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Silvec
Silvec is an agricultural biotech company that developed a method to permanently enhance plants to protect them from diseases. The Maryland-based company formed in 2019. Its products immunize trees, bushes, and vines without genetically modifying them. It uses a therapy called novel RNA. With one application the novel RNA therapy plants gain lifetime protection from viruses, bacteria, fungi and pests. This treatment teaches plants to produce their own beneficial agents.

History
Anne Simon, scientist and American biology professor, four years ago began the steps towards treatments for citrus greening. She discovered an agent that can deliver disease fighting techniques directly into citrus trees. Silvec became her startup after the discovery was licensed by the University of Maryland in 2019. Rafael Simon, Anne’s brother, leads the company with the help of Simon’s UMD lab discoveries.

Tree Diseases
Citrus greening is affecting commercial trees all across the world. The bacteria, Candidates Liberibacter asiaticus, is what is responsible for the disease. Citrus greening was first detected in Florida in 1998 and now it has destroyed over 80% of Florida orchard and is currently spreading to California. Citrus greening threatens the bulk of the world’s citrus trees. The amount of citrus growers has declined drastically in the last 20 years as 99% of crops have become infected.

A threat to southern European olive crops comes from Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS). It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of Italian olive groves have been diminished due to OQDS. The bacterium behind OQDS is called Xylella fastidiosa and it infects over 500 different plant species.

Powdery Mildew and Botrytis also can damage productions of various fruit crops. In 2015, about $239 million was spent in California to combat powdery mildew whole $10 billion worth of global crop damage is caused by Botrytis.

Cacao Swollen Shoot Disease (CSSVD) is an endemic disease that has become more damaging each year. It is one of the major factors limiting cocoa productivity in West Africa. It has destroyed an estimated 15% of annual cacao crop and is estimated to cause over $300 million of damage every year.