Citrus Nursery Research Articles

Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in citrus nursery: Seasonal incidence, damage and insecticide treatments to reduce infestation

Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in citrus nursery: Seasonal incidence, damage and insecticide treatments to reduce infestation

Monitoring quantities of Phyllosticta citricarpa inoculum in sweet orange orchards using qPCR and young citrus plants as spore traps

AbstractMonitoring of Phyllosticta citricarpa (causal agent of citrus black spot [CBS]) inoculum in orchards has previously been performed using volumetric spore traps. However, volumetric traps are nonspecific, and only capture ascospores (not pycnidiospores) of different Phyllosticta species. This research aimed to monitor and quantify the DNA of P. citricarpa using young citrus plants as a spore trap combined with quantitative PCR (qPCR), as well as quantify the number of ascospores and pycnidiospores, and to correlate results with weather variables. Citrus nursery plants were placed as traps under and outside tree canopies during fruit developmental stages (from October to July) in two seasons in commercial ‘Valencia’ sweet orange orchards. DNA was extracted from trap leaves to quantify P. citricarpa inoculum by qPCR of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1 rRNA) region of P. citricarpa (Pc‐ITS). Correlations of Pc‐ITS to rainy days, leaf wetness and temperature were performed. Overall, the highest numbers of 400 Pc‐ITS/cm2 of leaf tissue, which represented up to 12 ascospores or pycnidiospores per cm2, were detected on leaves sampled from October to March, regardless of the trap position, season and orchard. Trap plants placed under canopies had up to 20‐fold more Pc‐ITS than those placed outside. Rainy days and leaf wetness were the variables most positively correlated with Pc‐ITS. Both results in the fluctuation of P. citricarpa inoculum in orchards and the most favourable weather variables associated with inoculum production contribute to better understanding of the critical periods for CBS management in citrus‐growing areas.

Fertigation with Nitrogen and Phosphorus Improve Plant Growth, Root Growth, and Buddability of Containerized Citrus Nursery Plants

ABSTRACT Large-scale multiplication of quality planting material is needed to meet the huge demand of planting material in fruit crops. Little information is available on the effect of fertigation on rootstock growth, budding success, and buddling growth in containerized citrus nursery. The present studies were undertaken to study the effect of eight fertigation treatments viz. control (N0P0), N60, N80, N100, N0P100, N60P100, N80P100, and N100P100 on the growth of rough lemon rootstock and subsequently budded three citrus varieties. Among the treatments, N60P100 significantly improved seedling height, diameter, leaf number, root growth, leaf area in rough lemon, Blood Red orange, Kinnow mandarin, and Daisy mandarin over the control. The stomatal conductance was higher with treatments N60, N80, N60P100, and N80P100. While higher photosynthetic rates were observed with N60P100 and N80P100, N60P100 also improved the budding success in Blood Red, Kinnow, and Daisy. Fertigation treatments increased the nutrient concentration in leaves of all the varieties. The principal component analysis revealed that plant height and diameter were positively correlated with root length, root diameter, root number, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll content in rough lemon. In all the varieties, the sprout length and diameter showed a positive correlation with leaf area, leaf number, root length, root diameter, fibrous root number, photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll content. Among different treatments, N60P100 was the best treatment in improving the shoot growth, root growth, and physiological parameters of rough lemon rootstock. Besides, it also improved budding success and buddling growth in all three citrus varieties.

Deep learning guided variable rate robotic sprayer prototype

This paper presents the development of a robotic sprayer that combines artificial intelligence with robotics for optimal spray application on citrus nursery plants grown in an indoor environment. The robotic platform is integrated with an embedded firmware of MobileNetV2 model to identify and classify the plant samples with a classification accuracy of 100 % which is used to dispense variable rate spraying of pesticide based on the health status of the plant foliage. The disease detection model was developed through the edge impulse platform and deployed on Raspberry Pi 4. The robot navigates through an array of plants, stops beside each plant, and captures an image of the citrus plants. It feeds the image into the deployed embedded model to generate a disease inference that informs the variable rate application of spray during real-time actuation. To test the spraying performance of the prototype within the growing environment, water sensitive cards were placed in each plant's canopy. After spraying, the samples of water sensitive cards were collected and quantified using a smart spray app to determine the classification accuracy as well as the extent of spray coverage on the citrus samples. The robot spray coverage results show an average spray coverage of 87 % on lemon foliage when compared with 67 % for navel orange, during the spray performance test of the robot.

Evaluation of Different Container Types on Root Structure and Performance of Nursery-grown Citrus Plants

Health and quality of the root system are imperative to ensure the successful establishment of a citrus tree after transplant from the nursery into the field. Containerized citrus production in enclosed nurseries restricts root growth and can result in root circling and intertwining. This may hinder root expansion and result in root girdling after transplant, negatively affecting tree establishment and growth. The root structure of a transplanted citrus tree can also be affected by the container type used in the nursery. Containers with root-pruning properties like chemical pruning or air pruning reduce root circling and may produce superior root systems compared with regular, nonpruning containers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different nursery containers on root physiological and morphological traits and plant performance over 15 months of growth in the nursery. Three container types, chemical pruning containers, air-pruning containers, and standard nursery containers, were compared. The chemical pruning containers were standard citrus nursery containers with a mixture of copy hydroxide [Cu(OH)2] and copper carbonate (CuCO3) [10% copper (Cu)] applied to the inner wall. Pruning occurs upon contact of the roots with the Cu on the wall of the containers. The air-pruning containers were custom-sized Air-Pots in which pruning occurs on holes in the wall of the containers upon contact of the roots with the air. Two rootstocks, US-812 and US-942 (Citrus reticulata × Poncirus trifoliata), were included for comparison in the nongrafted stage and 12 months after grafting with ‘Valencia’ orange (Citrus sinensis). Chemical root pruning positively influenced tree height, shoot mass, leaf area, rootstock trunk diameter, and the nonfibrous root biomass. No differences among container types were observed for the fibrous root biomass, but chemical pruning produced more roots that were finer with a higher specific root length and a higher respiration rate. In contrast, air pruning produced more roots that were thicker compared with the other containers. Most of the leaf nutrients were lower in trees grown in the chemical pruning containers compared with the standard containers, except for Cu and zinc (Zn), which were highest in the former. Trees growing in air-pruning containers were not significantly different in growth from trees growing in standard containers.

Recycling Agricultural Waste to Enhance Sustainable Greenhouse Agriculture: Analyzing the Cost-Effectiveness and Agronomic Benefits of Bokashi and Biochar Byproducts as Soil Amendments in Citrus Nursery Production

Applying bokashi (Bok) at 10% volume/volume (v/v), biochar (BC) at 10% v/v, and their combination (Bok_BC) as soil amendments significantly enhances citrus nursery production, improving plant growth and soil health, alongside offering notable economic benefits. Our greenhouse experiment evaluated these treatments across two fertilizer doses, at half (700 μS/cm) and full (1400 μS/cm) electrical conductivity (EC) levels, compared to a control mix, demonstrating improved nutrient availability, water retention, growth rates, and potential for carbon sequestration. Based on the results of this experiment, a cost–benefit analysis was performed; the BC treatment yielded substantial savings, particularly in large nurseries where BC at 700 μS/cm electrical conductivity (EC) saved USD 1356.38 per day and the same treatment at 1400 μS/cm EC saved USD 1857.53. These savings stem from increased nutrient contents (N, P, and K) and improved water retention, reducing irrigation; shortened growth cycles due to enhanced growth rates were observed, indirectly suggesting reduced electricity costs for greenhouse operations. Additionally, the increased carbon content within the soil points toward long-term benefits from carbon sequestration, further contributing to the sustainability and economic viability of these practices. These findings highlight the economic advantage of incorporating Bok and BC into soil mixes, providing a cost-effective strategy for enhancing greenhouse agriculture sustainability.

Development of TaqMan RT-qPCR for the detection of regulated citrus viruses and viroids in Aotearoa New Zealand

The major citrus species include several economically important fruits, such as orange, mandarin, lemon, limes, grapefruit and pomelos. Since the 1980 s, total production and consumption of citrus has grown strongly with the current annual worldwide production at over 105 million tonnes. New Zealand's citrus exports, for instance, had an estimated worth of NZ$ 11.6 million (approx. US$ 7 million) in 2020. Citrus plants are prone to viral diseases, which can lead to substantial economic losses. In New Zealand, the citrus Import Health Standard (IHS) has identified 22 viruses and viroids that are subject to regulation and requires citrus nursery stock to be free of these pathogens. As such, there is a need for reliable, sensitive, and rapid detection methods to screen for these viruses and viroids during post entry quarantine. In this study, we developed TaqMan RT-qPCR assays for the detection of nine of these regulated viruses and viroids, namely citrus leaf rugose virus (CiLRV), citrus leprosis virus C (CiLV-C), citrus leprosis virus C2 (CiLV-C2), citrus leprosis virus N (CiLV-N), citrus psorosis virus (CPsV), citrus yellow mosaic virus (CYMV), citrus bent leaf viroid (CBLVd), citrus viroid V (CVd-V), and citrus viroid VI (CVd-VI). These assays have been validated and found to be highly sensitive, specific, and reliable. The implementation of these assays will facilitate the safe importation of citrus nursery stock, thus safeguarding the country's horticultural and economic interests.

Life cycle assessment of citrus tree nurseries in Uruguay: Are their environmental impacts relevant?

Perennial fruit production at the commercial scale, such as citrus fruits, begins with seedling production in a nursery. This stage lasts several months and involves different phases and the use of substrates and infrastructure. As the seedling does not produce fruit but does consume inputs, studying the environmental impacts associated with this stage becomes relevant, especially to understand its contribution to the total impact of the crop cycle. Despite the global relevance of fruit tree seedlings production, LCA studies in the literature focus on horticultural crop nurseries, and those on perennial tree nurseries do not consider both substrate and structures in the analysis, which is key for this type of crop since the main production system is soilless production in greenhouses. Thus, the main goal of this study is to quantify the environmental impacts related to the production of citrus fruit tree seedlings using LCA, analyse the main production system applied nowadays, and study its relevance with respect to the crop cycle. To this end, a certified Uruguayan citrus nursery was analysed, from which primary data was obtained. As well, methodological issues concerning water consumption and modelling emissions from input applications in soilless greenhouse systems are tackled. Results show that the main hotspots of the nursery stage are infrastructure production and peat transportation, which highlights the relevance of their inclusion when modelling the system. Extending the lifespan of the galvanised steel structures and decreasing substrate transport distances are shown to be effective measures to reduce environmental impacts. The contribution of the nursery stage to the citrus production cycle is negligible for almost all the impact categories assessed except cancer human toxicity, as it accounts for 0–3.6% of the impacts depending on the impact category. Great differences (from 10 to 400 times higher results on average) are observed when comparing the results with those from commercial databases, as they consider open-field nurseries where seedlings are grown in the soil. The need to develop harmonised methods to model water consumption and fertiliser and pesticide emissions for soilless crops in greenhouses arises. The present study presents a complete quantification of the environmental impacts of the main production system of citrus fruit tree seedlings and provides scientific and quantitative evidence of its contribution to the production cycle, helping decision-makers understand where efforts should be focused to achieve a more sustainable fruticulture.

Bacillus thuringiensis translocation in citrus scion/rootstock combinations and binding of cry toxins with the Asian citrus psyllid gut receptors

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) can be effective in controlling insect pests either in spray products or by their toxins expressed in transgenic crops. The discovery of Bt as endophytic in citrus opened new perspectives for the control of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, the vector of the bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter spp. associated with Huanglongbing. In this study, the endophytic translocation of Bt in citrus seedlings (small and large plants) and in different scion-rootstock combinations were investigated. We also assessed the lethal concentration of D. citri nymphs caused by systemic Bt in citrus and, moreover, the binding of Cry toxins with the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) gut receptors. Endophytic translocation of Bt in citrus seedlings and nursery trees was confirmed by colony isolation, PCR detection, and Btk-GFP microscopy analyses, which demonstrated that, after Bt inoculation into the substrate, the bacteria enter through lateral root emergence sites and are localized in stem xylem vessel elements. Mean lethal concentrations for D. citri third instar nymphs were 4.92 × 104 and 2.19 × 104 spores mL−1 for S1450 and S1302 strains, respectively. Nymphal mortality induced by the bacteria was higher in citrus seedlings than in citrus nursery trees. All Cry-toxins tested were able to bind to D. citri brush border membrane vesicles, suggesting the potential pathogenicity of Bt strains against psyllid. This study clearly demonstrates the penetration and Bt translocation in the xylem of small and large citrus plants and the potential of the bacteria to cause ACP nymphs mortality that fed on shoots from Bt-treated citrus.

Arthropod Biodiversity of Citrus Ecosystem with Special Reference to Citrus Leaf Miner

The citrus leaf miner (CLM), scientifically known as Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton and belonging to the Gracillaridae family, is a significant nuisance for citrus nurseries and the tender leaves of young citrus plants. Damage caused by the larvae is conspicuous especially on the young foliage during initial phase of development and the management of the pest is highly critical. The present studies were carried out at ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute, Nagpur during 2013 to 2015 to document the species composition of bioagents (parasitoids and predators), their incidence levels and species richness/ diversity in citrus ecosystems with reference to citrus leaf miner. During the study, we documented individuals from two classes, four orders and six families of insects. Class Insecta was dominant followed by Arachnida. Among the six families, Eulophidae and Coccinellidae were the most dominant bioagent groups for parasitoid and predator, respectively. Relative abundance of the bioagents of P. citrella revealed that C. phyllocnistoides was the predominant one and constituted 30% of total bioagents collected followed by Cirrospilus sp. (including C. quadristriatus, C. ingenuus) (25%), E. brevicornis (15%) and S. striatipes (9%). Coccinellids constituted about 3%; whereas, chrysopid predator, M. desjardinsi and spider species constituted 13% and 7%, respectively of the total bioagent collection. Understanding of the bioagent complex in citrus ecosystem will help us to identify the promising ones for biological control as well as guide us the bioagent active frame to avoid pesticide sprays to sustain them naturally in the ecosystem.

The role of healthy citrus planting materials production as a major component in the development of national citrus industry

Certified citrus seed is one of vital component on the program of good agricultural practices for the development of healthy citrus plantation. Certified seed guarantee the free systemic disease and optimum vigor planting material, thus put an impact on maximum physiological response to the agriculture inputs that being applied. Production of healthy planting material is initially started from the acquisition of free diseases protocol of seeds from breeder seeds. However, there are still many issues regarding bud-stick in Indonesia which cause the spread of systemic diseases, one of which is CVPD/Huanglongbing (HLB). Therefore, this article presents a descriptive review of the important role of healthy citrus planting materials production that meets the requirements, so that it can become a reference for the citrus nurseries. There are several factors (limited availability of citrus planting materials, technology components to produce healthy seedlings that are not fully applied, as well as the partial application of certified citrus planting materials) that could inhibit the use of technology by the citrus nurseries. A number of recommendations from literatures to overcome these problems are the use of effective dissemination and extension methods, also the provision of understanding and supervision that is carried out on an ongoing basis.

Root Absorption and Limited Mobility of Mandipropamid as Compared to Oxathiapiprolin and Mefenoxam After Soil Treatment of Citrus Plants for Managing Phytophthora Root Rot.

Phytophthora root rot can greatly impact citrus production worldwide, especially in newly established orchards by reducing crop yield and increasing the cost of disease management. Mandipropamid is an Oomycota fungicide that is currently registered as a soil treatment for citrus nursery container plants to manage Phytophthora root rot. In this study, we investigated the uptake of mandipropamid into citrus roots and its translocation to stems and leaves after soil application and evaluated its mobility in roots as compared to oxathiapiprolin and mefenoxam using split-root potted plants and trees in the field. A bioassay and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were used to detect and quantify fungicides in citrus tissues, and overall, similar results were obtained using the two methods. When applied to the soil of potted, 6- to 7-month-old citrus plants using labeled rates, the majority of mandipropamid was found in root tissues (4.9 to 18.1 μg/g), but small amounts were also present in stems (0.18 to 0.32 μg/g) and leaves (0.03 to 0.22 μg/g). There was no significant increase in concentrations in all three tissues between 1 and 4 weeks after application. Concentrations in all tissues exceeded established EC50 values for mycelial growth inhibition of P. citrophthora and P. nicotianae, the main citrus root rot pathogens in California. In a split-root study where the root systems of single plants were separated, no basipetal phloem-based mobility of mandipropamid or oxathiapiprolin was observed, but relative uptake into roots was higher for mandipropamid. In contrast, low amounts of mefenoxam were also present in roots in the untreated soil. Similar results were obtained in a field study where part of the root system was treated, and fungicides were extracted from nontreated roots. All three fungicides persisted inside roots over the 8-week period of this study. Uptake and persistence inside roots, as well as the previously reported high efficacy against citrus root rot in greenhouse and field studies support the use of mandipropamid in citrus nurseries and potentially in the orchard.

Optimization of citrus nursery production in soilless culture under controlled environment

Optimization of citrus nursery production in soilless culture under controlled environment

Productivity and profitability of citrus nursery operation in Abia State, Nigeria

Productivity and profitability of citrus nursery operation in Abia State, Nigeria

Management of foot rot of citrus (Citrus jambhiri spp.) using biocontrol agents

Citrus holds an important place in promoting the horticultural wealth and economy of India. Foot rot caused by Phytophthora spp. is a widespread problem of the citrus nursery. Citrus jambhiri, a widely used rootstock in nursery production, is found susceptible to the Phytophthora spp. Hence, the present study was carried out to evaluate antagonistic activity of Trichoderma spp. isolates against Phytophthora nicotianae var. parasitica causing foot rot in C. jambhiri under lab and net-house conditions. Seven isolates (parent and mutant) of Trichoderma spp. were tested in vitro. Amongst them, T20 mutant (Trichoderma asperellum) exhibited maximum mycoparasitism, volatile activity and non-volatile activity, i.e. 83.70%, 79.26% and 84.81%, respectively. The same T20 mutant (T. Asperellum) also showed maximum glucanase activity, i.e. 1.98 unit/ml. Further, talc-based bio formulations of T. asperellum T20 isolate (parent and mutant) were tested under net-house conditions over a period of two years (2016–2017 and 2017–2018) at the research farm of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab. Amongst all the treatments, the application of T20 mutant (T. asperellum) (seed + soil 15 g) had minimum disease incidence (13.33%), maximum disease control (83.30%) and maximum growth promotion i.e. shoot length (37.67 cm) and root length (30.67 cm). Based on our findings, T. asperellum T20 mutant strain used as seed + soil treatment was able to effectively manage the foot rot, in C. jambhiri nursery under net-house conditions and also promoted the plant growth.

A comparative analysis of RNA isolation methods optimized for high-throughput detection of viral pathogens in California’s regulatory and disease management program for citrus propagative materials

Citrus germplasm programs can benefit from high-throughput polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods for the detection of graft-transmissible pathogens in propagative materials. These methods increase diagnostic capacity, and thus contribute to the prevention of disease spread from nurseries to citrus orchards. High quality nucleic acids, as determined by purity, concentration, and integrity, are a prerequisite for reliable PCR detection of citrus pathogens. Citrus tissues contain high levels of polyphenols and polysaccharides, which can affect nucleic acid quality and inhibit PCR reactions. Various commercially available RNA isolation methods are used for citrus and include: phenol-chloroform (TRIzol®, Thermo Fisher Scientific); silica columns (RNeasy® Plant Mini Kit, Qiagen); and magnetic beads-based methods (MagMAX™-96 Viral RNA Isolation Kit, Thermo Fisher Scientific). To determine the quality of RNA and its impact on the detection of graft-transmissible citrus pathogens in reverse transcription (RT) PCR-based assays, we compared these three RNA isolation methods. We assessed RNA purity, concentration, and integrity from citrus inoculated with different viruses and viroids. All three RNA isolation methods produced high quality RNA, and its use in different RT-PCR assays resulted in the detection of all targeted citrus viruses and viroids with no false positive or negative results. TRIzol® yielded RNA with the highest concentration and integrity values but some samples required serial dilutions to remove PCR inhibitors and detect the targeted pathogens. The RNeasy® kit produced the second highest concentration and purity of RNA, and similar integrity to TRIzol®. MagMAX™ isolation also provided high quality RNA but most importantly produced RNA with consistent results clustered around a median value for concentration, purity, and integrity. Subsequently, MagMAX™-96 was combined with the semi-automated MagMAX™ Express-96 Deep Well Magnetic Particle Processor, for high-throughput sample processing. MagMAX™-96 enabled the diagnostic laboratory of the Citrus Clonal Protection Program-National Clean Plant Network at the University of California, Riverside to process over 16,500 samples from citrus budwood source trees between 2010 and 2019. This high-throughput approach dramatically reduced the incidence of viroids in citrus nurseries and was key to the successful implementation of the mandatory Citrus Nursery Stock Pest Cleanliness Program in California.

Different photoperiod regimes with LED lighting influence growth of container grown budded and non-budded citrus nursery trees

Different photoperiod regimes with LED lighting influence growth of container grown budded and non-budded citrus nursery trees

Carbohydrate Partitioning and Vegetative Growth of Citrus Nursery Trees Influenced by Varying Photoperiods Under LED Lighting

Carbohydrate Partitioning and Vegetative Growth of Citrus Nursery Trees Influenced by Varying Photoperiods Under LED Lighting

Automated ebb-and-flow subirrigation accelerates citrus liner production in treepots

Over the past decade, citrus production has sharply decreased in Florida because of citrus greening or Huanglongbing (HLB), a disease that reduces fruit yield and quality and eventually kills the citrus trees. With the increased mortality and need to resetting trees, the demand for healthy trees from citrus nurseries has risen drastically in the last few years. To meet the demand and accelerate tree growth, the citrus nursery industry should use modern horticultural practices such as more efficient irrigation methods, fertigation, and more vigorous rootstocks. This study evaluated the effect of subirrigation systems in tree production time, water and fertilizer inputs, and plant growth of commercial citrus rootstocks cultivated in treepots. We tested five irrigation methods [three ebb-and-flow subirrigation systems triggered at specific volumetric water contents (θ, 0.24, 0.36, and 0.48 m3 m−3), capillary mats, and a conventional drip irrigation system], and six commercial rootstocks (Kuharske, UFR-2, UFR-16, US-802, US-812, and X-639). The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design, with the main plot consisting of the five irrigation methods and sub-plots the different rootstocks. Ebb-and-flow subirrigation benches conserved 98% more water than conventional drip irrigation. Rootstocks grown under ebb-and-flow systems reached adequate stem diameter for grafting four weeks before the drip irrigation. Pummelo hybrids used in this study (UFR-16, UFR-2, and US-802) were 55% taller, 24% thicker, and 150% heavier on biomass production than the other varieties tested, irrespective of the irrigation method utilized. Although the substrate electrical conductivity was higher in all subirrigation methods, the values were below 1 dS cm−1, not causing symptoms of osmotic stress in plants. Our results show that the ebb-and-flow subirrigation system at θ of 0.24 m3 m−3 is the best option for accelerating citrus growth in treepots with peat: perlite substrate and to conserve water in Florida nurseries in comparison to capillary mats and drip irrigation.

Molecular detection and quantification of Colletotrichum abscissum in sweet orange propagative material

AbstractPostbloom fruit drop disease (PFD) has caused serious impacts on citrus production in the Americas, occurring sporadically and suddenly during rain in the flowering period. In São Paulo State, Brazil, Colletotrichum abscissum is the causal agent responsible for over 80% of the disease incidence. Pathogen dispersal over long distances and the origin of primary inoculum are still unclear for PFD epidemics. We tested the hypothesis that citrus propagation material can harbour C. abscissum DNA by quantifying it in leaves of budwood increase block trees (BIB) and young citrus plants (YP) using multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR). C. abscissum DNA was detected in all citrus nurseries, regardless of the type of propagative material, the sweet orange variety, or the nursery location. Overall, 73.4% of all samples from citrus nurseries have DNA from the pathogen, with a detection limit of 10 conidia. The average of 155 conidia found in YP was higher than the conidia observed on leaf samples from BIB (p = 0.03), although leaf samples from cultivars Valencia and Pera did not differ significantly, with means around 127 and 118 conidia, respectively (p = 0.75). This is the first molecular detection of C. abscissum in citrus propagative material. The multiplex qPCR assay may be used as a protocol for an accurate diagnosis of C. abscissum in citrus propagative material, may assist a better understanding of the pathogen dispersal over long distances, and may be used for further studies involving the quantification of C. abscissum in citrus orchards.