Abstract

The pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las) causes devastating citrus huanglongbing in many parts of Asia. The host selection behavior of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Psyllidae), the only known Las vector, is critical to its epidemics. Las-infected citrus plants attract adult psyllids by altering their color and chemical cues. However, it is unclear whether any changes in selection behavior or chemical cues occur in young shoots. Selection behavior bioassays showed the number of adults and eggs on Las-infected shoots was significantly higher than on healthy shoots. Significantly more adults responded to the odor of Las-infected shoots than to that of uninfected shoots. GC-MS analysis of volatile constituents showed that the quantitatively dominant constituents were β-elemene and β-phellandrene in both samples, (+)-epi-bicyclosesquiphellandrene was only detected in Las-infected shoots, but ocimene, germacrene D, δ-cadinene, d-longifolene, and α-sinensal were detected only in healthy shoots. Analysis of the concentrations of surface-soluble carbohydrates indicated that the levels of sucrose, fructose, and glucose were significantly higher on the surfaces of Las-infected shoots than on the surfaces of healthy shoots. Alteration of volatile compounds and soluble surface carbohydrates of young shoots after Las infection could be attributed to the preference of Asian citrus psyllids for Las-infected young shoots. The knowledge obtained from this investigation may contribute to novel control measures for plant diseases transmitted by insect vectors.

Highlights

  • Citrus huanglongbing (HLB), known as citrus greening disease, is a devastating gram-negative phloem-restricted bacterial disease

  • Jiu et al (2007) found that invasive B biotype whiteflies that had fed on tobacco plants infected with the tobacco curly shoot virus (TbCSV) and or tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV) tobacco plants had significantly more pronounced fecundity and longevity than those that had feed on healthy plants

  • Other previous studies have indicated that apple plants infected with Candidatus Phytoplasma mali were more attractive to apple psyllids (Cacopsylla picta) than uninfected plants were (Mayer et al, 2008)

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Summary

Introduction

Citrus huanglongbing (HLB), known as citrus greening disease, is a devastating gram-negative phloem-restricted bacterial disease. It has a profound impact on the citrus industry worldwide. Las-infected trees produce poorly colored, lopsided, bitter-tasting, and unmarketable fruit, and trees may die within a few years This causes heavy economic losses in citrus-producing areas around the world (Bové, 2006). D. citri adults may move to uninfected trees from after feeding (Pelz-Stelinski et al, 2010; Capoor et al, 1974; Inoue et al, 2009) This vector-pathogen mutualism plays an important role in facilitating the spread of the pathogen

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