PSYLLIDS
OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
This
page is created and maintained by Diana M.
Percy
All images, unless
otherwise noted, are copyright © Diana M. Percy
Psyllids
of economic importance include pests such as the carrot, potato, citrus
and avocado psyllids.
Some
of the other plants adversely affected by psyllids include: pear, apple,
apricot, pistachio, olive, gum trees (Eucalyptus spp.), wattles
(Acacia spp.), bay (Laurus nobilis), persimmon (Diospyros
spp.), lillypilly or rose apple (Eugenia spp.), Leucaena,
Pittosporum, Sideroxylon, and Tabebuia.
See
notes on psyllid pests below.
Psyllids
have also been used, though only rarely, for biocontrol of invasive plants.
See
beneficial psyllids below.
NOTES
ON SOME PSYLLID PESTS
Acizzia solanicola Kent & Taylor
eggplant psyllid
A psyllid currently known from Australia and New Zealand, and a potential economic pest of eggplant, Solanum melongena (Solanaceae) (Kent & Taylor 2010; Taylor & Kent 2013).
Acizzia uncatoides
(Ferris & Klyver)
Acacia
psyllid
Native to Australia, but now a cosmopolitan pest of many ornamental Acacia
and Albizia (Fabaceae) species. In Hawaii it occurs on the native
Acacia koa. Also common in California and southern Europe.
Agonoscena pistaciae
Burckhardt
common pistachio psyllid
A pest of pistachio (Pistacia vera, Anacardiaceae) plantations
including where pistachios are introduced such as California. It is predated
on by the coccinellid beetle, Oenopia conglobata contaminata (Mehrnejad
& Jalali 2004) and it is also subject to biological control programs
using Psyllaephagus pistaciae.
Agonoscena targionii
(Lichtenstein)
pistachio psyllid
A pest of pistachio (Pistacia vera, Anacardiaceae) plantations
in Greece and the middle east. It tends to be less common than A.
pistachiae.
Allocarsidara malayensis
Crawford
durian psyllid
The durian fruit, Durio zibethinus (Bombacaceae), is a delicacy
in southeast Asia. Psyllids lay egg clusters into the tissues of young
leaves, and feeding by nymphs and adults causes the young leaves to develop
yellow spots and eventually defoliate. The Chanee variety of durian is
particularly susceptible to psyllids.
Bactericera
cockerelli (Sulc) (syn. Paratrioza cockerelli)
potato psyllid
A pest of potatoes and tomatoes (Solanaceae) (Liu &
Trumble 2004), its sporadic but potentially devastating outbreaks
are known in potato growing areas of Arizona, California, Colorado, New
Mexico and Texas (and occasionally elsewhere, depending on weather conditions,
see Hill 1947). Heavy nymph infestations cause symptoms
knows as "potato yellows".
Bactericera nigricornis
(Foerster)
a
minor pest of carrots (see Trioza apicalis).
Bactericera trigonica
(Hodkinson)
a minor pest of carrots
(see Trioza apicalis).
Blastopsylla occidentalis
Taylor
Eucalyptus
shoot psyllid
A pest in several places where Eucalyptus is grown commercially,
for instance Chile (Burckhardt & Elgueta
2000).
Cacopsylla buxi
(Linnaeus)
box psyllid
A minor garden pest of ornamental boxwoods (Buxus sempervirens).
Feeding on tender new growth causes distortion of leaves and stunts the
growth of shoots.
Cacopsylla
(Psylla) mali (Schmidberger)
apple psyllid
A pest of cultivated apples, Malus spp. (Rosaceae).
Cacopsylla melanoneura
(Foerster)
black-veined psyllid
This hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) and apple (Malus spp.)
psyllid has been found to be a vector of apple proliferation phytoplasma
in northwestern Italy (Tedeschi, Bosco & Alma
2002).
Cacopsylla picta
(Foerster)
an apple pest
Reported as a vector of apple proliferation phytoplasma in Germany (Jarausch
et al. 2003)
Cacopsylla pruni
(Scopoli)
apricot psyllid
This psyllid has been found to be a vector of the European stone fruit
yellows phytoplasma (Carraro et al. 2004; Labonne
& Lichou 2004; Jarausch et al. 2001).
Cacopsylla
(Psylla) pyri (Linnaeus)
pear psyllid
An important pest of the pear orchards of France, where it can produce
up to eight generations in a single year.
Cacopsylla (Psylla)
pyricola (Foerster)
common pear psyllid
A pest of the pear orchards of France, Washington State (USA) and elsewhere,
with some four or five generations per year (see Burckhardt
1994). Pear psyllid remains have been detected using molecular methods
in the guts of its main arthropod predator, Anthocoris tomentosus
(anthocorid bug, Heteroptera) (Agusti, Unruh & Welter
2003).
Cacopsylla pyrisuga
(Foerster)
pear sucker
Another pear psyllid, C. pyrisuga has only a single generation
per year.
Ceropsylla sideroxyli
Riley
false-mastic psyllid
A pest of Sideroxylon (Sapotaceae) species including S. foetidissimum,
or mastic.
Cryptoneossa triangula
Taylor
lemon gum psyllid
Native to Australia, and first recorded in California in 2002, this psyllid
species is now considered a minor pest on lemon-scented gum (Eucalyptus
citriodora) and spotted gum (Eucalyptus maculata) in California.
Ctenarytaina eucalypti
(Maskell)
blue gum psyllid
Native to Australia, the blue gum psyllid has become an important pest
of Eucalyptus pulverulentus (Myrtaceae) in California, where
the tree is grown for the production of silver foliage for flower arranging.
First recorded in California in the 1990s, the psyllid has been the subject
of a successful biological control program using the parasitoid, Psyllaephagus
pilosus Noyes (Chauzat, Purvis & Dunne 2002;
Purvis et al. 2002).
Diaphorina citri
Kuwayama
asiatic citrus psyllid
A psyllid native to southern Asia where Citrus (Rutaceae) species
are also native, it has now spread to most regions where citrus trees
are grown (Tsai & Liu 2000). It reached Florida
in the 1990s and is now a pest there. It is a vector of Liberobacter
asiaticum, the bacterial greening disease (McKenzie
& Puterka 2004). It should not be confused with the African citrus
psyllid Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio), which is an important
pest in Africa.
Eucalyptolyma maideni
Froggatt
spotted gum psyllid
Native to Australia, and first recorded in California in 2002, this psyllid
species is now considered a minor pest on lemon-scented gum (Eucalyptus
citriodora) and spotted gum (Eucalyptus maculata) in California.
Euphyllura olivina
Costa
olive psyllid (in Spain:
Algodón del olivo, in Italy: Cotonello dell'olivo)
The olive psyllid aestivates during the hottest summer months resuming
feeding activity after the first autumn rains. The second generation,
around May, is associated with the flowering shoots and flower buds and
may cause many flowers to abort.
Glycaspis brimblecombei
Moore
red gum psyllid
Native to Australia, it has become a severe pest in California on Eucalyptus
globulus where it can cause senescence and even cause whole trees
to die (Brennan et al. 2001; Brennan
& Weinbaum 2001).
Heteropsylla cubana
Crawford
leucaena psyllid
Native to Central America and Caribbean islands where the genus Leucaena
occurs naturally. Leucaena (notably Leucaena leucocephala)
has been used as an important agroforestry shrub throughout the tropics
and subtropics and during the 1980s and 1990s the leucaena psyllid has
rapidly followed this spread (Geiger and Gutierrez 2000).
It is now found throughout most of the introduced range of Leucaena
leucocephala including Florida, Hawaii and Australia.
Mycopsylla fici
(Tryon)
fig psyllid or Moreton Bay fig sucker
The Moreton Bay fig (Ficus macrophylla) is an important landscape
and amenity tree in Australia which can be damaged by psyllid infestation.
In rare, severe infestations, psyllids can cause complete defoliation.
Pachypsylla celtidisgemma
Riley
hackberry bud gall psyllid
One of a number
of galling Pachypsylla species found on four hackberry species
(Celtis spp.) within
its native range in central and eastern USA, including the native
Florida sugarberry (Celtis laevigata). This bud gall maker overwinters
as a nymph inside the gall, whereas the leaf galling species emerge as
adults in the autumn. None of these psyllids are considered a major pest,
although galls can be unsightly and occasionally cause premature leaf
drop.
Pachypsylla celtidismamma
(Fletcher)
hackberry nipple gall psyllid
One of a number of galling Pachypsylla species on hackberry (Celtis
spp.) within its native range
(see Pachypsylla celtidisgemma). The
feeding of nymphs on leaves causes the leaf tissue to expand rapidly into
a pouch or gall around the insect. Recently, another species (Pachypsylla
cohabitans Yang & Riemann) was discovered living opportunistically,
as an inquiline, inside the galls of these gall making Pachypsylla
spp. (Yang, Mitter & Miller 2001).
Pachypsylla celtidisvesicula
Riley
hackberry blister gall psyllid
One of a number
of galling Pachypsylla species on hackberry (Celtis
spp.) within its native range
(see also P. celtidisgemma and P. celtidismamma).
Other
names for hackberry galls caused by psyllids include hackberry button
gall, hackberry flask gall, hackberry star gall and the hackberry melon
gall.
Pachypsylla venusta
(Osten Sacken)
hackberry petiole gall psyllid
One of a number of galling Pachypsylla
species on hackberry (Celtis spp.) within its native range, see
also Pachypsylla celtidisgemma.
This species forms
woody galls on the leaf petioles. Infested leaves do not fall from the
trees and heavily infested trees are recognizable during the winter by
the presence of the dead leaves. The adults emerge in the spring after
the nymph has cut its way out of the woody gall using a heavily sclerotized
part of the abdomen.
Paratrioza cockerelli (potato/tomato
psyllid) see Bactericera cockerelli
Phylloplecta (Trioza)
tripunctata (Fitch)
blackberry psyllid
Curls and stunts the growth of new and growing shoots and leaves of cultivated
and wild brambles (Rubus spp.) in the USA.
Psylla mali (apple
psyllid) see Cacopsylla mali
Psylla pyri (pear
psyllid) see Cacopsylla pyri
Psylla pyricola (common
pear psyllid) see Cacopsylla pyricola
Psyllopsis discrepans
(Flor)
cottony ash psyllid
A European psyllid that has been introduced into North America where it
has become a serious pest in some areas, including parts of the Canadian
prairies. It attacks Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra) and Manchurian
Ash (Fraxinus mandshurica), both important amenity and landscape
trees.
Russelliana solanicola Tuthill
potato psyllid
A South American pest of potato, also recorded on Datura sp. (Solanaceae)
Tetragonocephela
flava Crawford
sugarberry psyllid
Causes leaf curl on Celtis laevigata (Ulmaceae). See also Pachypsylla
on this host plant.
Trioza aguacate
Hollis & Martin
a pest of avocado (see also
T. perseae).
Trioza alacris
Flor
bay sucker
A pest of bay trees, Laurus nobilis. The leaves become deformed,
yellow and curl at the margins.
Trioza anceps
Tuthill
a pest of avocado (see also
T. perseae).
Trioza apicalis
Foerster
carrot psyllid
A major pest of the cultivated carrot, Daucus carota (Apiaceae).
It is attracted by carrot volatiles (Nehlin, Valterova
& BorgKarlson 1996) and so the application of conifer volatiles
can reduce psyllid injury (Nehlin, Valterova &
BorgKarlson 1994).
Trioza diospyri
(Ashmead)
persimmon psyllid
A native insect of wild persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) in the
S.E. USA, it also attacks cultivated japanese persimmon (Diospyros
kaki) in which it causes deformed and discolored leaves. When disturbed
the nymphs secrete a milky fluid.
Trioza erytreae
(Del Guercio)
African citrus psyllid
A pest of citrus and some other Rutaceae, it is a vector of the bacterial
"greening disease". primarily a disease of tropical Africa from
South Africa to Ethiopia and Yemen, it has been introduced into the Atlantic
Island of St Helena.
Trioza eugeniae
Froggatt
lillypilly psyllid (Eugenia
psyllid)
Native to Australia, the lillypilly psyllid attacks myrtaceous trees such
as Eugenia spp. (lillypilly or rose apple).
Trioza godoyae
Hollis & Martin
a pest of avocado (see also
T. perseae).
Trioza perseae
Tuthill
avocado psyllid (chicharrita
del aguacate)
A pest of avocado, Persea americana, forming galls on the leaves.
It is one of four avocado psyllid pests, including T. anceps,
T. aguacate and T. godoyae (see Hollis
& Martin 1997).
Trioza tabebuiae
Burckhardt & Santana
trumpet tree psyllid
A pest of ornamental Bignoniaceous trees (Tabebuia spp.) in Brazil.
Trioza tripunctata (blackberry
psyllid) see Phylloplecta tripunctata
Trioza vitreoradiata
(Maskell)
pittosporum psyllid
A native New Zealand species that is introduced and causes damage to cultivated
Pittosporum tenuifolium and P. crassifolium (Pittosporaceae)
in the UK (Cornwall and Isles of Scilly).
BENEFICIAL
PSYLLIDS
Arytainilla spartiophila
(Foerster)
broom
psyllid
Native to the Mediterranean region, this psyllid has been used in New
Zealand from 1992 to control European broom (Cytisus scoparius),
a pestilential invasive leguminous shrub.
Boreioglycaspis
melaleucae Moore
melaleuca psyllid
Used as a biocontrol for its host, Melaleuca quiquenervia (paperbark
tree), which is native to Australia but a serious invasive weed
tree in Florida.
Prosopidopsylla
flava Burckhardt
mesquite psyllid
Introduced into Australia as a biocontrol for mesquite (Prosopis
spp., Fabaceae, which is native to North and South America and a rangeland
weed in Australia). The
psyllid did not reach the damaging infestation levels required for successful
control (van Klinken, Fichera & Cordo 2003).
Heteropsylla texana
Crawford
a mesquite psyllid
Native to Texas (USA), this species was tested as a biocontrol in Australia
for mesquite (Prosopis spp. Fabaceae, which is native to North
and South America). Intially considered not specific enough to release,
further tests in Australia have proposed it as a possible biocontrol (Donnelly
2002).
References
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N, Unruh TR, Welter SC (2003). Detecting Cacopsylla pyricola (Hemiptera:
Psyllidae) in predator guts using COI mitochondrial markers. Bulletin
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Brennan
EB, Hrusa GF, Weinbaum SA, Levison W. (2001) Resistance of Eucalyptus
species to Glycaspis brimblecombei (Homoptera : Psyllidae) in
the San Francisco Bay area. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 77: 249-253.
Brennan
EB, Weinbaum SA (2001) Effect of epicuticular wax on adhesion of psyllids
to glaucous juvenile and glossy adult leaves of Eucalyptus globulus
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D (1994) Psylloid pests of temperate and subtropical crop and ornamental
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D, Elgueta M (2000) Blastopsylla occidentalis Taylor
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Carraro
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unless otherwise noted, are copyright © Diana M. Percy
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