Asian+Citrus+Psyllid

Asian Citrus Psyllid
The Asian Citrus Psyllid causes serious damage to citrus plants and citrus plant relatives. Burned tips and twisted leaves result from an infestation on new growth. Psyllids carry the bacteria that is called the Huanglongbing (HLB) disease, also known as citrus greening disease to healthy citrus plants. Citrus greening is one of the most serious citrus plant diseases in the world. Once a tree is infected, there is no cure. They say that the disease is almost like cancer,its similar but they still don't know how to solve it. Trees also die. Diseases has been detected in Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, and California. These bugs were first detected outside outside Miami in 1998, it spread to 31 countries within two years. Asian citrus psyllid feeds and reproduces on plants that we dont think of as a citrus: like the ornamental orange jasmine.


 * Where They're from** The Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing disease originated in Asia or India and then spread to other areas of the world where citrus is grown. The psyllid was first found in the United States in June 1998 in Palm Beach County, Fla., on backyard plantings of orange jessamine, Murraya Panicula. By 2001 the psyllid had spread to 31 counties in Florida, primarily due to the movement of infested nursery plants. Agriculture officials believe HLB was present in Florida in backyard citrus trees, and the psyllid quickly spread the disease to other backyards and commercial citrus not long after the psyllid arrived in Florida.

HLB has been found in California, there is major concern that the disease will spread further through the movement of infected plants or infected psyllids. HLB poses a significant threat to both residential citrus trees and commercial citrus production. The adult Asian citrus psyllid is a small, kind of brown winged insect about the size of an aphid. Its body is 1/6 to 1/8 inch long with a pointed front end, red eyes, and short antennae. The wings are mottled brown around the outer edge except where a clear stripe breaks up the pattern. The adults may have greenish, yellow, or orange abdomens depending on the time of year and the host plant they have been feeding on. The Asian citrus psyllid damages citrus when its nymphs feed on new shoots and leaves (flush growth). They remove sap from the plant tissue and inject a salivary toxin as they feed. This deforms new leaves by twisting and curling them and inhibits or kills new shoots by burning them back.

If you think psyllids are present, use a hand lens to look for small yellow eggs, psyllid nymphs with their waxy tubules, and adults. Immature stages (eggs and nymphs) are limited to tender new leaves and they don’t fly, so monitoring efforts are most effective when directed toward these stages on feather flush.
 *  By: Olesia Odarchuk & Tracie Delgado **