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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 #129634
Title: EFFICACY OF SURROUND FOR CONTROL OF ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID ON CITRUS, 2000.

Author
item McKenzie, Cindy
item Hunter, Wayne
item Lapointe, Stephen
item Puterka, Gary

Submitted to: Arthropod Management Tests
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/20/2002
Publication Date: 6/1/2002
Citation: McKenzie, C.L., Hunter, W.B., Lapointe, S.L., Puterka, G.J. 2002. Efficacy of surround for control of Asian citrus psyllid on citrus, 2000.. Arthropod Management Tests.

Interpretive Summary: The Asiatic citrus psyllid (AsCP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Homoptera: Psyllidae), was recently introduced into FL and is continuing to spread and multiply through southern FL. AsCP is the vector of Liberobacter asiaticum; a phloem-limited bacterium that causes citrus greening disease. This pathogen has not been found in the Western Hemisphere to date. However, AsCP is a serious threat to the FL citrus industry if CDG becomes introduced or should AsCP be found to vector other diseases of citrus. Further, high infestation levels of AsCP could impact citrus plant health, fruit quality or yield. Two rates of Surround WP were compared for controlling AsCP adults and nymphs in a field trial at the USHRL Farm in Fort Pierce, FL. The trial was conducted on one-yr-old 'Hamlin' citrus on Carrizo rootstock. Treatments were assigned to 2 rows wide by 3 or 4 trees/ row (= 7 tree) plots in a RCB design, replicated 4 times on 3-4 ft tall trees with 10 by 25 ft spacing. Applications were made with a C02 backpac sprayer and single TXVS-18 conejet nozzle operating at 40 psi and 18 gpa. Adult AsCP were counted for 2 minutes per tree in each replicate pretreat, 7, and 14 DAT. AsCP nymph were counted from 3 randomly selected 3-inch fresh flush terminals per tree in each replicate. Nymph and adult AsCP populations continued to increase in the untreated check during the experiment and pest pressure was moderate to high. Both rates of Surround WP reduced AsCP nymph and adult populations significantly after second application 7 & 14 DAT compared with untreated check. The particle film coating appears to serve as a physical barrier that either repels or sup- presses AsCP populations by making plant visually/tactually unrecognizable as a host & could be used as a component of an IPM program for citrus.

Technical Abstract: Two rates of Surround WP were compared for controlling Asian citrus psyllid (AsCP) adults and nymphs on young citrus trees at the USHRL Farm in Fort Pierce, FL. The trial was conducted on one-yr-old 'Hamlin' citrus on Carrizo rootstock. Treatments were assigned to 2 rows wide by 3 or 4 trees/row (= 7 tree) plots in a RCB design, replicated 4 times on 3-4 ft tall trees with 10 by 25 ft spacing. Applications were made to foliar runoff on 17 May and 7 June using a C02 backpack sprayer equipped with a single TXVS-18 conejet nozzle operating at 40 psi and delivering approximately 18 gpa (400 ml/tree). Adult AsCP were counted for 2 minutes per tree in each replicate pretreat, 7, and 14 DAT. AsCP nymph evaluations were made from counting 3 randomly slected 3-inch fresh flush terminals per tree in each replicate. The number of fresh flush terminals per tree was recorded and any phytotoxic effect was noted. Data were subjected to GLM and means separated with Ryan-Elinot-Gabriel-Welsch multiple range test (P = 0.05). Nymph and adult AsCP populations continued to increase in the untreated check during the course of the experiment and pest pressure was moderate to high. No significant rate effect was observed. Both rates of Surround WP significantly reduced AsCP nymph and adult populations after the second application at 7 and 14 DAT compared with the untreated check. During the experiment, no significant differences were detected in the number of fresh flush terminals per tree between treatments and no phytotoxicity was observed. The particle film coating appears to serve as a physical barrier that either repels or suppresses AsCP populations by making the plant visually or tactually unrecognizable as a host and could be used as a component of an IPM program for citrus.