Tomato Potato Psyllid Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) in Australia: Incursion, Potential Impact and Opportunities for Biological Control

Abstract

Incursion and establishment of an exotic pest may threaten natural habitats and disrupt ecosystems. On the other hand, resident natural enemies may play an important role in invasive pest control. Bactericera cockerelli, commonly known as the tomato-potato psyllid, is an exotic pest, first detected on mainland Australia in Perth, Western Australia, in early 2017. B. cockerelli causes direct damage to crops by feeding and indirectly by acting as the vector of the pathogen that causes zebra chip disease in potatoes, although the latter is not present in mainland Australia. At present, Australian growers rely on the frequent use of insecticides to control B. cockerelli, which may lead to a series of negative economic and environmental consequences. The incursion of B. cockerelli also provides a unique opportunity to develop a conservation biological control strategy through strategically targeting existing natural enemy communities. In this review, we consider opportunities to develop biological control strategies for B. cockerelli to alleviate the dependence on synthetic insecticides. We highlight the potential of existing natural enemies to contribute toward regulating populations of B. cockerelli in the field and discuss the challenges ahead to strengthen the key role they can play through conservation biological control.

Potent and selective ‘genetic zipper’ method for plant protection: innovative DNA psyllidicides againstTrioza alacrisFlor based on short unmodified antisense oligonucleotides targeting rRNA of the pest

“…Also olinscide Alacris-11 could be used against tomato potato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli Šulc (family Triozidae) (GenBank sequence ID: MT027594.1; range: 734 to 724). B. cockerelli is an important insect pest of potato, tomato, and other solanaceous crops (Sarkar et al 2023). Olinscide Laura-11 could be used against Trioza remota , Foerster (family Triozidae) (GenBank sequence ID: MT038993.1; range: 321 to 311).…”

Evaluation of the green lacewing, Mallada signatus as a biological control agent for the invasive tomato potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli

“…Mallada signatus , an aggressive generalist predator thriving in Australian agro‐ecological systems, has been documented preying on various insect pests, including different aphid species (Bahar et al., 2013; New, 2002; Ward et al., 2024). Following a 2‐year field survey across diverse Solanaceous crops, it was found that the green lacewing ( M. signatus ) exhibited the highest abundance (Sarkar, 2023). Moreover, molecular analysis confirmed the predation of B. cockerelli by M. signatus , with 30% of sampled larvae testing positive for B. cockerelli DNA under natural field conditions (Sarkar, 2023).…”

“…Following a 2‐year field survey across diverse Solanaceous crops, it was found that the green lacewing ( M. signatus ) exhibited the highest abundance (Sarkar, 2023). Moreover, molecular analysis confirmed the predation of B. cockerelli by M. signatus , with 30% of sampled larvae testing positive for B. cockerelli DNA under natural field conditions (Sarkar, 2023). Our current findings demonstrate that B. cockerelli can also serve as a suitable prey, supporting the development and reproduction of M. signatus .…”

“…Australian agro-ecological systems, has been documented preying on various insect pests, including different aphid species (Bahar et al, 2013;New, 2002;Ward et al, 2024). Following a 2-year field survey across diverse Solanaceous crops, it was found that the green lacewing (M. signatus) exhibited the highest abundance (Sarkar, 2023). Moreover, molecular analysis confirmed the pre- both prey and predator populations occur.…”