Q&A With Jackie Burns

In April, Jack Payne, University of Florida’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, announced Jackie Burns’ appointment as director of the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred.

Burns had served as the CREC’s interim director since early 2009, following the departure of Harold Browning, who held the position since 1997.
No stranger to this circle, Burns boasts 24 years of citrus pre- and post-harvest research and outreach leadership, a knowledge of the Florida citrus industry and its challenges, and hands-on experience with administration of programs, staff, and infrastructure at CREC. Florida Grower had a chance to ask Burns a few questions about the Center’s relevance, current research progress, and other areas of interest.

Q.How vital of a resource is CREC to our citrus growers and industry?
A.UF/IFAS CREC is a world-class research and education facility that has served the citrus industry for 94 years. We have a long history of conducting research that provides science-based solutions for challenges our industry faces.
There are 30 UF/IFAS faculty members at CREC that are great resources for citrus industry members. The scientific research staff of the Florida Department of Citrus and the administrative office of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation are housed at CREC. Our facility is used for industry meetings, teaching citrus classes, and has the largest library in the world devoted to citrus literature. CREC scientists conduct principles-based fundamental and applied research that positively impacts a citrus grower’s profitability. Many of our growers visit CREC to talk with researchers, visit the research labs, and discuss issues impacting their groves and businesses. This communication is vital because it helps us focus on important problems the industry is facing. CREC is a great resource for the industry.

Q. What types of research and progress is being made in the fight against HLB?
A. Since HLB was discovered in Florida in 2005, IFAS has redirected significant resources, recruited additional scientific expertise, and developed industry partnerships to win the battle against this disease. The initial IFAS research plan was broad because little was known about the causal organism, the insect vector, and the disease itself. As we learned more about these areas and drew upon information available from other citrus regions, the research agenda was adjusted and refined.
IFAS research and education programs addressing the threat of HLB can be broadly defined as those that will provide short, intermediate, or long-term solutions for the Florida citrus industry. Ultimately, development of citrus plants tolerant or resistant to HLB is a long-term goal. IFAS will continue to pursue the development of genetic solutions to HLB, employing traditional and novel methods to create plants less susceptible or resistant to HLB. But we know developing successful short and intermediate strategies will be crucial for minimizing the impact of HLB until tolerant or resistant plants can be deployed.
We are conducting research on horticultural management strategies that will help growers sustain productivity in an endemic HLB environment. Research projects are under way to improve the management and control of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) through areawide management programs like citrus health management areas to attack the bacterial pathogen in the ACP and citrus host plant, and to determine under what conditions disease symptoms develop so that management systems can be improved and implemented. Currently, more than 50 IFAS research and education projects are focused on HLB, and real progress is being made.

Q. Outside of HLB, what are some other areas scientists at CREC are studying?
A. The Florida citrus industry is facing a historic challenge to its viability with the threat of HLB. However, it is important we support a balanced array of citrus programs at the heart of our land grant mission. On the disease front, a number of bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases threaten our industry, and CREC researchers have active programs addressing these challenges. CREC entomology faculty members have made extraordinary progress in managing leafminer populations and have uncovered biological characteristics of such pests as Diaprepes that might ultimately translate into practical control measures. Overcoming tree stresses, design, and implementation of new citrus production and harvesting systems, improvements in citrus processing technologies, integrating practical food safety protocols in agricultural systems, creating new market opportunities through the development of new citrus varieties, and unraveling the complex chemistry of taste and aroma of citrus juices are examples of program areas that are continuing at CREC.

Q. For growers who’d like to learn more about what CREC does, what would be your advice?
A. To contact us or learn more about CREC programs, scientists and staff, visit www.crec.ifas.ufl.edu.