Florida Entomologist (2016) 99, 528-534

Timothy A. Ebert and Michael E. Rogers (2016)
Effect of substrate voltage on EPG recordings of ingestion and probing behavior in Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae)
Florida Entomologist 99 (3), 528-534
Abstract: Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) is a major pest of citrus production because it is the vector of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Rhizobiales: Rhizobiaceae), which causes Asiatic huanglongbing, a devastating disease of citrus. Understanding the probing and ingestion behavior of the vector is important in understanding pathogen transmission and possible strategies to reduce disease incidence. We assessed the feeding behavior in D. citri by using electropenetrography, wherein a small electric current is passed through the insect. Changes in circuit voltage are recorded, and patterns of voltage changes are subsequently correlated with specific behaviors. However, different laboratories use different equipment with varying applied voltages. It is axiomatic that there will be some voltage at which there will be a change in the behavior of the insect. Current equipment has a range from 0 to 1300 mV, but studies where voltage was reported were in the range from 20 to 600 mV. The purpose of this study was to determine the behavioral response of D. citri to voltages in this range. Our results demonstrated that 600 mV DC with an input impedance of 109 ohms was below the threshold where D. citri 's feeding behaviors were affected. Thus, the outcomes of past studies using different voltages should not have been affected. However, in the present study, we did find that choice of host plant altered D. citri 's feeding behavior; thus, it would be beneficial to standardize the host plant if you were studying the effects of non-host factors that may influence feeding, such as insecticides, interspecific competition, or abiotic conditions.
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Database assignments for author(s): Timothy A. Ebert, Michael E. Rogers

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Diaphorina citri	Citrus (genus)