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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #384914
Research Project: IPM Method for Control of Insect Pests and Transmitted Diseases of Orchard Crops

Location: Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research

Title: Picorna-like Virus Discovered in Wild Lime Psyllid, Leuronota fagarae Burckhardt (Hemiptera: Psylloidea)

Author
item Stuehler, Douglas
item Hunter, Wayne
item CLARKE, SASHA-KAY - University Of The West Indies
item CICERO, JOSEPH - University Of Arizona
item BELL, TRACEY - Florida State University
item MAN, HANNAH - Indian River State College
item QURESHI, JAWWAD - University Of Florida
item CANO, LILIANA - University Of Florida

Submitted to: The International Electronic Conference on Entomology
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/11/2021
Publication Date: 6/11/2021
Citation: Stuehler, D.S., Hunter, W.B., Clarke, S.K., Cicero, J.M., Bell, T., Man, H.R., Qureshi, J., Cano, L.M. 2021. Picorna-like Virus Discovered in Wild Lime Psyllid, Leuronota fagarae Burckhardt (Hemiptera: Psylloidea). The International Electronic Conference on Entomology. Presentation.

Interpretive Summary: A new insect-infecting virus was discovered in the wild lime psyllid and shown to be genetically similar to the Picorna-like virus that is a pathogen of the Asian citrus psyllid, ACP. The ACP insect spreads the bacterial pathogen causing Huanglongbing in citrus. These two psyllids occur in the same environment in Florida where citrus is grown. While the wild lime psyllid is not known to spread the bacterial pathogen of citrus trees, this new pathogen provides a potential biological control agent to reduce Asian citrus psyllid populations, that could reduce HLB spread to newly planted citrus trees.

Technical Abstract: Genetic sequencing was used to discover a new Picorna-like virus in the wild lime psyllid, Leuronota fagarae, (Hemiptera Psylloidea) whose sequence shows significant similarity to the Picorna-viral pathogen of the Asian citrus psyllid, ACP, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae). These two psyllids occur in the same environment in Florida where citrus is grown. The L. fagarae, feeds on a wild citrus relative, Zanthoxylum fagara (Sapindales: Rutaceae) and is not known to transmit bacterial pathogens of citrus trees. Finding natural pathogens to psyllid species in Florida may provide new biological control agents to reduce the vector specie, D. citri. Agents that can reduce the psyllid population may also reduce the spread of the bacterial pathogen. The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri, is the vector which transmits the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus to citrus fruit crops, which causes Huanglongbing disease (HLB), also called citrus greening disease. HLB is considered the most serious bacterial disease of citrus trees.