Survival and reproduction of Liberibacterinfected tomato potato psyllid reared under cold environmental conditions

Abstract

The tomato potato psyllid (TPP Bactericera cockerelli) survives on volunteer potatoes growing in frostfree areas in winter in the Auckland region and therefore could transmit Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (Lso) to commercial crops The survival and oviposition of laboratoryreared Lsoinfected TPP were tested under four selected environmental conditions 1212 h lightdark at 10C; 1311 h lightdark at 12C; 1410 h lightdark at 14C; and 159 h lightdark at 16C on excised leaves from volunteer potatoes (grown in the field during winter) and tomato (grown in the glasshouse) One hundred pairs of adult TPP (10 pairs/leaf) were tested on either potato or tomato in each environmental condition for 7 days Survival of females on potato or tomato was not significantly different between photoperiod but remained unhatched in all tested temperatures Results revealed that Lsoinfected TPP could feed (as indicated by excretory droplets) oviposit and survive on volunteer potatoes in Auckland winterlike conditions and potentially transmit Lso to crops grown in these cooler months