China-based research team has developed an eco-biological control approach to combatting citrus disease
The Newkis Citrus HLB Prevention Research Team has developed a new method of preventing and controlling citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing, HLB) and has successfully filed and invention patent application in Australia.
The innovation integrates herbal extracts, functional microorganisms, and low-frequency energy water to create an ecological, immune-inducing approach for disease management.
Unlike traditional chemical or biological control methods that directly target pathogens, this new approach activates the plant’s innate immune system and stimulates its natural defence signalling pathways, thereby enhancing its resistance and self-healing capacity.
According to Newkis, with continued application, the method enables citrus trees to establish a long-term immune memory within the rhizosphere ecosystem, providing sustainable protection against HLB.
“A unique highlight of this achievement lies in its ability to help citrus trees gradually develop natural antibodies against HLB through the coordinated action of herbal and microbial treatments – representing a groundbreaking solution to one of the world’s most persistent challenges in citrus cultivation,” Newkis said in a release.
The invention was developed by Zhu Weiping, an agronomist and microbiologist based in Guangzhou, China, together with the Newkis Ecological Energy Research Team.
Since 2015, the team has achieved repeated success in field trials and practical applications across Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hunan Provinces in China, with continuous refinement of the method.
Zhu and the Newkis team are now conducting ongoing validation of the concept that fruit trees can generate antibodies against HLB infection. If confirmed, this breakthrough could pave the way for the global eradication of citrus greening disease and shape a greener, more sustainable future for the world’s citrus industry.
