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About the Authors:
El-Desouky Ammar
* E-mail: [email protected]
Affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Horticultural Research Laboratory, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States of America
Matthew L. Richardson
Current address: Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, United States of America
Affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Horticultural Research Laboratory, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States of America
Zaid Abdo
Affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, South Atlantic Area, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
David G. Hall
Affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Horticultural Research Laboratory, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States of America
Robert G. Shatters Jr
Affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Horticultural Research Laboratory, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States of America
Introduction
The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), is an invasive insect species that transmits the phloem-limited bacteria (Candidatus Liberibacter spp.) strongly implicated as the causative agents of huanglongbing (HLB, or citrus greening), the most serious disease of citrus worldwide [1], [2], [3]. ACP and HLB apparently originated in Asia, but one or both are currently distributed in Florida, other parts of the Southern United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, Africa, and several countries in South Asia and the Middle East [1], [3], [4]. In both Brazil and Florida, the disease has spread rapidly throughout commercial and residential citrus plantings causing considerable losses to the citrus industry [3], [4]. Depending on tree age at inoculation with HLB bacteria and other factors, citrus yield is reduced and fruit quality degrades; yield reduction is mainly due to early abortion of fruits from affected branches and can reach 30 to 100% [3]. All commercial citrus varieties are susceptible to HLB disease [1]–[4]. The HLB-associated bacteria in Florida and Asia, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (LAS) is known to be transmitted by ACP in a persistent, probably propagative, manner, and thus was found in many tissues of this vector including the gut, salivary glands and hemolymph [2], [3], [4].
Following the discovery of HLB in Florida in 2005, a three-component management program against HLB was advocated initially and implemented by some citrus growers: intensive chemical control of ACP, removal of HLB-infected trees, and planting disease-free nursery stock [3], [4]. However, intensive use of...