Experience in the Use of Nutrition for the Management of HLB in China, with a Reference to the Practice in Florida

Yulu Xia
North Carolina State University

Ron Sequeira
USDA APHIS PPQ CPHST Santiago, Manzanillo, Mexico August 18, 2011

Content
The Big picture
Why the topic? A Brief on Citrus production, HLB, and ACP in China

Nutritional approach for HLB management in China

Overall situation Selected studies since 1937 Field practice and lessons learned Conclusions

Other considerations

Why the topic?

Using nutritional approach gathers momentum in Florida. Nutrition makes grove look good (slides on right: top: GD/China, bottom: Florida) The long time before the symptom shows up after the initial infection The infected trees never die, just fade away Data from field research is in early stage or incomplete

 Why the topic?

Scientific community and growers We must provide the answers Experience in China may shortcut our experience China experienced the same frustration Save our $, more importantly, time

Citrus Growing Area in China

China has a much larger citrus production area.

ACP The Big Pictures ACPprov Reported in at least 11 Occu.

The HLBHLB Pictures HLB Occur. Major Big Occurrence The Belt
HLB mainly occurs in the southern costal provinces: Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujiang

The first observations of diseased

citrus corresponding to what is now recognized as HLB were in southern China in the late 19th century. In the mid-20th century, the Chinese researcher K.H. Lin provided a scientific description of HLB and demonstrated its infectious nature.
--- National Research Council, Strategic Planning for the Florida Citrus Industry: Addressing Citrus Greening Disease (Huanglongbing), May 2010

K. H. Lin promoted in China, in the middle of the 20th century, a three-pronged approach to combating HLB after its appearance in a region (i)elimination of liberibacter inoculum by removal of symptomatic trees, (ii) insecticide treatments to keep psyllid vector populations as low as possible, and (iii) production of healthy citrus trees in closed, insect-proof nurseries for new orchards as well as for replacements of removed symptomatic trees

 Picture taken in 1930s showing HLB in Chaoshan, Guangdong

 Long and diverse citrus production system

Nutritional approach for HLB management in China

A Brief of our current projects in China Overall situation Selected studies since 1937 Field practice and lessons learned Conclusions & Questions

Our current projects in China

Two grant projects by USDA APHIS APHISs emphasis on method development
ACP/HLB Field Method Development and Outreach Chinese HLB/ACP Literature Inventory

Nutritional approach for HLB management in China

A Brief of our current projects in China

Overall situation
Selected studies since 1937 Field Practice and Lessons learned Conclusions and Questions

A Review of research on nutrition for HLB management since 1937 - Overview

Using nutritional approach for HLB management had been proposed since 1930s There were fierce debates on the issue since 1950s all the way to 1980s Numerous field studies, area-wide programs, and surveys have been conducted, no indication of effectiveness Difference in response to nutrition among citrus species/cultivars

Selected studies
First study was conducted during the period of 1937 1941 by professor CHEN Che Poh, in the middle of the world II (Japan occupied China) CHEN QB: 1943. A report of a study of Huanglongbing in Chaoshan. Quarterly Bulletin of New Agriculture.

142 175

CHEN QB: 1943. A report of a study of Huanglongbing in Chaoshan. Quarterly Bulletin of New Agriculture. 142 175

Nutritions zinc sulphate (ZnSo4), copper sulphate (CuSo4), boron(H3BO3), calcium sulphate (CaSo4), ferric sulphate(FeSo4), potassium hydrophosphate (KH2PO4), magnesium sulphate(MgSo4), soy bean residue, etc. Application methods foliar application trunk injection soil application

CHEN QB: 1943. A report of a study of Huanglongbing in Chaoshan. Quarterly Bulletin of New Agriculture. 142 175

Conclusions Application of various nutritions by three methods did result any meaning difference symptoms and growth, compared to the untreated. Problems with the experiment Apparently no psyllid control Relatively small experimental size and duration Fairly sick trees.

A large number of field studies were conducted using nutrition/fertilization and other cultural practices for managing HLB from early 1940s to 1980s in China, no long-term success or benefit had been demonstrated.
LIN KH 1977. The Key Issues in Management of HLB. Bulletin of Citrus Technology and Technology 3-4: 28 37 ZHAO XY & YH JIANG. 1986. Effective HLB management is a key step in Liuzhous citrus production Chinese Southern Fruit. 2: 21 - 22

Again, they didnt pay much attention to 1) psyllid management, 2) differentiation of citrus cultivars, 3) HLB infection rate, 4) age of the plants, 5) citrus cultivation

Nutritional approach for HLB management in China

A Brief of our current projects in China

Selected studies since1937

Field practice and lessons learned

Conclusions and Questions

Field Practice and Lessons Learned

The three-pronged approach, e.g. 1) using pathogen free seedlings, 2) removal of the infested plants, and 3) control of vector insects, was proposed by Dr. Lin and other researchers in 1950s. However, this approach was not widely adopted in China, even at minority sometimes, using nutrition and other culture practice was repeatedly advocated by growers and event scientists.
LIN KH 1956, 1957, and 1962

 A test of removal infested tree, conducted by Dr. Lin KH.

08-1956 to 03-1961
# of Citrus Tree Total plants at start Total infested plants at start Newly Infested - 1958 Newly infested - 1961 Removal Area 229 11 (4.8%) 8 (3.5%) 67 (29.2%) Control 197 13 (6.6%) 19 (9.6%) 112 (56.8%)

LIN KH 1962. Ten Year Debate on HLB and the Future. The South Daily. March 29, March 30, March 31, 1962.

 Removal of the infected citrus plants is no doubt the fundamental in an effective HLB management program.

In my view, current argument is not about whether, but about WHEN

 LIN KH 1956. Observation on yellow shoot of citrus: aebiological studies of yellow shoot of citrus. Acta Phytopathologica Sinica 2: 1 42. LIN KH 1962. Ten Year Debate on HLB and the Future. The South Daily. March 29, March 30, March 31, 1962.

 This view became widespread by the late of 1950s, lead to local government sponsored Mass Area-wide of HLB Management Program, mainly by increasing fertilization, cutting the heavily infested branches, and removing decayed roots, across the huge HLB occurrence area in southern China, especially in Fujian and Guangdong Provinces, started in 1958. As expected, the program failed. HLB became even more serious.

 1960s and later

Nutrition and other cultural practice have been practiced among the small-scale, family-own groves. The three-pronged approach is not widely used by these growers. Few scientists, especially those who didnt conduct field study on the issue, advocated the approach. E.g. HOU XY 1985, distinguished botanist and An Academician of CAS. This is the main reason that HLB is still a problem there.

Credit: Bai XJ

 The three-pronged approach adopted by the bigger, professional growers, and works well across China.
HLB Rate
0.25 23.45%
0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 1 2 3 4 5

8% 5%
1% 1% 0.44% 0.23% 0.13% 0.05% 6 7 8 9

Year: 1 = 2001 HLB Occurrence in Li Xing Citrus Plantation, Guangxi Prov. credit: Bai XJ

 WU DY 2010 HLB and Integrated Management. Pp. 177. Guangdong Scientific Press.

LIN KH 1962. Ten Year Debate on HLB and the Future. The South Daily. March 29, March 30, March 31, 1962.

Nutritional approach for HLB management in China A Brief of our current projects in China Selected studies since1937 Field practice and lessons learned

Conclusions

 HLB is a manageable disease if you follow the principle Nutrition/fertilization is not effective generally. However, we find a number of anecdotal evidences that the approach may have value in following case 1. Mature plants, still look healthy, 2. Vigorous psyllid management 3. And sound citrus management 4. Pomelo > sweet orange > mandarin > Limon 5. Then, you have to consider all other factors such as infection rate, age of grove, etc.

1. Ponkan and Jiaogan mandarins (Citrus reticulata), regarded as the most succeptible to HLB , planted in 1967, in Fujian, China 2. Infection occurred in 2010 -2011. 3. By using foliar nutritional appli., keep psyllid very low, lots of the infected trees still w/ decent production

Other considerations

1. If you have to nutritional approach, it almost certain you CANT reduce the bacterium titer in the plants, so??

City/Country

High temp mean value (C)

32.7

Temp mean value (C)

28.5

Hottest month
July

Record highest temp (C)

39.1

Guangzhou/China

Miami/US
So Paulo/Brazil Bangalore/India Taipei/Taiwan Bali/Indonesia

31.7
28.0 34.2 32.0 N/A

28.2
22.4 28.0 28.4 N/A

August
February April July N/A

37.8
37.0 38.9 38.8 35.2

Manzanillo/Comila/ Mexico
Okinawa/Japan Ho Chi Min City/Vietnam

N/A
30.7 N/A

N/A
28.1 N/A

July
August N/A

33.0
35.6 39.4

New York City /USA Bakersfield(CA)/USA

28.2 36.9

24.2 28.9

July July

41.7 47.2

McAllen(TX)/USA
Jeddah/Saudi Arabia

36.0
37.6

N/A
32.4

July
July

43.0
52.0

0.45

R7() R18() R34() R34() R15() R26() R26() R15()

Other considerations 0.4

0.35 0.3 0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 R1() R2() R12() R7() R14() R8()

R24() R19()

R1() R2()

R8() R12() 1

R14() R18()

R19() R24()

Other considerations

Since vector control is critical in nutritional approach. Other citrus feeding psyllids?
the pomello psyllids, Cacopsylla (Psylla) citrisuga, we find in China, is likely another vector of HLB, pending further transmission study

Thank you!