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Title: Greenhouse investigations on the effect of guava on infestations of Asian citrus psyllid in grapefruit

Author
item Hall, David
item Gottwald, Timothy
item NGUYEN, N - University Of Florida
item ICHINOSE, K - JIRCAS, JAPAN
item LE, Q. - University Of Agriculture - Vietnam
item BEATTIE, G. A. - U. WESTERN SYDNEY
item Stover, Eddie

Submitted to: Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/12/2008
Publication Date: 4/4/2009
Citation: Hall, D.G., Gottwald, T.R., Nguyen, N.C., Ichinose, K., Le, Q.D., Beattie, G.A.C., Stover, E. 2008. Greenhouse investigations on the effect of guava on infestations of Asian citrus psyllid in grapefruit. Proceedings Florida State Horticultural Society. 121:104-109

Interpretive Summary: Reports from Vietnam indicate interplanting guava with citrus dramatically reduces infestations of Asian citrus psyllid. We therefore conducted greenhouse studies to assess the effect of different guava cultivars on adult psyllids. The effects of cotton and tomato were also evaluated in some tests as non-citrus, neutral plant species. Survival of adult psyllids confined to guava was reduced. However, survival of adults was also reduced when they were confined to cotton or tomato. Adult psyllids introduced into cages generally moved to citrus faster when citrus was alone than when citrus was with either guava or cotton, and greater numbers of adults were consistently observed on citrus over time in cages with just citrus. This may have been in part due to differences in total plant surface areas in cages with citrus alone or citrus with another plant. However, in one study decreased numbers of adults on citrus caged with guava was attributed to the presence of guava. Mortality rates of adults was increased in cages containing both citrus and guava in one study but not another. While significant reductions in infestations of adults sometimes occurred in cages containing both citrus and guava, the levels of reduction were less dramatic than anticipated. Verifying the Vietnamese guava effect may be dependent on field studies.

Technical Abstract: Reports from Vietnam indicate interplanting guava with citrus dramatically reduces infestations of Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri). We therefore conducted greenhouse studies to assess the effect of different guava cultivars on adult psyllids. The effects of cotton and tomato were also evaluated in some tests as non-citrus, neutral plant species. Survival of adult psyllids confined to guava was reduced. However, survival of adults was also reduced when they were confined to cotton or tomato. Adult psyllids introduced into cages generally moved to citrus faster when citrus was alone than when citrus was with either guava or cotton, and greater numbers of adults were consistently observed on citrus over time in cages with just citrus. This may have been in part due to differences in total plant surface areas in cages with citrus alone or citrus with another plant. However, in one study decreased numbers of adults on citrus caged with guava was attributed to the presence of guava. Mortality rates of adults was increased in cages containing both citrus and guava in one study but not another. While significant reductions in infestations of adults sometimes occurred in cages containing both citrus and guava, the levels of reduction were less dramatic than anticipated. Verifying the Vietnamese guava effect may be dependent on field studies.