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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #313931
Title: Comparative Biology and Life Tables of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter Solanacearum’-Infected and -Free Bactericera Cockerelli (Šulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) on Potato and Silverleaf Nightshade

Author
item THINAKARAN, J - Texas A&M Agrilife
item YANG, X-B - Texas A&M Agrilife
item Munyaneza, Joseph - Joe
item RUSH, C - Texas A&M Agrilife
item HENNE, D - Texas A&M Agrilife

Submitted to: Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/11/2015
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Potato psyllid is the insect vector of the bacterium that causes zebra chip, a new and economically important disease of potato in the United States and several other countries. Researchers at USDA-ARS Wapato in Washington, in collaboration with scientists at Texas A&M University, assessed how well this insect pest develops when reared on potato or silverleaf nightshade, an important perennial weed commonly found near potato crops in Texas. It was determined that, while the potato psyllid develops faster on potato than silverleaf nightshade, this insect develops fairly well on this weed host. Information from this research underscores how important silverleaf nightshade is in supporting growth of potato psyllid and suggests that this weed should be managed to reduce populations of this insect pest and damaged caused by zebra chip.

Technical Abstract: The potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae), vectors the pathogen ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso), causal agent of zebra chip disease of potato. Several cultivated and wild plants are reported to serve as alternate hosts for B. cockerelli and Lso, including silverleaf nightshade (SLN), a wild solanaceous woody perennial weed throughout Texas. Experiments were conducted in the laboratory to compare performance of Lso-infected and Lso-free B. cockerelli on SLN and potato. Results showed that host plants and Lso-infectivity significantly influenced the performance of B. cockerelli. Egg incubation and nymphal development of Lso-infected and Lso-free immature potato psyllids were prolonged on SLN compared to potato indicating a host effect. Generally, Lso-infected B. cockerelli immatures developed faster on both SLN and potato, although Lso-free nymphs survived better and significantly different from nymphs that harbored the pathogen. Lso-free adults also lived longer and reproduced more on potato than SLN. According to life table estimates, intrinsic and finite rates of increase of Lso-infected B. cockerelli was not significantly different from Lso-free individuals on both hosts. In addition, Lso-infected B. cockerelli had shorter mean generation time, which was significantly different from Lso-free B. cockerelli on potato and SLN. Analysis of the two factors revealed significant interaction effects and that growth and development of B. cockerelli is a function of both Lso-infection and host on which it fed. The present study demonstrated SLN as an important alternative host to support growth and development of B. cockerelli in the absence of favored or cultivated hosts.