Keywords
citrus greening, Huanglongbing, nanoparticle, ACP
Abstract
Huanglongbing is a citrus disease devastating the worldwide citrus industry. It is caused by the pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), and spread through the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP). ACP vectors HLB as a host for CLas and spreads the bacteria through the saliva when feeding on citrus leaves. There is no cure for the disease, making preventative measures a top priority for the citrus industry. Previously used methods such as individual protective covers and insecticides have proven effective but costly to slow the spread of the disease. In this thesis, we report on the interactions of a novel zinc-borate spray-on material, referred to as Galvoxite. Once sprayed, Galvoxite, will create a protective layer on the leaves impeding the ACP from feeding. This is expected to inhibit the spread of CLas. In this work, we track the location and accumulation of Galvoxite on the leaf surface. It is hypothesized that Galvoxite will create an even film over the entire leaf when sprayed. We blended a fluorescent Ru dye with a long-excited state lifetime into the Galvoxite to determine the specific interactions with the leaf surface. Time Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) and Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) were used to measure the excited state lifetime of the Galvoxite with the presence of the Ru dye and locate it on the leaf surface. Our data suggests that Galvoxite preferentially accumulates around the stomata, while the Ru dye remains in the regions on the leaf surface between stomata. This was confirmed with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, where zinc-rich regions were found to be adjacent to Ru-rich regions. The results display the potential of Galvoxite being used to hinder ACP from spreading CLas.
Completion Date
2024
Semester
Fall
Committee Chair
Gesquiere, Andre
Degree
Master of Science (M.S.)
College
College of Graduate Studies
Department
NanoScience Technology Center
Degree Program
Nanotechnology
Format
Identifier
DP0028988
Language
English
Release Date
12-15-2024
Access Status
Thesis
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Flores, Carlos J., "Application of a Zinc-Borate based nanoparticle to impede the spread of Huanglongbing" (2024). Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024. 26.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2024/26
Accessibility Status
PDF accessibility verified using Adobe Acrobat Pro Accessibility Checker