2012 - Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

15 Lab Report
Dr. Peggy Sieburth, Biological Scientist IV
This year key accomplishments continue to include training new personnel and testing the usual large volume of
samples, working with large numbers of incoming parent tree candidates needing shoot-tip grafting (STGing) and
participating in the Citrus Clean Plant Network.
No major changes were made to the testing part of the program as we strived to continue to provide a high level of
service to the industry. We matched last year’s number of seventy-two new entries into the Parent Tree Indexing
Program. We were able to release 10 more parents and/or STGed selections this year (compared to last year) as a
result of previous improvements to the program. For the very first time we have cleared our backlog as all the 138
selections undergoing parent tree indexing are actively being pushed through some part of the program. The
presence of viroids in the original parent adds about another year to the clean-up process; nine of those currently
being worked on were entered with viroids.
Grant money for the second year from the Citrus Clean Plant Network (Farm Bill) continues to make a huge
positive impact on our program. Greenhouse improvements to date include: hard sides replace screening to reduce
canker risk, enclosed walkway with one positive pressure double entryway, increased circulation and temperature
control with more fans and cooling pads, double wall polycarbonate replacing a glass side on one of the indexing
houses, enlarged covered pot washing area, and a back-up generator so that in the event of a power outage, tighter
greenhouses would not overheat. We continue to appreciate that we have enough room at the Winter Haven
greenhouses for propagation, biological indexing and raising seedlings in support of the Parent Tree Indexing
Program.
In the laboratory, an Apricot liquid handling system is our initial piece of robotic equipment. More has been
ordered and is on the way. This equipment will increase our precision and reduce hand strain. The new milestone
in the STGing program was completing the cleanup of a breeder’s selection that went perfectly at every step and
was finished in just under one year (when the average time has been closer to two years).
With the turnover and hiring of a Biological Scientist III in the laboratory for a second year in a row, getting back
into a regular routine which incorporates the new robotic equipment will be the goal for the following year.
Pathogen Testing (Florida’s Budwood Program)
Scion/Foundation/Parent Source Tree testing Tests run
Pathogen Tested Test Type Frequency 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008
HLB qPCR Annual 6,481 7,348 8,558 8,982 10,198
Tristeza qPCR Annual 7,554 7,744 8,821 6,149 3,918
Biological New introductions 58 126 48 24 0
Psorosis
qPCR Every 6 years 1,589 1,713 2,468 527 945
Tatter Leaf* qPCR Every 6 years 1,970 4,546 7,583 267 0
Leaf Blotch*
Viroids
qPCR Every 6 years 1,970 4,546 2,601 7,600 988
CEVd, CVd I,
III, IV, V Biological New introductions 83 89 87 1 57
CVd I – V,
CEVd qPCR Every 6 years 8,255 9,953 14,133 9,568 17,517
* Seed Source every 3 years
Total 27,960 36,065 44,299 33,118 33,623
15 Annual Report 2012 (FY 2011-2012) Bureau of Citrus Budwood Registration