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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 #389328
Research Project: IPM Method for Control of Insect Pests and Transmitted Diseases of Orchard Crops

Location: Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research

Title: Annotation of chitin biosynthesis genes in Diaphorina citri, the Asian citrus phyllid

Author
item SHIPPY, TERESA - Kansas State University
item MILLER, SHERRY - Kansas State University
item BLESSY, TAMAYO - Indian River State College
item HOSMANI, PRASHANT - Boyce Thompson Institute
item FLORES-GONZALEZ, MIRELLA - Boyce Thompson Institute
item MUELLER, LUKAS - Boyce Thompson Institute
item Hunter, Wayne
item BROWN, SUSAN - Kansas State University
item D'ELIA, TOM - Indian River State College
item SAHA, SURYA - University Of Arizona

Submitted to: GigaByte
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/3/2021
Publication Date: 6/10/2021
Citation: Shippy, T.D., Miller, S., Blessy, T., Hosmani, P.S., Flores-Gonzalez, M., Mueller, L.A., Hunter, W.B., Brown, S.J., D'Elia, T., Saha, S. 2021. Annotation of chitin biosyentesis genes in Diaphorina citri, the Asian citrus phyllid. GigaByte. https://doi.org/10.46471/gigabyte.23.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46471/gigabyte.23

Interpretive Summary: New treatments to reduce the Asian citrus psyllid populations are needed to stop the transmission of the bacterial pathogen causing huanglongbing (Citrus greening disease) that is devastating the citrus industry. Currently there is no curative treatment or prevention mechanism to stop psyllids from feeding on citrus trees or from spreading the pathogen. Therefore, we identified 12 chitinase family genes from the Asian citrus psyllid. Chitin is a major component of insect exoskeletons which must be replaced multiple times during insect growth and development, in a process known as molting. The results were used to produce high quality gene models that will facilitate the design of biopesticides for specific psyllid pest control and to stop the spread of Huanglongbing in citrus trees.

Technical Abstract: Reports of insecticide resistance in the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, demonstrates the need for new treatments to reduce psyllid populations. The psyllid is the vector spreading the plant infecting bacterium linked to huanglongbing (citrus greening disease). Currently there is no curative treatment or prevention mechanisms to stop psyllids from transmitting the pathogen. Therefore, we identified 12 chitinase genes in the psyllids genome to produce high quality gene models that facilitated the design of biopesticides for specific psyllid pest control. Chitin is a major component of insect exoskeletons which must be replaced multiple times during insect growth and development, known as molting. Recent research has shown that suppression of genes important to the chitin process can produce significant mortality in psyllids. These results advance the development of efficient gene-targeting biopesticides that can be used to reduce the psyllid vector populations, and to stop the spread of Huanglongbing.