Citrus Greening Bacterium Is Now Available in Culture — So What’s Next?

Abstract

A dynamic research collaboration between several labs at Washington State University (Gang Lab, Beyenal Lab, and Omsland Lab), University of Arizona (Brown Lab) and University of Florida (Killiny Lab) recently reported an important step in the long-sought culture of the bacterium associated with Huanglongbing (HLB), “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus”. The work, recently published in the journal Biofilm, describes a new approach (a membrane biofilm reactor) developed for growing the bacterial culture from diseased extracts of ‘Hamlin’ sweet orange leaves and stems. It also outlines a modified formula of the medium used in the biofilm reactor for growing the bacteria. These modifications included adding vitamins and other essential nutrients, such as salts and trace minerals. So far, the lab-grown bacterial biofilm culture has been sustained and sub-cultured for more than two years in the labs.