Author(s): STUCHI, E. S.; GIRARDI, E. A.

Summary: Citriculture is one of the major activities of the Brazilian agribusiness found throughout the entire country in different production environments. The presence of the Huanglongbing (HLB), reported in Brazil in 2004, has led to severe losses in important producing regions, challenging the sustainability of the citrus chain. Current control strategies are based on the use of healthy nursery trees, scouting and systematic eradication of symptomatic plants and chemical control of the insect vector. Research is being carried out at Embrapa and other Brazilian institutions aiming HLB resistance through genetic breeding via biotechnology. However, the inherent limitations to these actions determine that non-excluding and additional propositions could be considered in order to mitigate the effects of the HLB. Horticultural practices for immediate use in the citriculture are presented in order to complement the confrontation to this disease. The following propositions are discussed: selection of naturally occurring tolerant materials, evaluation of new regions for citrus production, unusual concepts of screened nursery trees, repellent and attractive plants, low- input production systems, use of resistance elicitors, protected cultivation, intercropping and ultra high density.

Publication year: 2010

Types of publication: Books

Unit: Embrapa Cassava & Fruits

Keywords: Genetic breeding, Greening, crop management