Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #235054
Title: Abundance of Asian citrus psyllid on yellow sticky traps in Florida, Puerto Rico, and Texas citrus groves

Author
item FLORES, DANIEL - USDA-APHIS
item Hall, David
item Jenkins, David
item SETAMOU, MAMOUDOU - TEXAS A&M

Submitted to: Southwestern Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/5/2008
Publication Date: 3/1/2009
Citation: Flores, D., Hall, D.G., Jenkins, D.A., Setamou, M. 2009. Abundance of Asian citrus psyllid on yellow sticky traps in Florida, Puerto Rico, and Texas citrus groves. Southwestern Entomologist. 34(1):1-11.

Interpretive Summary: A study was conducted to compare population levels of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico using yellow sticky traps deployed directly in citrus trees. Population densities of D. citri based on trap captures of adults at two groves in Puerto Rico were generally similar to those in Florida, although several peaks in numbers trapped at one Florida grove far exceeded those at any other grove studied. Numbers of adults captured on traps at one of the Puerto Rico groves and at each of the four Texas groves were relatively small. Lower population levels of the psyllid at the particular grove in Puerto Rico were attributed to this being a high-altitude, cooler location. Lower numbers captured at two of the four Texas groves during some trapping periods were attributed to chemical sprays but, overall, smaller numbers of adults captured on traps at the Texas groves appeared to be in-part a consequence of real differences in population levels of the psyllid. If so, environmental, biological control, or host plant factors may be less favorable for population increases of D. citri in Texas than in Florida.

Technical Abstract: A study was conducted to obtain information on population dynamics of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), in some managed citrus groves in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico using yellow sticky traps deployed directly in trees. Four groves were studied in Florida (three sweet orange groves and one grove of mixed Citrus spp.) and Texas (four grapefruit groves), and three groves were studied in Puerto Rico (one grove of mandarin oranges and two sweet orange groves). Population densities of D. citri based on trap captures of adults at two groves in Puerto Rico were generally similar to those in Florida, although several peaks in numbers trapped at one Florida grove far exceeded those at any other grove studied. Numbers of adults captured on traps at one of the Puerto Rico groves and at each of the four Texas groves were relatively small. Lower population levels of the psyllid at the particular grove in Puerto Rico were attributed to this being a high-altitude, cooler location. Lower numbers captured at two of the four Texas groves during some trapping periods were attributed to chemical sprays but, overall, smaller numbers of adults captured on traps at the Texas groves appeared to be in-part a consequence of real differences in population levels of the psyllid. If so, environmental, biological control, or host plant factors may be less favorable for population increases of D. citri in Texas than in Florida.