Orange Sun

One of the great tools to fight citrus greening, the main disease affecting the citruculture in the world, is the precision in its diagnosis. A work that in Brazil is developed by the Fundecitrus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, a research organization maintained in partnership with citrus growers and the industry. In November, the laboratory reached the mark of 90 thousand analyzis of plants with symptoms of this disease.

The service has been offered for free to citrus growers since 2004, when citrus greening appeared in the groves of São Paulo. It meets the demand of producers who have questions related to the presence or not of the disease in the groves. In addition to HLB, a diagnosis is also made for CVC (citrus variegated chlorosis). In this case, the number of plants assessed was 7.4 thousand, from 2008 to 2016.

“The demand for analyzis today is lower due to the greater knowledge of the symptoms of HLB on the part of the citrus growers and the low index of CVC in the citrus park. But even so, the demand is high because the diagnosis gives certainty about the infection or not of the plant”, says Fundecitrus researcher Mr. Nelson Arno Wulff, responsible for the laboratory.

In 2016, a new device was acquired for the laboratory that provides economy and agility in the diagnostic process and it allows to reduce the analysis time from 30 minutes to 2 and a half minutes. In addition to optimizing the analyzis, the equipment brought savings of 27% in material expenses.

“The laboratory is always looking to deliver faster and faster results, with less reagent use and less waste, following the trend of sustainability-driven diagnostics”, says Wulff.

More information on sample shipment is available at: http://www.fundecitrus.com.br/pesquisa/laboratorio