Researchers on the Indian River have proved “there is something in the oak leaf that can work” against HLB, said Lorenzo Rossi. “I’m not saying that I found the cure, and I’m not saying that oak extract will save the citrus industry.”
He described oak extract, and possibly oak mulch, as another tool against HLB. Rossi, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher, discussed the issue at this year’s virtual Citrus Expo.
Rossi said some Indian River growers several years ago noticed that citrus growing under nearby laurel oak trees “looked really good.” He explained that the citrus trees got under the nearby oaks after wild animals ate citrus in groves and excreted the seeds into nearby hammocks.
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