Grant Information
| Knowledge Area | Subject of Investigation | Field of Science | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 204 - Plant Product Quality and Utility (Preharvest) | 920 - Orange | 1080 - Genetics (excludes breeding) | 40% |
| 203 - Plant Biological Efficiency and Abiotic Stresses Affecting Plants | 910 - Grapefruit | 1000 - Biochemistry and biophysics | 30% |
| 212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants | 999 - Citrus, general/other | 1160 - Pathology | 30% |
Novel opportunities to create improved citrus are being pursued through transgenic expression to yield Huanglongbing/Asian citrus psyllid (HLB/ACP)-resistance. Transgenic work using antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) continues apace with improved promoters and constructs: greatest promise is with chimeral peptides combining two antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), including citrus only genes. Transgenic hairpins will target key Asian citrus psyllid genes through double stranded Ribonucleic acid (dsRNA)- induced Ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi), which have shown efficacy against Asian citrus psyllid (ACP)and reductions in Liberibacter asiaticus (Las) transmission using citrus tristeza virus-inducted gene silencing (CTV- VIGS). Liberibacter asiaticus (Las)-focused constructs include FLS2 for host Liberibacter asiaticus recognition and genes up- regulated in tolerant citrus identified through Ribonucleic acid (RNAseq). Founder lines with an integration exchange platform have been developed in citrus, and function verified, to permit efficient construct variant comparison. Recent discovery of high efficiency phloem expression in citrus will be used to create constructs and use against huanglongbing. Plants were generated with 17 small chain variable fragment antibody (ScFv) targeting exterior epitopes of Liberibacter asiaticus, and require testing for huanglongbing and psyllid acquisition inhibition.