When citrus growers think about viruses and viroids, symptoms above ground — such as tree decline, leaf issues and poor fruit production — often receive the most attention. A new study shows that what happens below the soil surface may also provide important clues about how citrus rootstocks respond to these pathogens.
The study, “Root Traits Responses of Citrus Rootstocks to Virus and Viroid Graft-Induced Infection,” was published in HortScience. Marissa Gonzalez, Madhurababu Kunta, Mamoudou Sétamou, John da Graça and Joel Reyes-Cabrera from Texas A&M University-Kingsville conducted the study.