Climatic risk of occurrence of Huanglongbing (HLB) in the main citrus production regions in Brazil and the United State of America

• Grant number: 19/12174-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2019
• End date: March 20, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Agricultural Meteorology
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Cesar Sentelhas
• Grantee: Silvane Isabel Brand
• Supervisor: Mark Lawrence Gleason
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Iowa State University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 17/23497-9 - Climate risk for the huanglongbing occurrence of the citrus based on models of the dynamics of the vector population and occurrence of buds, BP.DR

Abstract

Brazil and part of south and southeast of the United State are between the regions of the world with the best conditions for citrus production. However, in these two countries, producers face difficulties for high production, especially due to the occurrence of diseases. Currently, the disease of major importance for citrus cultivation, both nationally and worldwide, is huanglongbing (HLB), which has required the eradication of thousands of plants from the orchards. The disease is transmitted by the psyllid, Diaphorina citri, and has a bacterial strain, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, which is the agent of the disease. Given the great influence that the meteorological conditions have on the dynamics and dispersion of the psyllid population, the objective of this study is to evaluate the risk for occurrence of HLB based on the dynamic of the vector, by means of a agroclimatic model for vector capture intensity, properly calibrated and validated for the main producing regions of Brazil. To determine the risks of HLB occurrence, historical meteorological data will be used for estimating the intensity of catching of psyllid in different locations and the number of sprays required to control, applying the threshold currently in use in Brazil. Based on the number of sprays a five-level risk scale (very low, low, moderate, high and very high) will be proposed. Thus, it is expected that this study will generate information that will assist citrus orchards implantation as well as the adoption of strategies for controlling HLB.