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Title: Asian citrus psyllid, genetic basis of immunity

Author
item Hert, Mizuri
item Hunter, Wayne
item Hall, David

Submitted to: Florida Entomological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/23/2008
Publication Date: 7/14/2008
Citation: Hert, M.M., Hunter, W.B., Hall, D.G. 2008. Asian citrus psyllid, genetic basis of immunity [abstract]. The 91st Annual Meeting of the Florida Entomological Society, July 13-16, 2008, Jupiter Inlet, Florida, p. 10.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We successfully used a genomics approach to determine some of the genes which function in immunity, stress, and insecticide resistance in the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). These psyllids are vectors of the devastating disease, Huanglongbing, now affecting citrus in Florida, southern US, and world wide. To understand the genetic basis of how the Asian citrus psyllid responds under chemical and environmental stresses, we treated psyllids with admire (imidacloprid) or high temperatures similar to a Florida summer. Several genes were identified and evaluated. A homologue of Cyp450 was induced by admire treatment, along with the homologue of heat shock protein Hsp70 which was found to be induced as expected by heat shock. These insights provide genetic targets which when exploited may be used to effectively reduce psyllid populations by insecticides and hot summer temperatures.