Los productores de naranja sanguina en la ciudad de Lianjiang, en el sur de China, han abandonado durante mucho tiempo los fertilizantes químicos, según un artículo de XinhuaNet.com. Though ditching chemicals caters to the growing appetite for organic foods, it was not the farmers’ original intention.
They did so to help their groves survive “the yellow dragon,” a deadly disease threatening citrus groves in Asia, Africa and America. In China, the disease, also known as Huanglongbing, wreaks havoc in more than 10 citrus-growing regions.
It is incurable, but controllable and preventable, according to Zhong Guangyan, a researcher studying “the yellow dragon” for more than 30 years.
Concerted efforts of the local government, farmers and horticulture technicians have contributed to an initial victory of Lianjiang’s battle against the pandemic.