Researchers find peptide in an Australian plant that treats, prevents killer citrus disease

Published 2021년 2월 10일

Tridge summary

A study from UC Riverside has discovered a peptide in the Australian finger lime that can destroy the bacteria causing citrus greening, a global citrus tree disease. The peptide not only kills the bacteria but also activates the plant's immune system to prevent new infections. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that the peptide's corkscrew-like structure quickly punctures the bacterium, killing it quickly. The researchers have licensed the SAMP technology to Invaio Sciences and are conducting field tests in Florida. They are also exploring if the peptide can inhibit diseases in other crops caused by the same bacteria family.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

New research affirms a unique peptide found in an Australian plant can destroy the No. 1 killer of citrus trees worldwide and help prevent infection. Huanglongbing, HLB, or citrus greening has multiple names, but one ultimate result: bitter and worthless citrus fruits. It has wiped out citrus orchards across the globe, causing billions in annual production losses. All commercially important citrus varieties are susceptible to it, and there is no effective tool to treat HLB-positive trees, or to prevent new infections. However, new UC Riverside research shows that a naturally occurring peptide found in HLB-tolerant citrus relatives, such as Australian finger lime, can not only kill the bacteria that causes the disease, it can also activate the plant’s own immune system to inhibit new HLB infection. Few treatments can do both. Research demonstrating the effectiveness of the peptide in greenhouse experiments has just been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of ...

Source: Agropages