Effects of different host plants, host plant maturity and intact host plants versus detached host plant stems on the survival ofDiaphorina citri Kuwayama
Author of the article:WU Feng-Nian** CEN Yi-Jing LIANG Guang-Wen***
Author's Workplace：Laboratory of Insect Ecology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Key Words：Diaphorina citri, host plant, detached shoot, rearing, survival rate
Abstract： [Objectives] The density and movements of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) are strongly associated with the spread and epidemics of Huanglongbing (HLB). Finding suitable conditions for rearing D. citri are essential for observation of the biological characteristics of, and research on, the HLB transmission mechanism. [Methods] Entire host plants and detached shoots of 3 host species, Murraya exotica (L.) Mant., Citrus sunki Hort. ex Tanaka and Citrus reticulata Blanco. cv. Mashuiju at different stages of maturity were used as host materials to compare the effects of these treatments on 1) psyllid egg hatch rate, 2) the survival and molting of psyllid nymphs, 3) the survival of psyllid adults. [Results] 1）Hatching success on host plants, especially M. exotica, was higher than on detached shoots, 2) survival rates of early stage nymphs was the highest on folded young shoots, whereas survival of late stage nymphs was highest on unfolded young shoots, 3) the survival rates of psyllid adults on detached mature shoots was higher than on young shoots, and survival rates on detached shoots of C. sunki and C. reticulata were higher than on M. exotica. [Conclusion] Egg hatching success and survival rates of nymphs and adults of D. citri were high and stable when fed on the detached shoots of host plants. This method can be used for rearing this psyllid species under laboratory conditions.