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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #427305
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: Transmission of Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum from Lycium berlandieri to Capsicum annuum by Bactericera cockerelli

Author
item DELGADO-LUNA, CAROLINA - UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA AGRARIA ANTONIO NARRO
item COOPER, WILLIAM
item DOMINGUEZ, AZUARA - THE TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF CIUDAD VICTORIA
item SANCHEZ-PENA, SERGIO - UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA AGRARIA ANTONIO NARRO

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/18/2025
Publication Date: 4/27/2026
Citation: Delgado-Luna, C., Cooper, W.R., Dominguez, A., Sanchez-Pena, S. 2026. Transmission of Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum from Lycium berlandieri to Capsicum annuum by Bactericera cockerelli. Florida Entomologist. 109;(1). https://doi.org/10.1515/flaent-2025-0036.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/flaent-2025-0036

Interpretive Summary: Potato psyllid is a major pest of potato, tomato, peppers, and other vegetable crops because it is a vector of the pathogen that causes zebra chip disease. Potato psyllids arrive in crop fields from often unidentified non-crop weed sources. Researchers from the USDA-ARS in Wapato, WA and Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro in Saltillo, Mexico demonstrated that the shrub, Lycium berlandieri, is an important source of zebra chip-infected potato psyllids arriving in crop fields. While the scientists previously showed that potato psyllids can acquire the zebra chip pathogen from Lycium berlandieri, their new study is the first to demonstrate the importance of this shrub as a non-crop source of psyllids in commercial crop fields. The results of the study will help researchers and growers in North Central Mexico and in southern Texas predict the risk of zebra chip disease based upon presence of Lycium berlandieri and the abundance of psyllids on this shrub.

Technical Abstract: Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso) transmission by Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) impacts solanaceous crops. CLso was detected in Berlandier’s wolfberry (Lycium berlandieri Dunal; Solanaceae) leaf and branch tissues, and in B. cockerelli adults (43.75'%, n = 80) developing from this plant in the field in northeastern Mexico, confirming CLso acquisition by B. cockerelli from wolfberry. Symptoms and molecular detection indicated that B. cockerelli transmits CLso from wolfberry to chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.; Solanaceae). Lycium berlandieri is a wild reservoir of B. cockerelli and CLso. Results are consistent with greenhouse trials and represent the first confirmation of B. cockerelli full development on L. berlandieri in the field.