Early data on biofertilizer for HLB-affected trees
CitrusIndustry
2026.07.21
Florida’s citrus industry has faced severe decline due to huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening). Production has dropped 92% since the 2003–04 season, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service.
Growers have relied on cultural practices, tolerant varieties and antimicrobial treatments, especially oxytetracycline (OTC), which has recently shown compounding benefits in yield and fruit quality. However, no sprayable compound has yet proven effective for HLB suppression in citrus, despite success in other crops such as apples and peaches. The ongoing “Grove First” project continues to evaluate new chemistries, but large-scale results are still pending.
Bio Extra Verde (BEV), a Brazilian biofertilizer, has shown promising field responses in fruit set, flowering, yield and quality. Its active components — eugenol (from clove) and ricinoleic acid (from castor bean oil) — have documented antimicrobial and insect‑repellent properties, though they have not been tested previously in HLB‑affected citrus.
Florida’s citrus industry has faced severe decline due to huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening). Production has dropped 92% since the 2003–04 season, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service.
Growers have relied on cultural practices, tolerant varieties and antimicrobial treatments, especially oxytetracycline (OTC), which has recently shown compounding benefits in yield and fruit quality. However, no sprayable compound has yet proven effective for HLB suppression in citrus, despite success in other crops such as apples and peaches. The ongoing “Grove First” project continues to evaluate new chemistries, but large-scale results are still pending.
Bio Extra Verde (BEV), a Brazilian biofertilizer, has shown promising field responses in fruit set, flowering, yield and quality. Its active components — eugenol (from clove) and ricinoleic acid (from castor bean oil) — have documented antimicrobial and insect‑repellent properties, though they have not been tested previously in HLB‑affected citrus.
Read more here.