ARS | Publication request: Association of Liberibacter with Newly Emerging Psyllid-Transmitted Diseases of Potato and Other Annual Crops

Submitted to: Plant Pathogenic Bacteria International Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: September 24, 2010
Publication Date: September 17, 2010
Citation: Munyaneza, J.E. 2010. Association of Liberibacter with Newly Emerging Psyllid-Transmitted Diseases of Potato and Other Annual Crops. Proceedings of the 2nd Internation Symposium on Plant Pathogenic Bacteria, pp. 1-6, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico (17-18 September 2010).

Interpretive Summary: Newly emerging diseases caused by the bacterium Liberibacter and vectored by psyllids have recently become a major concern to growers of potato, tomato, pepper, eggplant, and carrot crops in U.S., Mexico, Central America, New Zealand, and countries in northern Europe. Researchers at the USDA-ARS Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory identified which psyllid species are harmful to these crops and investigated how these insects transmit the diseases. It was determined that the potato psyllid and carrot psyllid were involved in transmitting diseases that threaten production of several important annual crops, including potato, tomato, pepper, and carrot. Information from these studies will help producers of affected crops develop effective management strategies for these economically important diseases by controlling these insect pests.

Technical Abstract: The fastidious bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter’, vectored by at least four psyllid species, has recently been associated with newly emerging and economically important diseases of citrus and solanaceous crops. Huanglongbing or citrus greening disease is associated with three species of liberibacter, “Ca. L. asiaticus”, “Ca. L. africanus”, and “Ca. L. americanus”, which are vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kumayama and the African citrus psyllid, Trioza erytreae Del Guercio. Huanglongbing is the most destructive disease of citrus in many parts of the world, including Africa, Asia, U. S., Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, and Brazil. Zebra chip, a newly emerging disease of potato in U.S., Mexico, Central America, and New Zealand, is associated with “Ca. L. solanacearum” (syn. “Ca. L. psyllaurous”) vectored by the potato/tomato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli Sulc. “Ca. L. solanacearum” has also been found to severely affect several other solanaceous crops, including tomato, pepper, eggplant, Cape gooseberry, and tamarillo. Recently, “Ca. L. solanacearum” has been detected for the first time in the carrot psyllid, Trioza apicalis Förster, and carrot plants damaged by this insect in northern Europe. An overview of emerging psyllid-transmitted diseases associated with liberibacter in potato and other annual crops, with emphasis on zebra chip and carrot yellows diseases is presented herein.