Monday, April 13, 2015

Can Spinach Save the Orange Crop?

Oranges from trees infected with Citrus greening disease. 

Huanglongbing,also known as citrus greening disease, could destroy Florida's $9 billion orange crop. Citrus greening disease is a disease spread by the Asian Citrus Psyllid. It is, however, interesting to note that the disease is caused by the bacteria, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The disease is fatal in citrus trees and causes hard, bitter, misshaped fruit. Huanglongbing, roughly translated to Yellow Dragon Disease, is named after the characteristic yellow shoots that arise. The disease is often not caught until it is late, as the bacteria incubates in the root system. This disease is not limited to oranges or Florida as it has spread from China to all over the Globe and most varieties of citrus.

Researchers have now began experimenting to stop this economically devastating disease. Researchers have been experimenting with different genes of plants to create a resistance within the orange. Researchers have experimented from genes from insects such as scorpions as sarcophagus beetles, but knows that the public would reject the oranges if the knowledge that they had insect genes within them.

One of the most promising avenues is to use a plant that is commonly consumed. A protein identified by Spanish scientists in spinach is currently being used. First isolated to combat canker, the protein could also be inserted into trees for its defensive properties. The gene would most likely be worked into the inner most layer of the bark, the phloem, the nutrient system of the tree, where the disease is spread. There is also research being done where the oranges themselves would not be GMO, but a virus within the tree would provide resistance.

The question is, whether or not the American consumer would purchase GMO oranges and orange juice. The idea that the orange is modified with spinach genes could be very unappealing to consumers that may just decide to buy other types of juice instead. Market studies, however, have shown that consumers prefer GMO orange juice to no orange juice at all.

After all is said and done, the genetically modified orange trees, if approved, are unlikely to solve the problem. The bacteria most likely will overcome and the problem will have to be managed constantly.

Link:  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/09/140914-florida-orange-citrus-greening-gmo-environment-science/    

1 comment:

  1. I am glad that they are finding ways to save the oranges. Although it would be labeled as GMO I don't think it would be a problem if people understood why it is labeled GMO and how they modified it. Any kind of orange is fine with me.

    ReplyDelete