarterly Project # 21-025: Transgenic capable field site to assess HLB-resistant and other improved citrus

Report Date: 01/24/2025   Project: Project # 21-025   Year: 2024

Quarterly Project # 21-025: Transgenic capable field site to assess HLB-resistant and other improved citrus

Report Date: 01/24/2025
Project: Project # 21-025   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: .39
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Matthew Mattia
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Evaluation of Potential HLB Tolerant Grapefruit Rootstock/Scion Combinations in Florida

Report Date: 01/15/2025   Project: 23-003   Year: 2024

Evaluation of Potential HLB Tolerant Grapefruit Rootstock/Scion Combinations in Florida

Report Date: 01/15/2025
Project: 23-003   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 0.8
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Mark Ritenour
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Quarterly Project # 21-025: Transgenic capable field site to assess HLB-resistant and other improved citrus

Report Date: 12/19/2024   Project: Project # 21-025   Year: 2024

Quarterly Project # 21-025: Transgenic capable field site to assess HLB-resistant and other improved citrus

Report Date: 12/19/2024
Project: Project # 21-025   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 0.37
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Matthew Mattia
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Evaluating Novel Gene-edited Duncan Grapefruit Mutants for Resistance to Huanglongbing (HLB)

Report Date: 12/12/2024   Project: 23-006   Year: 2024

Evaluating Novel Gene-edited Duncan Grapefruit Mutants for Resistance to Huanglongbing (HLB)

Report Date: 12/12/2024
Project: 23-006   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 0.75
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Zhanao Deng
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Consolidation of citrus breeding plant material to vacate space for Stage I and Stage II field trials and to exploit tolerant germplasm for gene editing strategies

Report Date: 11/15/2024   Project: 23-029   Year: 2024

Consolidation of citrus breeding plant material to vacate space for Stage I and Stage II field trials and to exploit tolerant germplasm for gene editing strategies

Report Date: 11/15/2024
Project: 23-029   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 0.35
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: John Chater
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation

1. Please state project objectives and what work was done this quarter to address them:

Objective 1: Destroy declining plant material with no direct use to the citrus industry to make space for Stage I and Stage II trials (Years 1 and 2).
Since the previous quartly report, more acreage has been abandoned, pushed and destroyed at CREC, to make space for Stage I and Stage II trials. Hundreds of trees were identified blocks slated for destruction as being suitable for conservation, movement with the tree spade (or other means) and sourced for budwood. As mentioned previously, these trees were identified by both drone and by visual inspection. Project personnel has collected all budwood from these blocks and it was sent for propagation at the nurserylicensed to propagate uncertified budwood. UFarm charges have conserved and saved all materials needed for data mining for tolerant genes and other variants.
Objective 2: Conserve, move, consolidate, and propagate tolerant and resistant citrus trees to a centralized location. (Years 1 and 2).
The block where consolidation will take place has been reserved for this purpose. The nursery has received more accessions than expected by this time point as conservation of useful material is imperative. When the buds take, we will move forward with tree movement with tree spade and other means. The tree spade is reported to be repaired and ready, and the invoice has been paid, but the CREC grove manager has not moved it yet.

2. Please state what work is anticipated for next quarter:

We anticipate using the USDA-ARS tree spade to move the first trees awhich have budwood transferred to the nursery for propagation in late winter/early spring. A method has been proposed by the grove manager in which the spade prunes the roots for the development of a dense root ball, where possible, with a follow up removal with the spade. In some cases trees will be pruned, allowed to flush, which may aid in development in denser roots upon tree movement. There are thousands of trees that are tagged for removal, and we are waiting for final removal of those trees.

3. Please state budget status (underspend or overspend, and why):

We are expending the grant funding in a timely manner (44% time spent versus 57% funding expended) according to the UF/IFAS grants tracking system. The budget is being expended at a rate at which all funding will be expended by the end of the project period. I believe the ratio is as such because the committed funds are used in this calculation, as in the funds have not been expended yet, but they will as the proper time comes.



Evaluate new transgenic rootstocks for HLB tolerance

Report Date: 11/12/2024   Project: 23-030   Year: 2024

Evaluate new transgenic rootstocks for HLB tolerance

Report Date: 11/12/2024
Project: 23-030   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 0.1
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Zhonglin Mou
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Generation of non-transgenic HLB-resistant sweet orange varieties using CRISPR-Cas technology

Report Date: 11/05/2024   Project: 21-028   Year: 2024

Generation of non-transgenic HLB-resistant sweet orange varieties using CRISPR-Cas technology

Report Date: 11/05/2024
Project: 21-028   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 0.94
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Nian Wang
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Understanding the HLB tolerance and reduced fruit drop in Parson Brown and evaluation of other early season sweet oranges

Report Date: 11/01/2024   Project: 22-019   Year: 2024

Understanding the HLB tolerance and reduced fruit drop in Parson Brown and evaluation of other early season sweet oranges

Report Date: 11/01/2024
Project: 22-019   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 0.85
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Manjul Dutt
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Evaluation of Potential HLB Tolerant Grapefruit Rootstock/Scion Combinations in Florida

Report Date: 10/21/2024   Project: 23-003   Year: 2024

Evaluation of Potential HLB Tolerant Grapefruit Rootstock/Scion Combinations in Florida

Report Date: 10/21/2024
Project: 23-003   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 0.7
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Mark Ritenour
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Evaluating Novel Gene-edited Duncan Grapefruit Mutants for Resistance to Huanglongbing (HLB)

Report Date: 09/12/2024   Project: 23-006   Year: 2024

Evaluating Novel Gene-edited Duncan Grapefruit Mutants for Resistance to Huanglongbing (HLB)

Report Date: 09/12/2024
Project: 23-006   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 0.6
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Zhanao Deng
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



23-031: Accelerate Establishment of Stage 2 Citrus Trials to Combat Citrus Greening Disease

Report Date: 09/10/2024   Project: 23-031   Year: 2024

23-031: Accelerate Establishment of Stage 2 Citrus Trials to Combat Citrus Greening Disease

Report Date: 09/10/2024
Project: 23-031   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 0.5
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Weston Johnson
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Evaluate new transgenic rootstocks for HLB tolerance

Report Date: 09/09/2024   Project: 23-030   Year: 2023

Evaluate new transgenic rootstocks for HLB tolerance

Report Date: 09/09/2024
Project: 23-030   Year: 2023
Percentage Completion: 0.05
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Zhonglin Mou
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Preliminary Field Trial to Evaluate the Ability of HLB Tolerant Interstocks to Protect Commercial Scions Against HLB

Report Date: 08/31/2024   Project: 22-016   Year: 2024

Preliminary Field Trial to Evaluate the Ability of HLB Tolerant Interstocks to Protect Commercial Scions Against HLB

Report Date: 08/31/2024
Project: 22-016   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 1
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Manjul Dutt
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation



Understanding the HLB tolerance and reduced fruit drop in Parson Brown and evaluation of other early season sweet oranges

Report Date: 08/31/2024   Project: 22-019   Year: 2024

Understanding the HLB tolerance and reduced fruit drop in Parson Brown and evaluation of other early season sweet oranges

Report Date: 08/31/2024
Project: 22-019   Year: 2024
Percentage Completion: 0.75
Category: Plant Improvement
Author: Manjul Dutt
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation