Orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime orchards are being wiped out across Florida from a plague called citrus greening disease. A team of scientists from Washington State University in Pullman is studying the bacterium that causes the condition. They hope to find a cure. David Gang, a biological chemist at Washington State University, said the bacterium that causes greening disease is transmitted by a psyllid , a winged insect about half the size of a fruit fly, which spreads it from tree to tree. When the bacteria get into a tree’s vascular system, it clogs it up, preventing the flow of nutrients. “It eventually causes the roots to start to die. And then eventually the tree just dies,” said Gang. According to Gang, Florida is in danger of losing its citrus industry. “Yes, seriously. It’s very possible that in five years it will mostly be gone, if something isn’t done to fight it,” said Gang. When a citrus tree is infected, the fruit on the branches stays green and never ripens, which is