Associate Professor University of Florida Immokalee, Florida
Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening disease is caused by the phloem-restricted bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), which is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) Diaphorina citri. Multiple pest control methods, including biological control, are needed to develop Integrated Pest Management programs for ACP. Several species of ladybeetles, lacewings, and other predators responded to the ACP invasion in Florida in 1998. Exclusion experiments demonstrated a significant impact of biological control and 80-100% reductions in ACP populations. Entomopathogenic fungus such as Hirsutella citriformis also contributes significantly to natural mortality ACP in the groves. ACP specific parasitoid Tamarixia radiata imported from China, Vietnam and Pakistan is mass-produced and released in the state. Augmentative releases of Tamarixia have provided parasitism rates of 40-60% at some locations. The commercially available species of ladybeetles, lacewings, and predatory mites have been shown to develop and reproduce on the diet of ACP and impact its populations. Several biological control agents have shown significant potential in suppressing psyllid populations. Successful integrated area-wide citrus pest management requires the use of all available tools, including biological control.
