Imaging the Lateral Roots of the Orange Tree using Three-dimensional GPR

摘要

Citrus greening disease (Phytophthora nicotianae), also known as Huanglongbing (HLB), is a systemic disease caused by a bacterium that is vectored by a psyllid. Huanglongbing infection impacts citrus roots by its restructuring of the root bacterial community. The motivation of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of employing high-frequency ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to survey orange tree Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck lateral structural roots. Of particular interest was GPR's ability to discriminate the roots originating from neighboring trees, since these trees may be in a dissimilar stage of HLB infection. Tests groves are situated on the Ridge and Flatwood soils of Florida. The sandy soil and shallow root systems are considered ideal operating parameters for shallow GPR 3-D investigations.