Project Number: 6618-22320-001-37
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Feb 01, 2012
End Date: Jul 31, 2012

Objective:
To evaluate citrus and citrus relatives for resistance to the Asian citrus psyllid.

Approach:
Genotypes from the USDA Citrus Repository will be sent to the cooperator. This germplasm will be screened on site in China in choice studies to identify genotypes that are obviously susceptible as adult food and reproductive hosts. Genotypes that appear to have resistance in choice studies will be screened in no-choice studies to confirm resitance. Choice studies can be conducted in a greenhouse as well as in open field plantings. No-choice studies will be conducted by caging plants individually and introducing psyllids to determine if adults survive on the plants, if eggs are laid, and if nymphs develop on the plants to the adult stage. Germplasm with resistance will be identified. ARS will focus additional research on these genotypes to develop commercial varieties with psyllid resistsance.