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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #213982
Title: Daily timing of mating and age at reproductive maturity in Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae)

Author
item Wenninger, Erik
item Hall, David

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/11/2007
Publication Date: 12/1/2007
Citation: Wenninger, E., Hall, D.G. 2007. Daily timing of mating and age at reproductive maturity in Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). Florida Entomologist. 90:715-722.

Interpretive Summary: We conducted studies to describe the basic reproductive biology and behavior of the Asian citrus psyllid. This psyllid is of great economic importance to citrus production because it transmits citrus greening disease or huanglongbing, one of the world’s most serious diseases of citrus. We determined the mean copula duration, the age at which both males and females reach reproductive maturity, the pre-oviposition period, the daily timing of mating activity in a laboratory colony, and the temporal dynamics in the sex ratio of a cohort of newly eclosed adults. Mean copula duration was 48.3 minutes (range: 15.2-98.0). Both sexes reached reproductive maturity at 2-3 d after emergence as adults. Females generally began laying eggs within 1 d after mating, unless mated at 2 d of age in which case the pre-oviposition period was on average about 3 d. Mating on orange jasmine was observed almost exclusively on flush shoots (immature leaves) during daylight hours, with no obvious peak of daily mating activity. Mating activity may be constrained at night in part by darkness and by cooler temperatures. The emergence patterns of males and females were strikingly similar, with no evidence for earlier emergence of either sex. Methods for carrying out mating experiments with this species are described.

Technical Abstract: The psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama vectors a bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, in Florida which is responsible for citrus greening disease (huanglongbing), one of the most serious diseases of citrus. Despite the great economic importance of D. citri to citrus production, little is known about the reproductive biology and behavior of this insect. We conducted studies to determine the copula duration, the age at which both males and females reach reproductive maturity, the pre-oviposition period, the daily timing of mating activity in a laboratory colony, and the temporal dynamics in the sex ratio of a cohort of newly eclosed adults. Mean (SEM) copula duration was 48.3 (8.4) minutes (range: 15.2-98.0). Both sexes reached reproductive maturity at 2-3 d post-eclosion. The pre-oviposition period was delayed significantly when females were mated at 2 d of age as compared to older females; otherwise, oviposition generally began within 1 d after mating. Mating on orange jasmine was observed almost exclusively on flush shoots during daylight hours, with no obvious peak of daily mating activity. Mating activity may be constrained during scotophase in part by cooler temperatures and lack of light. The emergence patterns of males and females were strikingly similar, with no evidence for protandry or protogyny. Methods for carrying out mating experiments with this species are described.