Effects of boron on feeding and survival of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is a significant pest of Florida citrus due to its status as a vector of the bacterial pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, which causes citrus greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB). Current management of this pest includes extensive use of chemical insecticides. In other pest management systems, organic alternatives such as boron (boric acid) have been used as environmentally safe products for pest control. Previous studies have found that boric acid has a delayed action in insects, possibly through disruption of water regulation in the insect. The scope of the present study was to determine any negative effects of boron on the survival and fitness of the Asian citrus psyllid. In greenhouse experiments, survivorship of adults of D. citri which developed on plants treated with boric acid was determined. Specifically, potted sour orange plants were treated with soluble boric acid. Adult D. citri, from a colony reared on sour orange plants, were caged on test plants, as well as on untreated control sour orange plants, and checked daily for survivorship. An Electrical Penetration Graph (EPG) monitor was also used to examine the feeding behavior of D. citri on boron-treated and untreated plants. Results will be presented and discussed.