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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 #285016
Title: Effect of Isaria fumosorosea (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) and Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Hymenoptera: Aphidiinae) on the brown citrus aphid: Preliminary assessment of a compatibility study

Author
item PICK, D - Florida Atlantic University
item AVERY, P - University Of Florida
item Hunter, Wayne
item POWELL, C - University Of Florida
item ARTHURS, S - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/8/2012
Publication Date: 8/22/2012
Citation: Pick, D.A., Avery, P.B., Hunter, W.B., Powell, C.A., Arthurs, S.P. 2012. Effect of Isaria fumosorosea (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) and Lysiphebus testaceipes (Hymenoptera: Aphidiinae) on the brown citrus aphid: Preliminary assessment of a compatibility study. Florida Entomologist. 95:774-776.

Interpretive Summary: The brown citrus aphid, Toxoptera citricidus Kirkaldy is a serious pest of citrus as the vector which spreads Citrus Tristeza virus. Recently, a strain of insect-infecting fungi, Isaria fumosorosea Wize (Ifr) (= Paecilomyces fumosoroseus), (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) was discovered in a Florida citrus grove infecting the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama. Treatments with Ifr alone were not effective for managing brown citrus aphid populations on citrus in caged trials. However, the fungi did not inhibit parasitism or emergence, thus the parasitoid L. testaceipes was highly effective at parasitizing the aphids even in the presence of Ifr. The compatibility of Ifr, and other entomopathogenic fungi with L. testaceipes demonstrated potential for using both fungi and parasitoid in the management of the brown citrus aphid in citrus.

Technical Abstract: The brown citrus aphid, Toxoptera citricidus Kirkaldy (=T. citricida) is a serious pest of citrus as the vector which spreads Citrus Tristeza virus. Recently, an entomopathogenic strain of fungi, Isaria fumosorosea Wize (Ifr) (= Paecilomyces fumosoroseus), (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) was discovered in a Florida citrus grove infecting the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama. Treatments with Ifr alone were not effective for managing brown citrus aphid populations on citrus in caged trials. However, the fungi did not inhibit parasitism or emergence, thus the parasitoid L. testaceipes was highly effective at parasitizing the aphids even in the presence of Ifr. The compatibility of Ifr, and other entomopathogenic fungi with L. testaceipes demonstrated potential for using both fungi and parasitoid in the management of the brown citrus aphid in citrus.