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Title: A comparison of sticky traps for monitoring Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama)

Author
item Hall, David
item SETAMOU, MAMOUDOU - Texas A&M University
item MIZELL, RUSS - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Crop Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/31/2010
Publication Date: 9/1/2010
Citation: Hall, D.G., Setamou, M., Mizell, R. F. 2010. A comparison of sticky traps for monitoring Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama). Crop Protection Journal. 29:1341-1346.

Interpretive Summary: Asian citrus psyllid is an important citrus pest because it transmits the bacterium responsible for citrus greening disease, sometimes referred to as huanglongbing. This is the most devastating disease of citrus worldwide and is currently jeopardizing citrus production in North America. Growers, researchers and regulatory personnel need methods of monitoring the psyllid. Six types of sticky card traps differing in color and trapping adhesive were evaluated for monitoring Asian citrus psyllid in citrus in Florida and Texas. The traps were coded ASYellow, GLYellow, RWYellow, ASACP, MGGreen, and ASGreen. Data collected during April-May for the indicated that ASGreen traps sometimes captured significantly fewer adult D. citri than the ASYellow, ASACP and GLYellow traps, but there were no significant differences in numbers of adults captured on these latter three traps (RWYellow and MGGreen not tested). The ASYellow, ASACP and RWYellow traps consistently caught the greatest numbers of adults during September-November (all traps tested). There was no difference between the two adhesive materials with respect to numbers of adults captured on traps. There was no evidence that any one of the six traps would be best at detecting psyllids when adult populations are scarce.

Technical Abstract: Six types of sticky card traps differing in color and trapping adhesive were evaluated for monitoring Asian citrus psyllid in citrus in the United States (Florida and Texas). Spectral reflectance measurements were taken to categorize the color (wavelength) spectrum of each trap. Three of the traps (coded as ASYellow, GLYellow and RWYellow) were a bright yellow color to the human eye but the yellow color of these traps varied in intensity. Percent reflectance in the green and yellow wavelength regions was similar among the ASYellow, GLYellow, RWYellow and ASACP traps. To the human eye, one of the six traps was a lime green color (coded ASACP), one was a fluorescent yellow-green color (coded MGGreen), and one was green (coded ASGreen). Three of the six sticky traps (GLYellow, RWGreen and MGGreen) were treated with a traditional gluey adhesive material. The other three traps were treated with No Mess Sticky Cardadhesive, a hot-melted, pressure-sensitive adhesive material. The six commercial traps varied with respect to size; for this study, all were trimmed to the same size (7.6 x 12.1 cm). Trapping studies were conducted in Florida and Texas during April-May comparing four of the traps and during September-October comparing all six traps. The traps were suspended 1 to 1.5 m above ground directly in citrus trees near the outside of the canopy. Data collected during April-May indicated that ASGreen traps sometimes captured significantly fewer adult D. citri than the ASYellow, ASACP and GLYellow traps, but there were no significant differences in numbers of adults captured on these latter three traps. The ASYellow, ASACP and RWYellow traps consistently caught the greatest numbers of adults during September-November. It was not known why the GLYellow trap captured significantly fewer psyllids in some of the September-October studies. One possibility was that reflectance in the range of blue to violet reduced attraction of the psyllid: the GLYellow trap generally had greater percent reflectance in the range of blue and violet than the ASYellow, ASACP and RWYellow traps. Another possibility was that the attractiveness of a particular trap color might vary according to the background color of trees and with seasonal changes in sunlight direction/intensity. There was no difference between the two adhesive materials with respect to numbers of adults captured on traps. There was no evidence that any one of the six traps as adjusted to equal size would be best at detecting psyllids when adult populations are scarce.