Invaio Sciences partners with Brazil’s Fundecitrus to target citrus greening

Invaio Sciences has entered a strategic collaboration with Fundecitrus, Brazil’s leading citrus research organization, to advance new biological solutions against Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, one of the most damaging diseases in global citrus production.

The partnership brings together Invaio’s peptide-based crop health technologies and Fundecitrus’ field-testing capabilities in Brazil, the world’s largest producer of oranges. HLB, caused by the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, has been difficult to combat because it cannot be cultured in laboratories, limiting traditional research approaches. Fundecitrus has developed specialized field-based assays to evaluate potential treatments under commercial orchard conditions, a capability that Invaio says is critical to accelerating product development.

Under the agreement, Invaio will test candidate biological solutions using its Trecise precision delivery platform, designed to deliver treatments directly into citrus trees. The companies aim to shorten the path from laboratory research to field-ready tools for growers, addressing a disease that has reshaped citrus industries in Brazil, the US, and other producing regions over the past two decades.

The collaboration also reflects a broader shift within crop protection toward biological and targeted technologies as producers seek alternatives to conventional chemistries. Invaio, a Flagship Pioneering company, focuses on peptide-based crop health products, while Fundecitrus represents Brazil’s citrus industry and conducts large-scale field trials across commercial orchards. The partnership is intended for both organizations to expand the range of practical options available to growers facing mounting disease pressure and regulatory constraints.