Does HLB Disease Prefer Citrus Growing in Alkaline Soil?

HLB disease, or citrus greening, shows a significant preference for citrus trees grown in alkaline soil, where nutrient deficiencies—particularly manganese, copper, zinc, and iron—are more pronounced. This was revealed through an epidemiological study across 57 private gardens on Amami-Oshima and Tokunoshima Islands, where 47.8% of trees in alkaline soils tested positive for HLB, compared to none in acidic soils. The research employed PCR testing to detect infection and soil component mapping to correlate disease distribution with pH levels. Leaf microelement analysis further confirmed that alkaline conditions reduce essential nutrient availability, suggesting a link between soil chemistry and HLB susceptibility.

INOUE, H., OKADA, A., UENOSONO, S., SUZUKI, M., MATSUYAMA, T., & MASAOKA, Y. (2020). Does HLB Disease Prefer Citrus Growing in Alkaline Soil? Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly: JARQ, 54(1), 21–29. https://doi.org/10.6090/jarq.54.21