An Evaluation of Different Plant Species for Rearing Asian Citrus Psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae)
Abstract
Many research projects concerning the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) are dependent on a steady supply of ACP. ACP is not a difficult insect to rear in most respects, and basic information on rearing procedures has been published (Skelley and Hoy 2004). Skelley and Hoy (2004) reported on rearing procedures using the host plant Murraya exotica (=paniculata) L. USDA-ARS in Fort Pierce, Florida has reared ACP on M. exotica (Hall et al. 2007) and also on Citrus macrophylla Wester (Hall and Richardson 2012). ACP only lay eggs on newly emerging flush points, and nymphs only develop on flush – flushing characteristics of some plant species may be better than others for rearing ACP. A plant can be trimmed to stimulate development of flush. Intuitively, the more flush points a plant produces, the greater the ACP production potential.