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CITRUSBUSTERS
@citrusbusters.bsky.social
Europe’s citrus crops are under threat from devastating pests.

CITRUSBUSTERS responds by delivering early detection, plant resilience, and biocontrol solutions.

EU funded
🌱Together for plant health

🙏Protecting crops & biodiversity is not a challenge we face alone.

Many EU-funded projects are driving:
• IPM strategies
• Bio-based solutions
• Early detection tech
• Biotech & AI models

Curious? Check a small preview:https://shorturl.at/y8LIa
October 3, 2025 at 3:49 PM
🌱 CITRUSBUSTERS joined the AGRO4AGRI “From Lab to Land” webinar, sharing insights on pest control, sustainable practices & resilient farming.

🤝 Collaboration is key to reducing reliance on chemicals and supporting farmers in Europe & beyond.

🔗https://shorturl.at/nAP3J
October 2, 2025 at 12:51 PM
📢SOON

Webinar From lab to land: learn how AGRO4AGRI, BiobiveProject, Citrusbusters, PHAntastic, and VINNY are delivering safer, sustainable solutions for crop protection and nutrition

📅 Tue 30 Sept 2025
🕚 12:00–13:45 CEST

➡ Register: tinyurl.com/FromLabtoLand
September 24, 2025 at 9:15 AM
✅Second Steering Committee meeting done!

Partners shared progress on early detection, plant resilience and biocontrol - aligning solutions to protect EU citrus.

🤝🍋Collaboration drives innovation and citrus health
September 23, 2025 at 12:51 PM
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🔬 Research updates

🌱 Practical tools for growers

🤝 Opportunities to connect

📩 Subscribe today and join the citrus revolution: shorturl.at/zpfct
September 19, 2025 at 9:54 AM
From lab to land: safer, sustainable solutions for crop protection and nutrition

Horizon Europe projects AGRO4AGRI, Biobive, Citrusbusters, PHAntastic, and VINNY - together to share knowledge

- Tue 30 Sept 2025
- 12:00–13:45 CEST

Register: tinyurl.com/FromLabtoLand
September 11, 2025 at 3:22 PM
HLB spreads fast – but what if we could test trees on-site in minutes?

A new study shows how RPA with lateral flow assays could make early, low-cost detection possible in the field.

Faster diagnostics = faster action 🌱

Read more 👉 rb.gy/j3fqhd
September 5, 2025 at 12:47 PM
🚨 APHIS expands the citrus greening (HLB) quarantine in a residential area in California.

About 3.57 ha of commercial citrus are impacted.

In CITRUSBUSTERS, we want to prevent this.
We study, research and protect citrus production in the EU.

Source: shorturl.at/Xy104
September 4, 2025 at 2:02 PM
🌿 #CITRUSBUSTERS is not alone in this fight

Explore two #HorizonEU projects sharing the goal of a smart and resilient agri system:

🔹 EmergeNow: detecting threats like HLB and CBS at EU entry points.

🔹 POMATO: natural biocontrol and early-warning systems
August 29, 2025 at 3:56 PM
🟠 How does the EU protect citrus and boost agri innovation?

🔸 Plant Health Regulation
🔸 Plant Passport System
🔸 Import restrictions on high-risk citrus
🔸 #Farm2Fork & #Biodiversity strategies

Want to know more? Follow us!
August 26, 2025 at 1:13 PM
WP6 of #CITRUSBUSTERS makes our results visible, accessible, in the long run

🟢 Communication and Dissemination
🟢 Stakeholder Engagement
🟢 Clustering with EU Projects
🟢 IP, Sustainability, Exploitation

We don't just innovate. We share, connect, and grow.
August 21, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Is fighting pests sustainable? How? WP5 of #CITRUSBUSTERS is here to find out.

🌍 LCA: emissions and ecosystem
💶 CBA: costs vs. benefits
👩‍🌾 SoLCA: impact on jobs, awareness, acceptance

We’re proving our biocontrol tools are not just effective - but present-ready.
August 19, 2025 at 9:42 AM
🔍 How do we know our solutions work?

In #CITRUSBUSTERS, we're validating our #pest-fighting tools in real orchards 🌱

✔️ DNA-free edited citrus
✔️ Biobased immune boosters
✔️ Endolysins and dsRNA biocontrol
✔️ Large-scale fermentation and field tests

👉From the lab to the ground!
August 14, 2025 at 9:54 AM
🍊 Nature meets tech to protect citrus

We develop biocontrol solutions:

🧬 dsRNA to silence citrus pest vectors
🦠 Endolysins vs. citrus greening bacteria
🧪 Fermented compounds to fight CBS
🎯 Smart delivery via encapsulation
🌱 Bioaugmentation with beneficial microbes
August 13, 2025 at 12:07 PM
🔑#Prevention is key
Under the Work Package 2, we will set up strategies with 4 objectives:

🔬 Gene-editing (DNA-free) for #resistance
🌱 Biofractions from citrus waste
🧪 Validation lab tests
🧫 Soil bioaugmentation

Smart science to grow resilient #citrus – naturally with a tech twist
August 12, 2025 at 2:14 PM
How do we outplay #citrus #pests?
In #CITRUSBUSTERS, we want to predict outbreaks before symptoms show.

Work Package 1 includes:

📍 Scouting fields
🧪 Culturing key pathogens
🌱 #Soil microbiome analysis
📡 Sensing tech (LiDAR, HSI)
🤖 AI for early detection
August 11, 2025 at 10:14 AM
🔬 Whats is CITRUSBUSTERS' plan to protect Europe’s citrus crops from pests?

⬇️ We designed our multi-level response tackling every angle: early detection, preventive and biocontrol strategies with real-world validation and support, across 7 WPs.⬇️

🔔Wanna know more? Follow us!
July 31, 2025 at 8:41 AM
🧬 🍋 🧑‍🔬 What do an insect, a fungus, and leading agri-tech organizations have in common?

The answer lies in the CITRUSBUSTERS Project.

❓ How?

Learn about our approach in just 2 minutes, with our coordinator Paloma Juarez Ortega.

🎥 Watch the video: youtu.be/LyQ4TILswIQ
CITRUSBUSTERS: the fight against citrus pests (Candidatus Liberibacter and Phyllosticta Citricarpa
YouTube video by CitrusBustersProject
youtu.be
July 30, 2025 at 1:35 PM
🚨 Citrus in danger: the silent threats behind you lemon water

⬇️Let us present you the culprits:

🔴Trioza erytreae, the insect vector of Candidatus Liberibacter spp. – the bacteria behind citrus greening (HLB)

🔴Phyllosticta citricarpa – a fungal disease causing black spot
July 29, 2025 at 3:23 PM
🗣️ PEDAL (SK) & OXIGEN (IT): driving CITRUSBUSTERS communication!
• PEDAL: Expert EU project dissemination & exploitation
• OXIGEN: Stakeholder engagement and outreach

Spreading knowledge for sustainable citrus protection.

🌱 Follow along our journey to protect EU citrus production!
July 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
🍊 Meet IFU: the global voice of the juice industry!

In CITRUSBUSTERS, IFU leads clustering, networking, and capacity building - connecting research with real-world citrus processors.

🌱 You’ve discovered nearly all of our team. Stay with us to meet the last key players!
July 18, 2025 at 2:10 PM
🍀 Bioclear Earth & CHEMIA drive biotech innovation in CITRUSBUSTERS!

• Bioclear Earth (Netherlands): Soil microbiome toolbox for surveillance & biocontrol
• CHEMIA (Italy): Formulation, scale-up, validation of biocontrol solutions

From research to the field for sustainable citrus protection.
July 17, 2025 at 8:47 AM
🎤 CITRUSBUSTERS at Biopesticides Europe 2025!

Julián Calleja Cabrera (AINIA) shared insights on the project objectives and method, with special focus on RNA interference (RNAi) as a biopesticide

A great step in spreading our mission for citrus health!
July 10, 2025 at 12:18 PM
🔬 Meet our research leaders: CNR 🇮🇹, CERTH 🇬🇷, UPM 🇪🇸, CCSM-IAC 🇧🇷

They’re driving innovation in:
• Early detection
• Remote sensing and AI
• Non-GMO breeding

🌍 Pests and science know no borders, so does innovation!
July 9, 2025 at 3:38 PM
🌍 CITRUSBUSTERS at the IFU Juice Conference (BR)

This leading event saw 300 participants from 28 countries to connect innovation and sustainability in the juice sector, sharing opportunities and goals.

💡Big thanks to IFU for organizing this.

Check the conference:
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
🍋 CITRUSBUSTERS was there! | CITRUSBUSTERS Project
🍋 CITRUSBUSTERS was there! Our partner IFU International Fruit and Vegetable Juice Association, represented by Aintzane Esturo, took part in the IFU Juice Conference in Brazil - a leading event bring...
www.linkedin.com
July 8, 2025 at 12:37 PM