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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 #281876
Title: Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), vector of citrus huanglongbing disease

Author
item Hall, David
item Richardson, Matthew
item Ammar, Eldesouky
item HALBERT, SUSAN - Florida Department Of Agriculture

Submitted to: Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/29/2012
Publication Date: 12/7/2012
Citation: Hall, D.G., Richardson, M.L., Ammar, E.D., Halbert, S.E. 2013. Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), vector of citrus huanglongbing disease. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 146:207-223.

Interpretive Summary: A review is presented of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and citrus huanglongbing disease (HLB). The psyllid is an important pest of citrus because it transmits phloem-limited bacteria responsible for huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening disease. This disease is currently considered the world’s most serious disease of citrus. Intensive chemical control of ACP is currently the primary management strategy for HLB, but this strategy is costly, unsustainable, and generally ineffective for preventing incidence and spread of the disease. An integrated pest management approach is needed to provide more effective, economical, environmentally safe, and sustainable control of the psyllid and disease. Control strategies in addition to, or in place of, chemical control could include host plant resistance, augmentative or classical biological control, cultural control, or molecular methods to silence genes of ACP to induce mortality or to block its ability to transmit HLB-causing bacteria. Research into these strategies is ongoing, but there remains a great need for a better understanding about the basic biology of ACP and vector-pathogen-host plant interactions at the molecular, cellular and community levels.

Technical Abstract: The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), is an important pest of citrus because it transmits phloem-limited bacteria [Candidatus Liberibacter spp., notably Ca. L. asiaticus (Las)], associated with huanglongbing (HLB; citrus greening), currently considered the world’s most serious disease of citrus. ACP transmits Las in a persistent manner and, although the rate of Las transmission by ACP individuals is fairly low, HLB is spreading fast and its geographic range is expanding, threatening citrus industries in new areas. Intensive chemical control of ACP is currently the primary management strategy for HLB, but this strategy is costly, unsustainable, and generally ineffective for preventing incidence and spread of the disease. An integrated pest management approach is needed to provide more effective, economical, environmentally safe, and sustainable control of ACP and HLB. Control strategies in addition to, or in place of, chemical control could include host plant resistance, augmentative or classical biological control, cultural control, or molecular methods to silence genes of ACP to induce mortality or to block its ability to transmit HLB-causing bacteria. Research into these strategies is ongoing, but there remains a great need for a better understanding about the basic biology of ACP and vector-pathogen-host plant interactions at the molecular, cellular and community levels.