Vectors and Vector-borne Plant Diseases
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Citrus Greening (Huanglongbing, HLB)
Huanglongbing (also known as HLB or citrus greening) is a disease affecting citrus production all over the globe. Citrus greening affects all citrus cultivars and causes tree decline, a serious threat to Florida's citrus industry. The disease is believed to be caused by the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The Asian citrus psyllid transmits the bacterium and is found throughout Florida.
Citrus tristeza virus
Alternate terms: Hassaku dwarf virus, CTV (Citrus tristeza virus), Lime dieback virus, Citrus quick decline virus, Citrus tristeza closterovirus, Grapevine A virus
Related Topics: Xylella, Vectors and Vector-borne Plant Diseases
Publications
A Non-Technical Introduction to Electropenetrography and Its Application with Asian Citrus Psyllid as an Example
T. A. Ebert, A. W. Schumann, and A. J. Krajewski
Protecting plants by targeting insect vectors of pathogenic organisms requires an intimate understanding of the biology of the insect, the pathogen, and the plant host at a spatial scale relevant to the insect. Observing insect feeding is difficult because insect mouthparts are small, and many insects insert their mouthparts deep inside plants, where we cannot see them. Electropenetrography (EPG) is the only technique that overcomes these problems. Using EPG, we can understand host-insect relationships, pesticide action, and the role of non-hosts. EPG can address ecological questions like "How do insects survive long migrations over regions devoid of known host plants?" It can also address applied questions: "Will the pest feed on my new cultivar?" This light introduction to an underused key technology focuses on a single example insect vector, the Asian citrus psyllid, but EPG has great potential to improve pest management efforts for many crops and insect vectors.