Penicillin to fight citrus disease in Florida!


For several years now citrus production in Florida has been in serious decline. The decline is the result of an insect named the Asian Citrus Psyllid. The insect is very tiny but causes huge damage to the trees. Infected trees develop misshapen fruit that does not ripen and falls to the ground. 

Citrus greening is also known as Huanglongbing (HLB) or yellow dragon disease. (HLB) is one of the most serious citrus plant diseases in the world.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Florida will produce 103 million boxes of oranges this year. That number was 147 million just three years ago. The citrus industry in Florida is valued at just slightly under $9 billion dollars. 

Fighting the disease with penicillin has demonstrated excellent results    in trials so far. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, trees have been restored, nearly back to health in approximately 19 days. 

For now more research needs to be done according to Dr. Nick Place, dean at the University of Florida/IFAS extension service. Approval to use penicillin on the trees would require review from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

With the future of citrus production in serious jeopardy, your next cartoon of orange juice may end up with a warning label. "This juice may contain trace quantities of penicillin" Imagine that? Would you drink that for breakfast?
* FDA Disclaimer
The products and statements made about specific plants or products on this web site have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. All information provided on this web site or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this web site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new vitamins, supplements, diet, or exercise program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.

Advertising Disclosure:
Pepesplants.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and also Googles affiliate advertising program. The programs provide a means for web sites to earn revenues from advertising and or sales.

​Content Disclosure
Use all information on this site at your own risk.
The content here is based on the publishers personal experience in the green industries.
Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, and all information and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied
​​
​Site created and managed by Pepe's Fruit Trees.  Copyright 2020 - All Right Reserved