The current shutdown of the federal government may have slowed the approval process of one of the most promising breakthroughs in the citrus industry’s fight against greening.
Soilcea, the biotechnology firm whose new CarriCea T1 variety rootstock is seen by some as a new chapter in the Florida citrus industry’s decades-long fight against greening, is in the midst of an Environmental Protection Agency approval process. The public comment period ended in August, and Soilcea reportedly received strong support from industry groups, including the CRDF, whose Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler wrote that “sentiment among growers across the state for this new rootstock is enthusiastic, and widespread support is anticipated. However, growers in Florida are
nearly out of time and money. It is critical that the regulatory pathway for this innovation be completed efficiently and, frankly, quickly, to allow deployment in commercial groves.”
Soilcea avoided USDA regulations in 2024 when it was determined by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that CarriCea T1 was unlikely to pose an increased risk and therefore not subject to USDA biotechnology regulations.
When the government shut down on October 1, the EPA was still open, operating on leftover funds, according to an Oct. 20 article in Politico. However, according to the article, the majority of its workforce was furloughed on Oct. 21.
Regardless of the shutdown, Soilcea continues to develop and research ways to help strengthen the citrus industry. Founder and CEO Yianni Lagos remains confident that CarriCea T1 is the way forward for Florida citrus. “I believe this tree is going to turn the tide on HLB, and we’re really excited.”
The breakthrough for the tree, which combines a sweet orange scion with the hearty Carrizo rootstock, came when Dr. Nian Wang identified targets in the bacteria that causes greening: Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (C-Las). The research team then used CRISPR technology to develop a way for the plant to disrupt the bacteria.
“All a bacteria wants to do is multiply,” says Lagos. “For greening, that means producing the C-Las protein. What our technology does is disrupt that protein and turn the tree’s natural defense mechanisms back on to fight the disease.”
The first trial was in 2023, and since that time, the tree has consistently performed well and has produced higher-quality fruit as compared to non-Soilcea trees.
“We have seen a lot of strong data in our tests — including a 10,000 times reduction in C-Las bacteria levels,” says Lagos. “While that may not be perfect, we believe that those results are strong enough to get on board.”
Lagos noted that some growers have said they will combine the Soilcea tree with other methods, including IPCs during their upcoming CRAFT experiments.
“There are some benefits to IPCs, like the greenhouse effect, that some growers have told us they want to use with our trees, and we think that’s great,” says Lagos. “But in our trials, we have not used covers, and we’re happy with the results.”
Lagos says Soilcea has received orders for 500,000 trees through the CRAFT program and is aiming to have the first batch of trees in the ground by spring 2027.