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Review
. 2021 Nov 15:12:760481.
doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.760481. eCollection 2021.

Controlling Citrus Huanglongbing: Green Sustainable Development Route Is the Future

Xue Li  1   2 , Huaqin Ruan  3 , Chengqian Zhou  4 , Xiangchun Meng  5   6   7 , Wenli Chen  1   2
Affiliations
Free PMC article
Review

Controlling Citrus Huanglongbing: Green Sustainable Development Route Is the Future

Xue Li et al. Front Plant Sci. .
Free PMC article

Abstract

Huanglongbing (HLB) is the most severe bacterial disease of citrus crops caused by Candidatus Liberibacter spp. It causes a reduction in fruit yield, poor fruit quality, and even plants death. Due to the lack of effective medicine, HLB is also called citrus "AIDS." Currently, it is essential for the prevention and control of HLB to use antibiotics and pesticides while reducing the spread of HLB by cultivating pathogen-free seedlings, removing disease trees, and killing Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). New compounds [e.g., antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and nanoemulsions] with higher effectiveness and less toxicity were also found and they have made significant achievements. However, further evaluation is required before these new antimicrobial agents can be used commercially. In this review, we mainly introduced the current strategies from the aspects of physical, chemical, and biological and discussed their environmental impacts. We also proposed a green and ecological strategy for controlling HLB basing on the existing methods and previous research results.

Keywords: antibiotic; antimicrobial peptide; citrus huanglongbing; genetically modified technology; microbial therapy; nanotechnology; physical method; sustainable development.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The control strategies of citrus HLB mainly include physical methods, chemical methods, and biological methods. HLB, huanglongbing.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Green strategies to prevent and control HLB. There are mainly three steps: first of all, enhancing the management of orchards by manual or mechanical weeding, intercropping ACP-averse crops, and releasing the natural enemies of ACP. Secondly, improving plant immunity. Using bio-organic fertilizer, spraying metabolic photosynthetic accelerators, and stress-resistant ionic liquids to enhance plant immunity. Finally, removing the severely diseased citrus to cutoff HLB from the source. HLB, Huanglongbing; ACP, Asian citrus psyllid.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
The interaction process between citrus and Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Ca.Las). Ca.Las can more easily colonize in roots, stems, and leaves of citrus through effector proteins. To analyze the interaction mechanism of plant and pathogen is conducive to promote the development of HLB prevention and control. HLB, Huanglongbing.
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