Evaluating the biological control of Asian citrus psyllid in the lower Rio Grande valley of Texas

Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Exhibit Hall BC (Convention Center)
Daniel Flores , USDA APHIS PPQ CPHST Mission Laboratory, Edinburg, TX
Jose Renteria , CPHST Mission Laboratory, USDA APHIS PPQ CPHST Mission Laboratory, Edinburg, TX
Rupert Santos , CPHST Mission Laboratory, USDA APHIS PPQ S&T, Edinburg, TX
Mayra Rangel , CPHST Mission Laboratory, University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX
Gilbert Salazar , CPHST Mission Laboratory, USDA APHIS PPQ S&T, Edinburg, TX
Nicholas Soto , CPHST Mission Laboratory, University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX
Abel Villarreal III , CPHST Mission Laboratory, Texas Citrus Pest and Disease Management Corporation, Edinburg, TX
Osiel Hurtado , CPHST Mission Laboratory, Texas Citrus Pest and Disease Management Corporation, Edinburg, TX
Ariel Miranda , USDA APHIS IS, Reynosa, Mexico
Jose Urbalejo , USDA APHIS IS, Tijuana, Mexico
Sergio Sanchez , USDA APHIS IS, Tijuana, Mexico
Christopher Vitek , Biology Department, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX
Matt A. Ciomperlik , USDA APHIS PPQ CPHST Mission Laboratory, Edinburg, TX
Tamarixia radiata is a biological control agent of the Asian citrus psyllid that is being used as a tool to help reduce psyllid populations in urban environments of citrus growing areas in Texas. Methods have been developed to produce large numbers of these beneficial insects for field release. The CPHST Mission Lab mass produced over 468,000 Tamarixia radiata for the biological control of ACP, bringing our cumulative total to over 1.2 Million. Releases are made where plant tissue testing positive for HLB is being detected. In 2010, before we began our releases, we were detecting up 43 immature psyllids per flush in residential citrus. Since our biological control releases began, we have seen the populations gradually decline. The latest finds indicate we are observing only 20 immature psyllids per flush. This is a reduction about 50% of the psyllid population.
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