Florida, the American “Sunshine State” renowned for its sunshine and citrus, is experiencing a particularly bleak period for its iconic industry. The relentless spread of citrus greening disease, frequent extreme weather events, and land development pressures from population growth are pushing the local citrus growing industry towards the brink of collapse. Data reveals that over the past 20 years, Florida’s citrus production has plummeted by 90%, with planted acreage shrinking dramatically from 832,000 acres in 2000 to 275,000 acres in 2023. California has now overtaken Florida as the largest citrus-producing state in the United States.

A Convergence of Crises: Disease, Hurricanes, and Climate Disasters

Citrus greening disease is the most immediate driver of the industry’s collapse. This disease, caused by the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter, is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri). It exclusively parasitises the phloem sieve tubes of citrus trees, leading to obstructed nutrient transport, gradual tree decline, misshapen fruit, and eventual death. The pathogen’s inability to be artificially cultured has hindered the development of vaccines or targeted drugs, while the psyllid’s efficient transmission (with a 3-27 day incubation period) makes it a “mobile bomb” for disease spread. Since its introduction to Florida in 2005, the disease has rapidly spread throughout the state, becoming one of 33 countries globally reporting infections. Researchers indicate that Florida’s citrus production has decreased by approximately 90% since 2006, with orange production in 2023 potentially falling short of 1/15th of its peak.

The compounding effect of natural disasters has further exacerbated the crisis. Hurricane Irma in 2017, multiple hurricanes in 2022 and 2023, and rare winter freezes have caused extensive damage to orchards. A tree affected by a hurricane requires three years to recover, and repeated disasters have made it difficult for already weakened tree populations to recover. Growers express that the frequency of extreme weather events makes orchard recovery increasingly challenging.

Urban Encroachment: Land Conversion from Farms to Housing

Florida’s population surge is presenting an even more severe survival challenge for the citrus industry. In Polk County, for instance, the county with the largest citrus planting area in Florida, population growth ranked first in the United States in 2023. As developers acquire land for $25,000 per acre, many growers are forced to sell ancestral orchards for capital. Some growers openly admit that their family’s 20-acre orchard has been surrounded by residential areas and may disappear entirely in the future.

Land loss not only threatens planting scale but also impacts related industrial chains. Large-scale growing enterprises such as Alico Inc., Florida’s largest citrus company, have announced their withdrawal from the industry, with a 75% decline in production over the past decade. Juice giant Tropicana is facing capacity constraints due to raw material shortages, and some citrus industry associations (such as the Gulf Citrus Growers Association) have even closed due to industry decline.

Dual Losses: Economic and Cultural

The decline of the citrus industry extends far beyond the agricultural sector. The industry supports 33,000 full-time and part-time jobs in Florida and contributes $6.8 billion in economic impact. From juice processing, orchard maintenance, fertiliser sales to confectionery manufacturing, related industries are all facing challenges. For example, confectionery and jam producers relying on citrus ingredients have had to adjust product formulations due to rising costs from declining fruit quality and unstable production.

Industry leaders point out that citrus is not only an economic pillar of Florida but also its cultural symbol. However, with sharp reductions in orchard acreage and business exits, this traditional identity faces the risk of being reshaped.

Technology and Strategies: Seeking a Breakthrough

Despite the deep crisis, growers and scientists are working hard to find solutions. Research teams at the University of Florida are developing genetically modified disease-resistant tree varieties, using genetic modification to produce proteins that can kill citrus psyllids (such as attacin A and cecropin B). This technology is based on global scientific research on pathogen-plant interaction mechanisms, such as activating plant systemic acquired resistance (SAR) genes (such as NPR1) to initiate tree defences upon pathogen invasion. If successful, these tree varieties may be ready for widespread use within the next three years.

Short-term measures include:

• Protective netting covering orchards: Blocking psyllid invasion routes.
• Antibiotic injections: Such as tetracycline, which can temporarily inhibit the pathogen but requires nanotechnology (such as nanoemulsion-encapsulated drugs) to improve penetration efficiency.
• Disease-free seedling cultivation: Through stem tip micrografting (100% detoxification) and heat treatment (47-50℃), combined with cold-resistant rootstocks (such as trifoliate orange), reducing disease risks.

Some growers have adopted “flexible survival” strategies: selling some land to repay debts or invest in more efficient planting projects. For example, some growers have resold land to developers and used the proceeds to redesign orchard layouts, attempting to maintain production with limited resources.

Future Prospects: A Race Against Time

The future of Florida’s citrus industry depends on scientific breakthroughs and policy support. Global research achievements provide new directions for prevention and control:

• Integrated psyllid management: Combining parasitic wasp biological control with precision chemical control (such as neonicotinoid insecticides) to reduce insect populations.
• Rapid treatment of diseased trees: Combining nanomedicine (such as iodine compounds) with plant immune activators can partially restore the health of diseased trees, but cost and equipment need to be optimised.
• Global collaboration: Sharing pathogen databases to prevent the risk of cross-border transmission of American and African strains.

While the development of genetically modified trees offers hope, their commercialisation will still take several years. In the meantime, growers must struggle to survive amidst disasters, market fluctuations, and land development pressures. As one veteran grower put it, “We may have hit rock bottom, but whether we can climb back up depends on finding solutions as quickly as possible.”

Conclusion

Florida’s citrus industry is at a critical juncture, and the combination of science and experience provides a crucial turning point. By integrating disease-free seedling systems, nanomedicine, genetic modification technology, and intelligent monitoring, a final cure for this “citrus cancer” may be found. Only scientific breakthroughs, policy support, and global collaboration can safeguard the future of the citrus industry.

Disclaimer

The content of this article is assisted by AI technology, and the knowledge base comes from the following sources:

• Hit by storms and disease, Florida’s citrus growers try to survive until bug-free trees arrive, MIKE SCHNEIDER, apnews
• Citrus growers in Florida face decline due to greening disease, Jakson Hurst, mypanhandle.com
• FAN Guo-cheng, LIU Bo, WU Ru-jian, LI Tao, CAI Zi-jian, KE Chong. Thirty years of research on citrus Huanglongbing in China[J]. Fujian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2009, 24(2): 183-190.
• Hu, X.F., & Tian, Z.Q. (2021). Research Progress on Prevention and Control Technology of Citrus Huanglongbing [J]. China Plant Protection Guide, 41(7), 32-38, 202. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6820.2021.07.006.