Detection of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus and population fluctuation of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) in citrus nurseries in Masaya, Nicaragua

Abstract

Citrus production in Nicaragua is of great economic importance since it generates foreign currency for the country and this industry also generates direct and indirect jobs. However, citrus areas are threatened by the disease known as huanglongbing (HLB), which is transmitted by the psyllid Diaphorina citri. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to generate information related to the detection of the causative agent of HLB (Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus – CLas) and the population fluctuation of Diaphorina citri in four citrus nurseries in the department of Masaya, Nicaragua. For four months, the detection of the causative agent of huanglongbing was carried out through the PCR technique, the vector population fluctuation, and the effect of insecticide usage on the insect population fluctuation were determined. In the study of population fluctuation yellow traps were used, which were checked at 8-day intervals. The causal agent of huanglongbing was detected in the four nurseries. All three stages of the psyllid occurred during the study period. The highest population peaks of adults occurred in April, coinciding with high temperatures and low rainfall. The CLas variant is the one that was present in the four nurseries. The population fluctuation of Diaphorina citri by nursery was variable over time. The highest population peaks were observed in the month of April. Insecticide applications reduced the populations of Diaphorina citri in each of the nurseries