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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 #318530
Title: Ultrastructure of the salivary glands and bacteria-like structures in the gut and other organs of the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae), vector of huanglongbing disease bacteria

Author
item AMMAR, ELDESOUKY - University Of Florida
item Hall, David
item Shatters, Robert - Bob

Submitted to: Florida Entomological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2015
Publication Date: 8/4/2015
Citation: Ammar, E., Hall, D.G., Shatters, R.G. 2015. Ultrastructure of the salivary glands and bacteria-like structures in the gut and other organs of the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae), vector of huanglongbing disease bacteria [abstract]. Annual Meeting of the Florida Entomological Society, August 2-5, 2015, Ft. Myers/Sanibel Harbor, Florida.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP, Diaphorina citri, Hemiptera, Liviidae) is the principal vector of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las), the bacterium associated with huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening, currently the most serious citrus disease worldwide. Liberibacter asiaticus is transmitted in a persistent circulative manner by Asian citrus psyllid, and the salivary glands and alimentary canal have been suggested as ‘transmission barriers’ that can affect the translocation of Liberibacter asiaticus as within Asian citrus psyllid. However, no detailed ultrastructural studies have been done on these important organs although some early investigations reported bacteria-like structures found in them as the causal agents of huanglongbing (HLB). In this study, we examined the ultrastructure of the salivary glands, filter chamber and other parts of the alimentary canal, as well as other organs of healthy (non-infected) and Liberibacter asiaticus-infected nymphs and adults of Asian citrus psyllid. In addition to two ultrastructurally different symbiotic bacteria found in the bacteriome of both nymphs and adults, other morphological types of bacteria were found in the midgut epithelial cells of both infected and non-infected Asian citrus psyllid. This shows the importance of immunolabeling, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) or other molecular techniques that must be used before identifying any bacteria-like structures in Asian citrus psyllid as Liberibacter asiaticus as or other possible agents of huanglongbing (HLB).