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Brown Citrus Aphid

 

Toxoptera citricida Kirkaldy -- Hemiptera:  Aphididae

 

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       This insect species is a pest of all citrus varieties.  The brown citrus aphid infests the stems and new leaves of citrus trees and in addition to feeding damage, it is an efficient vector of citrus tristeza virus that  causes a range of symptoms in citrus trees from mild and barely noticeable to severe stem pitting and quick decline of trees, depending on the severity of the strain of virus and the susceptibility of the rootstock and scion combination.  When sour orange is used as a rootstock, trees suffer and then die from quick decline disease about 1-5 years after becoming infected with the virus.  The brown citrus aphid originated in China and is now found throughout Africa, Asia, Australia, India, and South America.  In recent years it has progressed through the Caribbean and Central America, and is found in the Yucatan region of Mexico.  The pest was first reported in Florida at the end of 1995, where it is now well established. Brown citrus aphid is not yet found in California.

 

       The aphid damages citrus when heavy populations build up on young shoots, weakening trees and stunting growth.  If it becomes established in California, it will increase the severity of virus transmission and disease pathogenicity that are currently found in California, but are not now effectively transmitted by the less efficient aphid vector, the cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii).   Severe disease causing isolates of virus began to appear in Florida about 10 years after citrus aphid was first detected in that state.  In addition to increasing the severity of the disease, the aphid also increases the rate at which the disease is spread from tree to tree.  This is results from the aphid's ability to reproduce year round on stems of citrus and its lifecycle is closely associated with citrus.  In contrast, the cotton aphid can only subsist on new flush of citrus and migrates to and from other crops such as cotton, pomegranate, melon, and various weed species.

 

       According to Dr. Mark Hoddle, California produces citrus primarily for the fresh market and the crop is valued at over US $900 million/year.  Oranges, on average, account for two-thirds of the State's citrus crop, lemons one-quarter, grapefruits 5%, and tangerines/clementines 5%, although the tangerine market is rapidly increasing.  If the insect becomes widespread in California, it could accelerate the spread of virus in the Central Valley, where the present incidence of virus is low (about 0.5 percent) and 80% of California citrus is grown.  There is no medication for the virus and the only method of control is removal of virus-infected trees.  Growers in three of five pest control districts in the Central San Joaquin Valley provide support for a $1.7 million suppression program in which the Central California Tristeza Eradication Agency surveys citrus and removes citrus virus-infected trees.  The arrival of the aphid would increase the severity and rate of spread of virus.  The citrus nursery industry would need to be placed inside screenhouses to continue to produce disease free trees, growers would experience increased quick decline in sweet orange trees on sour orange rootstocks, reduction in the health, fruit size and production of many varieties of citrus.  Also there would be increased costs for the virus suppression program.

 

REFERENCES:                                                                                                     FURTHER RELATED REFERENCES

 

A review of the literature on Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy) (Homoptera: Aphididae).  Florida Entomologist 81 (1):  37-61.

 

Blackman, R. L.  &  V. F. Eastop.  2000.  Aphids on the world's crops: an identification and information guide, 2nd ed.  Wiley publishing, Chichester, Great Britain.

 

Chung, K. R.  &  R. H. Brlansky.  2008.  Citrus diseases exotic to Florida: Citrus tristeza virus-stem pitting (CTV-SP), Pub. p.  227.  Plant Pathology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. 

 

European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization.  2006.  Diagnostic protocol - Toxoptera citricidus.  OEPP/EPPO Bulletin 36:  451-456.

 

Grafton-Cardwell, E.  2008.  United States IPM pest management guidelines: citrus, Pub. 3441.  University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources. 

 

Halbert, S. E.  &  L. Brown.  2001.  Featured creatures fact sheet: Brown citrus aphid, Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy) (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae).   Publication EENY-7. University of Florida.

 

Komazaki, S.  1987.  Growth and reproduction in the first two and summer generations of two citrus aphids, Aphis citricola van der Goot and Toxoptera citricidus (Kirkaldy) (Homoptera: Aphididae), under different thermal conditions.  Applied Entomology & Zoology 23:  220-227.

 

  Michaud, J. P.  1998.  A review of the literature on Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy) (Homoptera: Aphididae).  Florida Entomol.

   81:  37-61.

 

Stoetzel, M. B.  1990.  Some aphids of importance to the Southeastern United States (Homoptera: Aphididae).  Florida  Entomol. 73:  580-586.

 

Stoetzel, M. B.  1994.  Aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) of potential importance on Citrus in the United States with illustrated keys to species.  Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 96:  74-90.

 

 Tsai, J. H., R. F. Lee, Y. H. Liu, & C. L. Niblett.  2009.  Biology and Control of Brown Citrus Aphid (Toxoptera citricida 

  Kirkaldy) and Citrus Tristeza.   In:  Radcliffe's  IPM World Textbook 2009.

 

 

FURTHER RELATED REFERENCES:

 

Attia, A. A.; A. H. El-Heneidy  &  E. A. EL-Kady.  1898.  Studies on the aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch. (Homoptera: Aphididae) in Egypt.  Bull. Soc. Ent. Egypte, 66:  319 - 324.

 

Chiappini, E., S. V. Triapitzin & A. Donev.  1996.  Key to the Holarctic species of Anagrus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) with a review of the Nearctic and Palaearctic (other than European) species and descriptions of new taxa.  Journal of Natural History 30:  551-595.

 

El-Heneidy, A. H.  1991.  Seasonal abundance of aphids and their natural enemies in wheat fields in Upper Egypt. Egypt. J. Biol. Pest Cont., 1 (1):  5 - 10.

 

El-Heneidy, A. H.  &  A. A. Attia.  1988.  Evaluation to the role of parasitoids and predators associated with aphids in wheat fields, Egypt. Bull. Soc. Ent. Egypte, Econ. Ser. 17:  137-147.  

 

El-Heneidy, A. H.; B. Klausnitzer. &  K. Richter.  1987.  Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Parasitoide (Hymenoptera) von Aphis fabae crisiiacanthoidas  Scop. im Gebiet von  Leipzig.  Entomologische Nachrichten und Berichte 31:  67 -70.

 

El-Heneidy, A. H.; K. Richter & B. Klausnitzer.  1989.   Experimentele  Untersuchungen zum Wirt-Parasitoid-Complex von Aphis fabae crisiiacanthoidas Scop., (Homoptera: Aphididae) und Lysiphlibus fabarum Marsh. (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae).   Zeitschrift fur angewandete Entomologie 1989.

 

Triapitzin, S. V.  1995a.  The identities of Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) egg parasitoid of the grape and blackberry leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) in California.  Pan-Pacific Entomol. 71 (4):  250-251.

 

Triapitzin, S. V.  1995b.  A review of the Australian species of Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae).  Russian Entomological Journal 4 (1-4): 105-108.

 

Triapitzin, S. V.  1997.  The genus Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) in America south of the United States: a review.  Ceiba (Zamorano, Honduras) 38 (1):  1-12.

 

Triapitzin, S. V.  1998.  Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) egg parasitoids of Erythroneura spp. and other leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) in North American vineyards and orchards: a taxonomic review.  Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 124 (2):  77-112.

 

Triapitzin, S. V. & D. Strong.  1995.  A new Anagrus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), an egg parasitoid of Prokelisia spp. (Homoptera: Delphacidae).  Pan-Pacific Entomol. 71 (4):  199-203.

 

Triapitzin, S. V., R. F. Mizell III,  J. L. Bossart & C. E. Carlton.  1998.  Egg parasitoids of Homalodisca coagulata (Homoptera: Cicadellidae).  Florida Entomologist 81 (2):  241-243.

 

Walker, G. P., N. Zareh, I. M. Bayoun & S. V. Triapitzin.  1997.  Introduction of western Asian egg parasitoids into California for biological control of beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus.  Pan-Pacific Entomologist 73 (4):  236-242.