Vibrational trapping and interference with mating of Diaphorina citri

Authors: AVOSANI, S - University Of Trento, Italy; Mankin, Richard; SULLIVAN, T - Plant And Food Research; POLAJNAR, J - National Institute Of Biology; SUCKLING, D - Plant And Food Research; MAZZONI, V - Centro Di Ricerca Difesa E Certificazione (CREA – DC)

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2021
Publication Date: 5/25/2022
Citation: Avosani, S., Mankin, R.W., Sullivan, T., Polajnar, J., Suckling, D., Mazzoni, V. 2022. Vibrational trapping and interference with mating of Diaphorina citri. In: Hill, P. S. M., Mazzoni, V., Stritih-Peljhan, N. Virant-Doberlet, M., and Wessel, A. (eds). Biotremology: Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution. Springer Nature. Cham, Switzerland. p.529-546. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97419-0.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97419-0

Interpretive Summary: Psyllids are small insects that can vector causal agents of serious plant diseases, such as greening in citrus and zebra chip disease in potatoes. Several invasive psyllid species are expanding their geographic range, but there are few pest management tactics available at present. In psyllids, vibrational signals are used for mate location and mate choice. Novel methods of trapping or disruption of psyllids using vibrational communication could provide solutions for monitoring and control. Scientists at the University of Trento, the New Zealand Institute of Plant and Food Research, Lincoln, New Zealand, the National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia,, the Research and Innovation Center, San Michele all'Adige, Italy, and the USDA-ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, reviewed research on the monitoring communication signals produced by different species of psyllid pests that contributed to the development of devices that interfere with vibrational communication and potentially disrupt mating. The use of acoustic methods to manage psyllid pests is discussed and offered as alternatives for pesticides for psyllids and other insects.

Technical Abstract: Psyllids are small insects that can vector causal agents of serious plant diseases, such as greening in citrus and zebra chip disease in potatoes. Several invasive psyllid species are expanding their geographic range, but there are few pest management tactics available at present. Vibrational communication is a primary intra-specific communication channel within Psylloidea, being widespread among almost all the families. In psyllids, vibrational signals are used for mate location and mate choice by means of a male-female duet. Depending on the species, the first call can be emitted either by the male or the female and whenever a potential mate replies, the duet is eventually established. Some psyllid males produce a specific response signal whenever a female replies to their call, while in most other species the male uses a unique type of vibrational signal throughout the mating process. Some psyllids emit vibrations by means of stridulation, in which signals can be produced when the sclerotised areas of the anal vein of the wings rub against the scutellum, which bears scale-like denticles. Recent evidence suggests that novel methods of trapping or disruption of psyllids using vibrational communication could provide solutions for monitoring and control. For instance, the vibrational signals of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri and Bactericera cockerelli have been tested as monitoring and trapping tools, and similar studies have been initiated on other species.