Have you heard of citrus greening and potato zebra chip disease? (yes, those are real things) ⁠ ⁠ Both are economically devastating plant diseases, responsible for major crop losses worldwide. ⁠ ⁠ Researchers at Texas A&M University are exploring a promising new approach using antimicrobial peptides found naturally in spinach, known as defensins.⁠ ⁠ In citrus, scientists used a graft-compatible viral delivery system to introduce these defensins into infected trees. Over multiple growing seasons, treated trees showed measurable improvements, including fruit yields up to 50 percent higher than untreated trees following a single application. The treatment did not eliminate the disease, but it reduced its impact and improved productivity.⁠ ⁠ Similar results were seen in potatoes affected by zebra chip disease. Treated plants showed fewer disease symptoms, lower levels of the disease-causing bacteria, and increased tuber production compared to untreated plants.⁠ ⁠ This research suggests tha...