Meet Tanishka Aglave, 17, who built citrus disease tool and won $50,000

Tanishka Aglave, a 17-year-old high school senior, created a groundbreaking solution to combat citrus greening, a disease that has devastated Florida's citrus industry. Growing up in Florida, she witnessed the devastating impact on her family's citrus grove and decided to take action. Her approach incorporates a treatment using curry leaves, a localized steam therapy system, and an artificial intelligence tool to track the disease, earning her a $50,000 scholarship from the Davidson Institute.

Citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing, is a devastating disease that has caused significant damage to citrus production globally, particularly in Florida, where it has led to a dramatic decline in the industry. Aglave's research began with the observation of curry leaves, which can harbor the insect that spreads citrus greening without transmitting the disease itself.

This led her to explore the potential of compounds in curry leaves as a possible treatment for the bacteria responsible for the disease. She developed a bactericide based on curry leaf extract and tested its effectiveness in infected citrus trees. In addition to the treatment, Aglave devised a localized thermal therapy system, employing phase-changing materials and salt chemistries to generate persistent heat around the base of trees.

This is intended to enhance treatment distribution and improve the effectiveness of the treatment. The final component of her project is an AI-based tool that analyzes photos of citrus leaves to detect the visible symptoms of the disease. This AI tool would allow farmers to monitor their groves more easily, bridging the gap between laboratory research and practical agricultural decision-making.

Aglave's research, which took over 300 hours to complete, has garnered top awards at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and been published in the American Phytopathological Society's journal. She now looks to the future, aiming to apply her solution to other bacterial and fungal diseases and ultimately preserve the citrus industry and the way of life it supports in Florida.