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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 #242091
Title: Comparison of laboratory colonies and field populations of Tamarixia radiata, an ecto-parasitoid of the Asian Citrus Psyllid, using internal transcribed spacer and cytochrome oxidase subunit l DNA sequences

Author
item BARR, NORMAN - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item Hall, David
item WEATHERSBEE, A - Us Forest Service (FS)
item NGUYEN, RU - Florida Department Of Agriculture
item STANSLY, P - University Of Florida
item OURESHI, A - University Of Florida
item FLORES, D - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/21/2009
Publication Date: 11/30/2009
Citation: Barr, N., Hall, D.G., Weathersbee, A.A., Nguyen, R., Stansly, P., Oureshi, A., Flores, D. 2009. Comparison of laboratory colonies and field populations of Tamarixia radiata, an ecto-parasitoid of the Asian citrus psyllid, using internal transcribed spacer and cytochrome oxidase subunit l DNA sequences. Journal of Economic Entomology. 102(6):2325-2332.

Interpretive Summary: Tamarixia radiata is an insect parasite of the Asian citrus psyllid. The psyllid is originally from Asia, but it has invaded a number of locations around the world. The problem with the psyllid is that it transmits a serious citrus disease known as citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing. A lot of interest exists in boosting biological control of the psyllid by this particular parasite. The parasite is also originally from Asia, but it has been imported into a number of geographical regions invaded by the psyllid. The parasite was purposely imported into Florida for psyllid control during 1998. When it was later found in Puerto Rico, speculations were that both the psyllid and parasite were accidentally imported into Puerto Rico from Florida. Our research showed that some geographical populations of the parasite can be genetically distinguished from others. In fact, the Puerto Rico population of the parasite was different than the Florida population and more similar to the population of the parasite in Guadeloupe, suggesting the parasite was accidentally imported into Puerto Rico from Guadeloupe. Differences in genetics could be responsible for the parasite exerting higher levels of control of the psyllid in Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe and other areas than in Florida.

Technical Abstract: The genetic diversity of Tamarixia radiata laboratory colonies derived from collections in China, northern Vietnam, Pakistan, and a mixed colony from Taiwan and southern Vietnam was evaluated using the internal transcribed spacer region 1 (ITS-1), internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS-2) and the 5' end of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The strains share the same ITS sequence, consistent with the morphological hypothesis that the collections represent a single species. The COI marker was variable and could distinguish the northern Vietnam and Pakistan colonies from each other and from the other colonies. Comparison of COI sequences from feral populations of Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, and Texas indicates that Florida is not a likely source of the introduction into Puerto Rico but is a likely source of the introduction into Texas.