Orange juice is an institution in American breakfast cuisine. It originated in its early morning popularity by an overproduction of oranges, and stayed because of its vitamin C boost and a relentless marketing campaign by citrus companies. However, that staple American stereotype is now threatened by a force beyond our control: citrus greening.

Citrus greening refers to one of the most serious and chronic diseases that afflict citrus plants around the world. Alternatively known as Huanglongbing (HLB) (“yellow dragon disease”), inflected citrus trees produce fruits that are green and bitter, generally unfit for human consumption.

While citrus greening does not affect humans or animals, it can pose a threat to Americans’ daily orange juice habit. Originating from an invasive Asian bug, it has wreaked havoc, where China’s citrus-producing province has lost 25 percent of all its groves. 

Now, it threatens the Floridian citrus industry — especially oranges. It caused a 72 percent decline in the production of oranges used for juice, with the fruit remaining not tasting as good. Now, orange juice and other related industries supplement their product with imports from Mexico. 

There is no known cure to citrus greening. Growers and farmers are instead told to cut down their trees before they spread further. One possible solution in the future can be breeding a new variety of citrus trees that are disease-tolerant, such as the Sugar Belle. 

Another strategy begins and ends with prevention. In a three-pronged attack on citrus greening and the threat it poses to the American breakfast tradition, it begins with planting saplings that are bacteria-free, removing the infected trees, and monitoring the bugs that inflect the trees.

While citrus greening ravages an entire industry, measures are being taken to attempt and stop the spread before it is too late. The question remains while waiting for these solutions to pan out: how far would you go to protect your breakfast orange juice?