Biology, Ecology, and Management of the Potato Psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae), and Zebra Chip Disease in Potato

Abstract

The potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae), transmits the pathogen “ Candidatus liberibacter solanacearum” (Lso), the putative causal agent of zebra chip disease (ZC). ZC is a disease of potato that reduces yield and quality and has disrupted integrated pest management programs in parts of the Americas and New Zealand. Advances in our understanding of the ecological factors that influence ZC epidemiology have been accelerated by the relatively recent identification of Lso and motivated by the steady increase in ZC distribution and the potential for devastating economic losses on a global scale. Management of ZC remains heavily reliant upon insecticides, which is not sustainable from the standpoint of insecticide resistance, nontarget effects on natural enemies, and regulations that may limit such tools. This review synthesizes the literature on potato psyllids and ZC, outlining recent progress, identifying knowledge gaps, and proposing avenues for further research on this important pathosystem of potatoes. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Entomology, Volume 69 is January 2024. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Bactericera cockerelli Picorna-like Virus and Three New Viruses Found Circulating in Populations of Potato/Tomato Psyllids (Bactericera cockerelli)

“…B. cockerelli is a phloem feeder from the family Triozidae which, together with the families Liviidae , and Psyllidae , belongs to the superfamily Psylloidea, the jumping plant lice [ 55 , 56 ]. Some of the psyllid species from this superfamily are agricultural pests, affecting important crops, like citrus and potato, either directly or by vectoring bacterial pathogens associated with devastating diseases such as huanglongbing and zebra chip [ 7 , 9 ]. The management of psyllid-vectored pathogens is heavily reliant on insecticides, which is not sustainable from the standpoints of insecticide resistance, nontarget effects on natural enemies, and regulations that will limit the use of such tools [ 7 , 12 ].…”

“…Some of the psyllid species from this superfamily are agricultural pests, affecting important crops, like citrus and potato, either directly or by vectoring bacterial pathogens associated with devastating diseases such as huanglongbing and zebra chip [ 7 , 9 ]. The management of psyllid-vectored pathogens is heavily reliant on insecticides, which is not sustainable from the standpoints of insecticide resistance, nontarget effects on natural enemies, and regulations that will limit the use of such tools [ 7 , 12 ]. One alternative to insecticides may be the use of insect viruses [ 12 , 15 , 57 ].…”

“…Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae), the potato/tomato psyllid (PoP), primarily develops and reproduces on species within the Solanaceae family [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. PoP transmits the pathogenic bacterium ‘ Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso), associated with the zebra chip (ZC) disease in potato, a significant threat to potato production [ 7 ]. While investigating the possible use of viruses as a potential future management strategy for ZC, we recently identified a new virus from PoP, Bactericera cockerelli picorna-like virus (BcPLV; [ 8 ]).…”

“…The family Tymoviridae comprises three currently recognized genera infecting plants (Tymovirus, Maculavirus, and Marafivirus), as well as a number of unassigned members [19,20]. The genomes of tymovirids have an m 7 Gcap at the 5 ′ terminus, and the structure of the 3 ′ terminus may vary, with some being polyadenylated in marafi-and maculaviruses and non-polyadenylated in tymoviruses [19]. Some tymovirids are known to be vectored by arthropods and are able to replicate within those vectors [21].…”

A Novel Interaction of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) as a Biological Control Agent of Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) in Potato

“…However, by the mid-2000s, these losses escalated to tens of millions of dollars in the United States, Mexico, and Central America. This was primarily due to reduced yields and tuber quality, leading to a decline or complete loss of market value for the affected tubers [52]. ZC disease is responsible for millions of dollars in losses to potato producers and processors worldwide [43,48,49,53].…”