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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #354788
Research Project: Systems Approach for Managing Emerging Insect Pests and Insect-Transmitted Pathogens of Potatoes

Location: Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research

Title: The “morning glory” psyllid? Potato psyllid development on morning glories and bindweed

Author
item KAUR, NAVNEET - University Of Idaho
item RASHED, ARASH - University Of Idaho
item Horton, David
item Cooper, William - Rodney
item BADILLO-VARGAS, ISMAEL - Texas A&M Agricultural Experiment Station
item ESPARZA-DIAZ, GABRIELLA - Texas A&M Agricultural Experiment Station
item JENSEN, ANDREW - Washington State Potato Foundation
item JOHNSON, DANIEL - University Of Lethbridge
item KAWCHUK, LAWRENCE - Agri Food - Canada

Submitted to: Potato Progress
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/3/2018
Publication Date: 8/1/2018
Citation: Kaur, N., Rashed, A., Horton, D.R., Cooper, W.R., Badillo-Vargas, I., Esparza-Diaz, G., Jensen, A., Johnson, D., Kawchuk, L. 2018. The “morning glory” psyllid? Potato psyllid development on morning glories and bindweed. Potato Progress. 18(11).

Interpretive Summary: Zebra chip, an economically important disease of potato in the United States, is transmitted to potato by the potato psyllid. Researchers at USDA-ARS Wapato in Washington, in collaboration with scientists from University of Idaho, Texas A&M, University of Lethbridge, the Northwest Potato Research Consortium, and Agriculture/Agri-Food Canada have determined that several species of native and ornamental Convolvulaceae support growth and development of potato psyllid. Development rates were reduced to some extent on Convolvulaceae relative to what is seen on the natural host potato. Efforts to monitor potato psyllid in potato growing regions are sometimes complicated by the presence of a specialized psyllid that attacks Convolvulaceae, leading occasionally to mistakes in identifying psyllids. We show several color or structural traits that allow easy separation of species. The rearing trials add to our list of plant species that should be considered to act as potential bridge hosts for potato psyllid in regions lacking agricultural hosts, while our list of diagnostic traits separating potato psyllid and another psyllid will help crop consultants correctly identify a non-pest psyllid that is very commonly encountered in potato growing regions.

Technical Abstract: Developmental hosts of potato psyllid, Bactericerea cockerelli (Šulc) (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Triozidae), include a number of crop and weed species in the Solanaceae. The psyllid has also been shown to develop on two species of Convolvulaceae in two genera (Convolvulus, Ipomoea). This observation is unexpected due to the substantial underrepresentation worldwide of Convolvulaceae as hosts for Psylloidea. We conducted rearing trials with 14 species of Convolvulaceae across four genera to examine whether species of Convolvulaceae other than the two reported in the literature support egg-to-adult development of potato psyllid. Six of those species in two genera (Convolvulus, Ipomoea), including one species previously reported to host the psyllid (Convolvulus arvensis L.), allowed egg-to-adult development. Psyllids failed to complete development on seven other species, including other members of Convolvulus and Ipomoea, as well as species of Calystegia and Turbina. A second species of North American psyllid, Bactericera maculipennis, specializes on Convolvulaceae and is commonly encountered in potato growing regions in association with potato psyllid. This has led to some confusion for pest control consultants and growers as they monitor for arrival of potato psyllid in commercial potato fields. We present several easily observed morphological traits of the two psyllid species that allow easy separation of species.