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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #383799
Research Project: New Technologies and Strategies for Managing Emerging Insect Pests and Insect Transmitted Pathogens of Potatoes

Location: Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research

Title: Matrimony Vine: Friend or Foe in the Battle Against Potato Psyllid

Author
item Cooper, William - Rodney
item Horton, David
item WOHLEB, CARRIE - Washington State University
item JENSEN, ANDY - Northwest Potato Research Consortium

Submitted to: Potato Progress
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2021
Publication Date: 5/3/2021
Citation: Cooper, W.R., Horton, D.R., Wohleb, C.H., Jensen, A.S. 2021. Matrimony Vine: Friend or Foe in the Battle Against Potato Psyllid. Potato Progress. 21;3.

Interpretive Summary: Populations of potato psyllid, the vector of the pathogen that causes zebra chip disease, can fluctuate substantially from year to year in the Pacific Northwest. Until recently, the risk of large potato psyllid populations has been challenging to predict in any given year due to a lack of information about the non-crop sources of potato psyllids that colonize potato. Researchers at the USDA-ARS in Wapato, WA and at Washington State University have found that one perennial species, called matrimony vine, appears to be particularly important for potato psyllids in early spring. Fortunately, this plant is not susceptible to the zebra chip pathogen and therefore does not appear to be a source of infected psyllids that colonize potato. However, populations that occur in matrimony vine in early spring are highly correlated with those that occur in potato in late August. This correlation is allowing us to predict as early as March whether potato psyllid populations will be extremely high or relatively low. These psyllid forecasts will allow growers to take appropriate actions during years with large psyllid outbreaks are expected

Technical Abstract: Populations of potato psyllid, the vector of the pathogen that causes zebra chip disease, can fluctuate substantially from year to year in the Pacific Northwest. Until recently, the risk of large potato psyllid populations has been challenging to predict in any given year due to a lack of information about the non-crop sources of potato psyllids that colonize potato. Researchers at the USDA-ARS in Wapato, WA and at Washington State University have found that one perennial species, called matrimony vine, appears to be particularly important for potato psyllids in early spring. Fortunately, this plant is not susceptible to the zebra chip pathogen and therefore does not appear to be a source of infected psyllids that colonize potato. However, populations that occur in matrimony vine in early spring are highly correlated with those that occur in potato in late August. This correlation is allowing us to predict as early as March whether potato psyllid populations will be extremely high or relatively low. These psyllid forecasts will allow growers to take appropriate actions during years with large psyllid outbreaks are expected