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Submitted to: American Vegetable Grower
Publication Type: Trade Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/27/2013 Publication Date: 9/30/2013 Citation: Munyaneza, J.E. 2013. Manage zebra chip: Understand the life stages of the disease vector, the potato psyllid, to determine which control strategies to apply. American Vegetable Grower. September 2013 Issue, pp 12-13. Interpretive Summary: The potato psyllid is a serious insect pest of potato that is the vector of zebra chip, an economically important disease of potato in the southwest and Pacific Northwest of the U.S. Researchers at USDA-ARS Wapato, WA provided information on how to identify the psyllid and discussed its geographic distribution, biology, pest significance and management. This information will assist potato producers to minimize losses to zebra chip through management of the insect vector of the disease. Technical Abstract: The potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli, is as an economically important insect pest of potatoes in the western U.S., Mexico, Central America and New Zealand. This insect has historically been linked to psyllid yellows disease, but more recently has been shown to be the vector of a bacterium that causes zebra chip (ZC) disease of potato and severely damages other solanaceous crops. ZC is an emerging and economically important disease that has devastated potato growers throughout the psyllid’s range, including the southwest and Pacific Northwest of the U.S., occasionally leading to the abandonment of entire fields. Identification, geographic distribution, biology, pest significance and management of this potato pest are discussed. |
