Controlling HLB with Thermotherapy: What Have We Learned So Far?

Abstract

In the last two years, many growers looked at thermotherapy as a way of keeping HLB-affected citrus trees in production until a more permanent solution could be developed. It has been shown that thermotherapy can kill HLB-causing bacteria under controlled environments. But the exact time and temperature is not known, and it is very difficult to determine since the bacteria cannot be cultured, and the current technique for determining live vs. dead bacteria has been very difficult to use.