Prolonged phloem ingestion by Diaphorina citri nymphs compared to adults is correlated with increased acquisition of citrus greening pathogen.

ABSTRACT: Citrus greening disease (huanglongbing), currently the most destructive citrus disease worldwide, is putatively caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), a phloem-limited bacterium transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri. Electrical penetration graph (EPG) recordings over 42 h were performed to compare the feeding behavior of D. citri adults and 4^th or 5^th instar nymphs feeding on CLas-infected or healthy citron plants. Nymphs performed more individual bouts of phloem ingestion (E2) and recorded longer phloem ingestion total time compared with adults, whereas adults performed more bouts of xylem ingestion (G) and recorded greater total time of xylem ingestion compared with nymphs. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction tests indicated that 5

SUBMITTER: George J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6037740 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature