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Title: Seasonal population dynamics of the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) and its associated pathogen "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" in potatoes in the southern Great Plains of North America

Author
item Goolsby, John
item Adamczyk, John
item Crosslin, James
item TROXCLAIR, NOEL - Texas Agrilife Research
item ANCISO, JUAN - Texas Agrilife Research
item BESTER, G - Frito-Lay, Inc/plano,tx
item BRADSHAW, J - University Of Nebraska
item BYNUM, E - Texas Agrilife Research
item CARPIO, L - Collaborator
item HENNE, D - Texas Agrilife Research
item JOSHI, A - Kansas State University Extension Center
item Munyaneza, Joseph - Joe
item PORTER, P - Texas Agrilife Research
item SLODERBECK, P - Kansas State University Extension Center
item SUPAK, J - Texas Agrilife Research
item RUSH, C - Texas Agrilife Research
item WILLETT, F - Agro Engineering
item ZECHMANN, B - Collaborator
item ZENS, B - Collaborator

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/23/2012
Publication Date: 7/1/2012
Citation: Goolsby, J., Adamczyk Jr, J.J., Crosslin, J., Troxclair, N., Anciso, J., Bester, G.G., Bradshaw, J., Bynum, E., Carpio, L., Henne, D., Joshi, A., Munyaneza, J.E., Porter, P., Sloderbeck, P., Supak, J., Rush, C., Willett, F.J., Zechmann, B., Zens, B.A. 2012. Seasonal population dynamics of the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) and its associated pathogen "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" in potatoes in the southern Great Plains of North America. Journal of Economic Entomology. 105(4):1268-1276.

Interpretive Summary: Zebra chip is a serious new disease of potatoes that is transmitted by the potato psyllid. The disease is present throughout the southern Great Plains and now the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. The potato psyllid and the zebra chip disease were sampled in commercial potato fields and untreated control plots for three years in multiple locations in Texas, Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado. Populations of the potato psyllid and the disease were found to be high and low over the three years field were sampled and also highly variable in each of the growing regions, most likely due to the effect of weather conditions effecting both the psyllid and disease. However, the percentage of potato psyllids infected with the zebra chip disease was variable was consistently highest in Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas (LRGV), which is the believed to be the overwintering location for this pest. High levels of zebra chip-infected psyllids and populations of the immature psyllids on potato leaves were directly related to the final level of zebra chip disease in the harvested potatoes. In the LRGV, where insect/disease pressure is highest, there was a highly significant difference in population levels of the psyllid and final zebra chip levels between commercial and untreated fields. These results show that the pest management program that was used by the growers can be effective at controlling development of the psyllid and ultimately reducing the level of zebra chip in harvested potatoes.

Technical Abstract: The potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc) and its associated pathogen, “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” (Lso) the putative causal agent of zebra chip (ZC) disease in potatoes were sampled in commercial potato fields and untreated control plots for three years in multiple locations in Texas, Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado. Populations of the potato psyllid were found to be variable across years across potato growing regions. However, the percentage of potato psyllids infected with Lso was variable across years but consistently highest in Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas (LRGV), which is the reported overwintering location for this pest. The numbers of Lso-infected psyllids and the population large nymphs were positively correlated with the final ZC incidence in the tubers. In the LRGV, where vector/disease pressure is highest, there was a highly significant difference in population levels of immature life stages of the psyllid and final ZC levels between commercial and untreated fields. These results show that the pest management program that was used can be effective at controlling development of the psyllid and ultimately reducing the incidence of ZC in tubers.