On Tuesday, Invaio Sciences, a bio platform company harnessing the technologies behind precision medicine to improve plant health, announced that its Citrus Health solution to suppress citrus greening in oranges received approval from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Community Services (FDACS) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
Invaio’s Citrus Health solution treats citrus greenin – also known as Huanglongbing (HLB) – spread by the Asian citrus psyllid. The disease has wreaked havoc on the Florida citrus industry and is responsible for massive losses in yields and profits since 2006.
Invaio’s new solution will deliver ArborBiotic through Invaio’s groundbreaking application technology, Trecise. Unlike conventional injection treatments, this minimally invasive system enables small amounts of active ingredient to be delivered directly into the tree’s vascular system. Trials of the solution have shown an average yield increase of 30 percent after just one treatment as well as increased in BRIX and a reduction in fruit drop.
“Invaio’s Trecise technology offers a real breakthrough in the fight against citrus greening, a disease that has devastated the industry for more than 15 years,” said Ignacio Martinez, the founding CEO of Invaio. “This is the first of many Invaio technologies that will benefit growers, crops and the environment.”
The Trecise system has a number of key advantages for growers and applicators. Its 120-day pre-harvest interval is 60 days shorter than conventional injection treatments. There’s no need for drilling, making it suitable for young trees that have had few treatment options available until now. Because it applies active ingredients directly in the conductive tissues of the tree, it needs lower rates for equivalent efficacy, reducing the risks of misapplication and residues. It also dramatically reduces risk of exposure to workers and the environment because of its closed system design.
“We’re excited to launch our Trecise system and are optimistic about the future of Florida’s citrus industry. With our initial focus on treating young and non-bearing trees, we hope to show that growers can get trees to bearing age with minimal disease symptoms and build confidence for replanting,” said Dave Gerrard, an executive with Invaio Sciences. “This is just the first step. We’re committed to delivering further solutions to help Florida citrus growers regain their pre-HLB yields.”
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