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Title: Development of an IPM program for management of the potato psyllid to reduce incidence of zebra chip disorder in potatoes

Author
item Goolsby, John
item Adamczyk, John
item BEXTINE, BLAKE - UNIV. OF TEXAS - TYLER
item LIN, DENICE - UNIV. OF TEXAS - TYLER
item Munyaneza, Joseph - Joe

Submitted to: Subtropical Plant Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/29/2007
Publication Date: 4/22/2007
Citation: Goolsby, J., Adamczyk Jr, J.J., Bextine, B., Lin, D., Munyaneza, J.E. 2007. Development of an IPM program for management of the potato psyllid to reduce incidence of zebra chip disorder in potatoes. Subtropical Plant Science. 59:85-94.

Interpretive Summary: The seasonal population levels of the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli was monitored in insecticide-treated commercial potatoes, untreated experimental plots, and in stands of native host plants, using a combination of yellow sticky traps and leaf samples in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Adult potato psyllids entered the growing areas in late fall, shortly before emergence of potatoes, to overwinter and reproduce on cultivated and native host plants including wolfberry. Potato psyllids showed no oviposition preference for Atlantic or FL1867 potato cultivars, however immature densities were higher on the Atlantic variety. Management of the pest, using a program which included imidacloprid, Admire at planting and foliar applications of spiromesifen, Venom and dinotefura, Oberon led to low egg and immature population levels in both varieties as compared to the untreated control plots. Incidence of zebra chip was below economic levels in the fields where the potato psyllid was kept at low density for the entire season. Molecular diagnostics of adults collected from the traps tested negative for five known plant pathogens. The IPM method developed in this research for sampling and management of potato psyllid may be applicable to other growing areas in the Southwestern U.S., Mexico and Central America impacted by zebra chip.

Technical Abstract: The seasonal phenology of the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli, was monitored in insecticide-treated commercial potatoes, untreated experimental plots, and in stands of native host plants, using a combination of yellow sticky traps and leaf samples in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Adult potato psyllids entered the growing areas in late fall, shortly before emergence of potatoes, to overwinter and reproduce on cultivated and native host plants including Lycium spp. Potato psyllids showed no oviposition preference for Atlantic or FL1867 potato cultivars, however, nymphal densities were higher on the Atlantic variety. Management of the pest, using a program which included imidacloprid at planting and foliar applications of spiromesifen and dinotefura led to low egg and nymphal densities in both varieties as compared to the untreated control plots. Incidence of zebra chip was below economic levels in the fields where the potato psyllid was kept at low density for the entire season. Molecular diagnostics of adults collected from the traps tested negative for five known plant pathogens. The IPM method developed in this research for sampling and management of potato psyllid may be applicable to other growing areas in the Southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central America impacted by zebra chip.