Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research Site Logo
ARS Home About Us Helptop nav spacerContact Us En Espanoltop nav spacer
Printable VersionPrintable Version     E-mail this pageE-mail this page
Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture
Search
  Advanced Search
 
Programs and Projects
Subjects of Investigation
 

Research Project: IPM TECHNOLOGIES FOR INSECT PESTS OF ORCHARD CROPS

Location: Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research

Title: Localization of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus associated with citrus huanglongbing disease, in its pysllid vector using fluorescence in situ hybridization

Authors

Submitted to: Journal of Phytopathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: June 8, 2011
Publication Date: December 1, 2011
Citation: Ammar, E., Shatters, R.G., Hall, D.G. 2011. Localization of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus associated with citrus huanglongbing disease, in its pysllid vector using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Journal of Phytopathology. 159:726-734.

Interpretive Summary: Huanglongbing (HLB) is a serious and devastating disease of citrus apparently caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las). HLB is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) in a persistent manner but its interactions with the psyllid vector particularly at the organ and cellular levels are poorly understood. Here, we used a molecular technique (fluorescent in situ hybridization) to study the distribution of Las in various organs/tissues of its vector. Our results show the near systemic infection of ACP by Las and confirm previous Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) results suggesting that the salivary glands constitute an important barrier to Las transmission by ACP. Study of transmission barriers helps in understanding the epidemiology of HLB and may potentially lead to innovative ways to combat this serious disease in citrus.

Technical Abstract: Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las) bacterium has been strongly associated with huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, which is currently the most devastating citrus disease worldwide. HLB is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri in a persistent manner but its interactions with the psyllid vector particularly at the organ and cellular levels are poorly understood. Here, we tested several fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) protocols for the localization of Las in hemolymph smears and dissected organs of ACP adults that fed on HLB-infected citrus trees in the field or laboratory, and in sections from HLB-infected citrus leaves. Las was detected by FISH in the filter chamber, midgut, Malpighian tubules, hemolymph, salivary glands, ovaries and in muscle and fat tissues of HLB-infected ACP, as well as in the phloem of infected citrus leaves. Las appeared as pleiomorphic bodies or short thin rods that were much more spatially dispersed and individually distinct in citrus leaf phloem and in ACP hemolymph, but more densely aggregated in cells of the salivary glands and other ACP organs/tissues. FISH results indicated that the proportion of Las-infected salivary glands was significantly lower than that of infected alimentary canals or other organs. Our results show the near systemic infection of ACP by Las and confirm previous Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) results suggesting that the salivary glands constitute an important barrier to Las infection and/or transmission by ACP.

   

 
Project Team
Lapointe, Stephen
Hall, David
Hunter, Wayne
Shatters, Robert - Bob
Patt, Joseph - Joe
 
Publications
   Publications
 
Related National Programs
  Crop Protection & Quarantine (304)
 
Related Projects
   REPELLENTS AND ATTRACTANTS FOR ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID
   ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID ATTRACTANTS AND REPELLENTS
   SPEEDY EVALUATION OF CITRUS GERMPLASM FOR PSYLLID RESISTANCE
   TARGETING THE ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID (ASCP) FEEDING MECHANSIM AS A MEANS OF BLOCKING PSYLLLID FEEDING ON CITRUS
   DEEP SEQUENCING OF DIAPHORINA CITRI
   DEVELOPMENT OF CDNA MICROARRAYS FOR GENE EXPRESSION RESEARCH IN FLORICULTURAL CROPS
   COMBINATORIAL LIBRARY SCREENING FOR PSYLLID DISRUPTION MOLECULES
   ATTRACT AND KILL TECHNOLOGY TO CONTROL CITRUS LEAFMINER IN CITRUS NURSERIES AND ORCHARDS
   ASSESSMENT OF A MECHANICAL SAMPLING DEVICE FOR ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID
   CHEMICAL ECOLOGY OF THE MEXICAN BROMELIAD WEEVIL AND ITS PARASITOID, LIXADMONTIA FRANKI
   COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH ON THE CITRUS LEAFMINER, PHYLLOCNISTIS CITRELLA
   SEMIOCHEMICAL-BASED TECHNOLOGY FOR CONTROL OF CITRUS PESTS
   DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL INSECT CONTROL STRATEGIES BASED ON RNAI AND INSECT DETERRENT PROTEINS FOR INSECT PESTS OF CITRUS
   VIRUS OF HEMIPTERANS: LEAFHOPPERS AND PSYLLIDS
   PATHOGENS OF INVASIVE INSECTS
   SEMIOCHEMICALS FOR CONTROL OF CITRUS LEAFMINER AND CITRUS CANKER DISEASE WITH APPLICATION FOR CONTROL OF ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID AND HLB
   INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO ADVANCE CITRUS DISEASE RESEARCH & PRODUCT DVLPMT TO ENSURE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE NATL CITRUS INDUSTRY
   DEVELOPING A PHLOEM PENETRATION/ANTIMICROBIAL TREATMENT TO REDUCE/ELIMATE CANDIDATUS LIBERIBACTER FROM EXISTING CITRUS TREES
   DETERMINATION OF ATTRACTIVE HOST PLANT VOLATILES AND SEX PHEROMONES OF ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID USING EAGS AND GC-EAD
   APPLICATION OF AN AGGREGATION PHEROMONE FOR MANAGEMENT OF THE DIAPREPES ROOT WEEVIL
   Rear and Release Psyllids as Biological Control Agents-An Economical and Feasible Mid-Term Solution for Huanglongbing (HLB) Disease
 
 
Last Modified: 05/18/2013
ARS Home | USDA.gov | Site Map | Policies and Links 
FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy | Nondiscrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | White House