Andrew R. Pitman, Jessica Vereijssen - The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Private Bag 4704, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
In 2006, the tomato potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc) (TPP), a serious pest of Solanaceae, was discovered in New Zealand and has now spread throughout most of the country. TPP not only causes mechanical feeding damage, but also vectors the bacterial pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso), a phloem-limited bacterium. CLso was discovered in 2008 and is the putative causative agent of zebra chip, an important disease of potato (Solanum tuberosum). It is also associated with symptoms in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), capsicum (Capsicum annum), and tamarillo (Solanum betaceum). How do industries react to such a debilitating incursion? Most notably, there has been a significant increase in regular applications of often broad-spectrum insecticides in New Zealand’s horticultural industry, which has led to the abandonment of successful IPM programmes. These spray practices are not only costly but are likely to have a negative impact on the environment and beneficial insect species, while increasing the potential for insecticide resistance in TPP and other pests such as aphids. The effect of both the vector and the pathogen on potato and the industry’s future challenges will be discussed, with reference to findings from current research.
Andrew R. Pitman, Jessica Vereijssen - The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Private Bag 4704, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
In 2006, the tomato potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc) (TPP), a serious pest of Solanaceae, was discovered in New Zealand and has now spread throughout most of the country. TPP not only causes mechanical feeding damage, but also vectors the bacterial pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso), a phloem-limited bacterium. CLso was discovered in 2008 and is the putative causative agent of zebra chip, an important disease of potato (Solanum tuberosum). It is also associated with symptoms in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), capsicum (Capsicum annum), and tamarillo (Solanum betaceum). How do industries react to such a debilitating incursion? Most notably, there has been a significant increase in regular applications of often broad-spectrum insecticides in New Zealand’s horticultural industry, which has led to the abandonment of successful IPM programmes. These spray practices are not only costly but are likely to have a negative impact on the environment and beneficial insect species, while increasing the potential for insecticide resistance in TPP and other pests such as aphids. The effect of both the vector and the pathogen on potato and the industry’s future challenges will be discussed, with reference to findings from current research.