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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #306056
Title: An evaluation of environmental and community factors on seasonal abundance of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae)

Author
item Udell, Bradley
item FERRER, CESAR - University Of Florida
item PARIS, THOMSON - University Of Florida
item STANSLY, PHILLIP - University Of Florida
item Allan, Sandra - Sandy

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/8/2014
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) are the most serious pest of citrus worldwide. This invasive pest is the vector of Candidatus Liberbacter asiaticus (Las) which causes citrus greening. As rates of inoculation of Las by ACP increase proportionally to the number of infected ACP feeding on a plant, study of the ecology of ACP is crucial to management ACP populations in citrus groves. Little is known of the population dynamics of ACP in the grove, which can undergo violent fluctuations in abundance by rapidly exploiting their environment when limiting factors are relaxed, due to their high fecundity and short life cycle. Furthermore, ACP population dynamics have not been related to both community and environmental factors in multiple groves. The purpose of this study was: 1) to identify compare seasonal trends in adult population density in two citrus groves in south west Florida; 2) determine the degree to which environmental and community factors correlate with adult ACP density and nymph infestation within the same groves. Data obtained over a 3 year long term monitoring program in Immokalee, Fl was utilized to provide estimates for seasonal trends accounting for multi-year variability.