ARS | Publication request: Psyllids as A Tool in Evaluating the Efficiency of Different Management Practices for Control of Citrus Huanglongbing Disease

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 1, 2007
Publication Date: July 1, 2007
Citation: Keremane, M.L., Harakava, R., Ramadugu, C., Halbert, S., Yamamoto, P., Lee, R.F. 2007. Psyllids as A Tool in Evaluating the Efficiency of Different Management Practices for Control of Citrus Huanglongbing Disease. Phytopathology, 97, No7: S70.

Technical Abstract: Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease, was found in Brazil in 2004. Two species of bacteria, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus and Ca. L. americanus, have been identified in Brazil. The disease has not been effectively managed anywhere in the world so far. This is probably because of long incubation periods in plants and the lack of reliable diagnostic methods for non-symptomatic tissue. The PCR diagnostic methods are not efficient except when the tissue is collected from twigs with fully developed symptoms. Management practices in existing orchards are based on two important principles; removal of infected trees and control of vector population. Since removal of infected trees is mainly based on visual detection of HLB symptoms, infected trees are likely to remain in the orchards following visual surveys and eradication.. Selected blocks from three large citrus farms following three different management strategies were used in this study. Psyllids were hand-collected weekly from the selected blocks, and analyzed for the presence of HLB by real time PCR. The results suggest that aggressive management practices drastically reduce the level of infected psyllids.