Spain: Saving oranges and lemons in Europe from devastating pests

Published 2023년 4월 13일

Tridge summary

The European Union is taking steps to protect citrus production from plant diseases, particularly citrus greening, which is spreading from Asia and could affect Spain and other Member States. This disease, spread by psyllid insects, can make citrus fruits bitter and ultimately destroy the trees. In response, the EU has initiated the PRE-HLB project to develop a strategy to prevent and control the disease, including breeding resistant plants and using biopesticides. Additionally, the EU is considering the use of industrial-scale biopesticides to reduce synthetic pesticide use and protect the environment. Another project, IPM-4-Citrus, has developed biopesticides to combat larval pests, with the goal of affording them European market approval. These initiatives aim to safeguard citrus production and reduce environmental impact.

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Original content

The EU is tackling plant diseases that could put the squeeze on citrus production in Spain and other Member States. Many people love citrus fruits for their sweet or sour flavor, but plant diseases could leave fans with a bitter taste. A blight called citrus greening is killing orange, lemon and other such trees worldwide and could soon do the same in Europe. Tiny infected insects known as psyllids are responsible for spreading the scourge, which turns tree leaves yellow and the citrus fruits bitter. The pest originated in China, where it's also known as Huanglongbing (HLB), or yellow dragon disease. While the psyllids in Asia are causing the most damage, an African variety of the insect that is another vector of HLB has been found in Spain and Portugal. "The disease is highly destructive to the citrus," said Leandro Peña, a biologist at the Polytechnic University of Valencia in Spain. "A range of varieties of ...

Source: Phys