Rethinking Huanglongbing Research: Early phloem signaling, surrogate models, and a revised evolutionary framework of Liberibacter

My PhD research focuses on Huanglongbing (HLB), a devastating disease that threatens citrus production worldwide and currently has no cure. I studied how the disease starts inside plants, especially in the phloem, the tissue that transports nutrients. To better understand these early stages, I developed a fast and reliable experimental system that allows us to observe infection much earlier than before. This helped identify new plant responses that were previously hidden. Because the bacterium causing HLB is very difficult to study directly, I also used alternative model systems to test potential control strategies. In addition, I explored the evolutionary origin of this bacterium and showed that it is closely related to beneficial bacteria, offering new perspectives for research. Overall, this work provides new tools and insights that may support the development of more effective and sustainable solutions to combat HLB.