Swadeshmukul Santra and his team were awarded a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a solution to citrus greening, a monumental threat to Florida’s $11 billion citrus industry.
In awarding the funding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture also recognized the University of Central Florida as a “Center for Excellence.” That designation, a first for the USDA, recognizes the university’s capability and effectiveness as a research institution.
Santra and his team were awarded a $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture last year for the development of technology using nanoparticles to combat the same disease. However, any new nanoparticle might require a longer regulatory review to ensure the safety of aquatic species, bees, birds and other organisms. This new grant allows the team to research a faster approach that doesn’t rely on nanoparticles.