Strategic Citrus Greening Management: Cost-Effective Solutions Using a Simulation-Optimization Approach

Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, is currently recognized as the most devastating disease affecting the global citrus industry. In Florida alone, HLB has caused severe declines in citrus production since it was first detected in 2005. In contrast, timely and targeted interventions in Texas still offer an opportunity to mitigate the long-term impacts of the disease. This study determines the necessary mitigation levels for achieving economically viable control strategies, employing a simulation-based optimization model. The proposed methods supports more efficient allocation of public and private research and development resources. Preliminary results suggest a set of interventions in the progression of disease incidence and severity to outperform current management practices in terms of expected net returns. These findings provide valuable benchmarks for the development and evaluation of future HLB control strategies.