VOA慢速英语2017 巴西、美国发现防治柑橘黄龙病分子（在线收听）

Brazil, US Identify Molecule to Help Fight Citrus Greening

Researchers have identified a molecule that attracts an insect which carries citrus greening disease.

研究人员确认一种分子可吸引携带黄龙病病毒的昆虫。 

This development is expected to help farmers control a disease that has destroyed citrus trees in areas of Brazil and the United States.

这一发现预计可帮助农民防治在巴西和美国地区破坏柑橘树的一种疾病。 

The discovery is the result of six years of research on Diaphorina citri, an insect that is the vector of citrus greening disease.

通过对柑橘木虱六年的研究才得出这一发现。柑橘木虱这种昆虫是柑橘黄龙病病毒的载体。 

The molecule was identified by the research center Fundo de Defesa da Citricultura, or Fundecitrus.The effort was carried out in partnership with the University of California, Davis and the University of Sao Paulo’s Agricultural College.

该分子由柑橘保护基金会确认。该研究发现由加州大学戴维斯分校和圣保罗大学农学院合作完成。 

The next step will be to synthesize a chemical substance from the molecule.Then, researchers will create a product that will work as a trap to attract and stop the insect.Scientists hope to reduce the spread of citrus greening disease.The disease is blamed for the destruction of almost half of Brazil’s current orange tree area since 2005.

下一步就是人工合成分子中的化学物质。之后，研究者会创设一种类似于陷阱的产品，吸引并阻止这种昆虫。科学家希望能够减少柑橘黄龙病的扩散。自2005年以来，半个巴西的柑橘树几乎都被毁坏，罪魁祸首就是这种病。

Juliano Ayres is the general manager at Fundecitrus.He says, while these measures will not cure citrus greening disease, in his words, “it will allow us to work in an intelligent and assertive way against the insect.”

茱莉亚诺·艾尔斯是柑橘保护基金会的经理。他说，虽然这些措施不能治愈柑橘黄龙病，但用他的话说就是“可以让我们用明智和坚定的方式对抗这种害虫”。

The first commercial product should be available to farmers in a year, said Walter Leal, a Brazilian researcher representing, UC Davis.

第一批商用产品预计将在一年以后才能到农民手中，加州大学戴维斯分校代表巴西研究员沃尔特·利尔表示。

Fundecitrus said Brazil’s main citrus producing areas have almost 175 million trees planted on about 415,000 hectares. It is estimated that 32 million trees are infected.

柑橘保护基金会称，巴西主要柑橘产区大概有41.5万公顷，种有1.75亿棵柑橘树。据估计，有3200万柑橘树都感染了黄龙病。

There is no cure for citrus greening disease.

柑橘黄龙病无法治愈。 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says it is one of the most serious citrus plant diseases in the world.Infected trees produce fruit that is green, misshapen and bitter.This makes them unsuitable for sale as fresh fruit or for juice.

美国农业部称，这种病是世界上最严重的植物病之一。被感染的树结出来的果实都是绿色的、不成形，且味道苦涩。这造成这些水果既无法以新鲜水果形式售卖，也无法做成橘汁。

The USDA says most infected trees die within a few years.

美国农业部称，大多数被感染的树苗几年之后都死去了。 

Words in this Story

assertive – adj. confident in behavior or style

bitter – adj. having a strong and often unpleasant flavor that is the opposite of sweet

citrus – n. a juicy fruit such as an orange, grapefruit, or lemon that has a thick skin and that comes from a tree or shrub that grows in warm areas

synthesize – v. to make something from simpler substances through a chemical process

vector – n. an insect, animal, etc., that carries germs that cause disease