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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #316094
Title: Movement of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) adults between huanglongbing-affected and healthy citrus

Author
item WU, F - South China Agricultural University
item CEN, Y - South China Agricultural University
item DENG, X - South China Agricultural University
item Chen, Jianchi
item XIA, Y - North Carolina State University
item LIANG, G - South China Agricultural University

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/20/2015
Publication Date: 6/20/2015
Citation: Wu, F., Cen, Y., Deng, X., Chen, J., Xia, Y., Liang, G. 2015. Movement of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) adults between huanglongbing-affected and healthy citrus. Florida Entomologist. 98:410-416.

Interpretive Summary: Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is an insect vector transmitting the pathogen of citrus huanglongbing (HLB, also called yellow shoot disease or citrus greening disease). HLB-affected citrus trees typically have leaf yellowing symptoms. This study evaluated the effect of leaf yellowing on the behavior of ACP adults. Yellow color (e.g., young shoots or HLB-affected leaves) played an initial role in attracting ACP adults. However, ACP eventually abandoned HLB-affected leaves and turned to asymptomatic green leaves, an indication of either poor nutrition or a feeding barrier in HLB-affected mature leaves. This behavior facilitates HLB pathogen spread and should be subject to further investigation.

Technical Abstract: Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), is a vector transmitting the pathogen of citrus huanglongbing (HLB, also called yellow shoot disease or citrus greening disease). A typical symptom of citrus HLB is leaf yellowing. ACP adults behaved differently on HLB-affected and non-HLB-affected (healthy) citrus trees. A color board experiment showed that yellow color attracted more ACP adults than green or white colors. This was in agreement with the observation that young shoots (yellow color) and yellow mature leaves of citrus trees were highly attractive to ACP. ACP adults fed on HLB-affected citrus shoots for a significantly longer time than on healthy citrus shoots. The mechanism for this remains unclear. When young shoots were not available, ACP adults were first attracted to yellow leaves of HLB-affected citrus. However, after feeding for about 38 hours, ACP abandoned HLB-affected leaves and turned to asymptomatic green leaves, an indication of either poor nutrition or a feeding barrier in the HLB-affected mature leaves. This behavior appears to facilitate HLB pathogen spread.