Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds

Citrus psyllid (185)


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Summary

  • Worldwide. On members of the citrus family, especially grapefruit, kumquat, lemons, limes, mandarin, orange, pomelo and tangelo, and the ornamentals, mock orange, and the curry tree. An important pest.
  • The psyllid: (i) sucks sap damaging shoot tips; (ii) spreads huanglongbing (greening) bacteria; (iii) produces honeydew, which covers leaves and is turned black by sooty moulds.
  • Eggs laid in shoot tips; nymphs produce thread-like long wax. Adults feed at 40 degrees to surface.
  • Spread in wind, and in the trade in citrus plants.
  • Biosecurity: many countries in the Pacific and elsewhere are free from the psyllid.
  • Cultural control: check plants in nurseries; teach farm staff to identify psyllids, and to report to government authorities if seen.
  • Chemical control: PDPs: neem or pyrethrum; synthetic pyrethroids or neonicotinoids.

Common Name

Asian (or Asiatic) citrus psyllid

Scientific Name

Diaphorina citri


AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from CABI (2020) Diaphorina citri (Asian citri psyllid). Crop Protection Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/18615); and Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri (2019). Department of Agriculture Water and the Environment. (https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/australia/naqs/naqs-target-lists/pests_of_plants_asian_citrus_psyllid); Plant Biosecurity and Product Integrity (2017) Asian citrus psyllid. Department of Primary Industries, NSW, Australia; and from Asian citrus psyllid (undated) Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation. Biosecurity Queensland. (https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/73110/Citrus-Asian-citrus-psyllid.pdf); and from Asian citrus psyllid (2019) Business Queensland. Queensland Government (https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/crop-growing/priority-pest-disease/asian-citrus-psyllid). Photos 1&3 David Hall, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org. Photo 2 Michael Rogers, University of Florida. Photo 4 Michael Rogers, University of Florida. Photo 5 JM Bove, INRA Centre de Recherches de Bordeaux, Bugwood.org. Photo 6 Jeffery W. Lotz, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bugwood.org. Photo 7 HD Catling, Bugwood.org.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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