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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #316780
Title: Matrimony vine/Goji berries – potential overwintering host for potato psyllids in the Pacific Northwest

Author
item THINAKARAN, JENITA - Texas A&M Agrilife
item Cooper, William - Rodney
item Munyaneza, Joseph - Joe
item Horton, David

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/2015
Publication Date: 8/18/2015
Citation: Thinakaran, J., Cooper, W.R., Munyaneza, J.E., Horton, D.R. 2015. Matrimony vine/Goji berries – potential overwintering host for potato psyllids in the Pacific Northwest. Meeting Proceedings. Pp 76-79.

Interpretive Summary: Zebra chip, an economically important disease of potato in the United States, is caused by a bacterial pathogen vectored by the potato psyllid. Researchers at USDA-ARS Wapato in Washington assessed the role of matrimony vine, a perennial and common weed in the Pacific Northwest, in zebra chip spread. It was discovered that this weed is an important host of potato psyllid throughout winter months in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon and constitutes a major source of psyllids colonizing Pacific Northwest potato crops. This information will help potato growers in this major potato growing region of U.S. reduce damage caused by zebra chip by monitoring and controlling its insect vector on matrimony vine

Technical Abstract: Zebra chip (ZC) disease is responsible for causing serious economic losses to the potato industry in the United States, New Zealand, Mexico and Central America. The disease is caused by the bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso) transmitted by the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli. Following ZC outbreak in the Pacific Northwest in 2011, three distinct genetic variants or haplotypes of the potato psyllids were identified: Northwestern, Western, and Central haplotypes. The Northwestern haplotype has only been collected in the Pacific Northwest, readily overwinters on bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara), and migrates to potato crops during the growing season. Western and Central haplotypes appear not to overwinter on bittersweet nightshade in the Pacific Northwest, suggesting presence of other overwintering hosts of potato psyllid in the region. Matrimony vine (Lycium sp.), a woody perennial solanaceous weed reported to serve as overwintering host of potato psyllid in the southwestern U. S. has been overlooked by researchers in the Pacific Northwest until potato psyllid adults were first collected on this weed in Selah, WA in June of 2014. Since then, psyllids have continuously been collected on matrimony vine patches in several locations of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho throughout winter months. Presence of eggs and nymphs during the spring of 2015 has also been documented. Haplotyping of collected potato psyllids revealed that both Northwestern and Western haplotypes overwinter on matrimony vine. These observations confirm that matrimony vine is an overwintering host of potato psyllid in the Pacific Northwest, in addition to bittersweet nightshade, and might be an important source of potato psyllid populations colonizing potato crops in this major potato growing region