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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314569
Title: Non-potato host plants of potato psyllid in the Pacific Northwest: a year-round complication?

Author
item Horton, David
item Cooper, William - Rodney
item Munyaneza, Joseph - Joe
item Swisher Grimm, Kylie
item WOHLEB, CARRIE - Washington State University
item WATERS, TIM - Washington State University
item JENSEN, ANDREW - Washington State Potato Foundation

Submitted to: Potato Progress
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/19/2015
Publication Date: 2/23/2015
Citation: Horton, D.R., Cooper, W.R., Munyaneza, J.E., Swisher, K.D., Wohleb, C., Waters, T., Jensen, A. 2015. Non-potato host plants of potato psyllid in the Pacific Northwest: a year-round complication?. Potato Progress. 15:2.

Interpretive Summary: Zebra chip, an economically important disease of potato in the United States, is vectored by the potato psyllid. Researchers at USDA-ARS Wapato in Washington, in collaboration with scientists from Washington State University and the potato industry in the Pacific Northwest, have determined which common non-potato host plants of potato psyllid may be reservoirs of the psyllid during spring, summer, autumn, and winter. It was discovered that plant species suitable for psyllid development and survival are available to the psyllid throughout the year in the Pacific Northwest, and thus could be sources of psyllids moving into potato fields during the growing season. This information will help potato growers minimize damage due to zebra chip by allowing them to better predict when and in what potato fields the psyllid is likely to first arrive during the growing season.

Technical Abstract: Managing zebra chip disease in the potato growing regions of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho is complicated by confusion about the source of the insect vector (potato psyllid) as it colonizes potato fields in these growing regions. Not knowing where the psyllid is before arriving in Washington potato fields makes it difficult for growers to anticipate when (seasonally) the insect will be arriving in fields. We discuss how various non-potato host plants of potato psyllid may be reservoirs of the psyllid in Central Washington State at multiple times during the season. Our conclusion is that predicting psyllid infestation of potato fields in Washington State will first require us to fully understand the role that these non-potato hosts have in the life history of potato psyllid throughout the year.