Kaolin particle films disrupt landing, settling behavior and feeding of Trioza erytrae on lemon plants

Abstract

BACKGROUND The citrus greening disease or Huanglongbing (HLB) is the most devastating disease of citrus crops. Trioza erytreae is a vector of HLB. Since its introduction in Europe, the insect reached the northern region of Spain and the southern region of Portugal, threatening relevant citrus production areas. Limiting the spread of HLB vectors is mandatory to prevent this disease. In this work, we assessed the effect of kaolin, a white mineral clay, on the landing, settling behavior and feeding behavior of Trioza erytreae on lemon plants. RESULTS After kaolin application, the number of plants on which the insect was found was significantly lower than on untreated plants in the laboratory and in the field. Moreover, there were significantly fewer T. erytreae and a shorter duration of phloem‐related events on kaolin‐treated than untreated plants. CONCLUSION The use of kaolin could be a suitable and efficient tool for inclusion into integrated pest management programs or organic production to reduce populations of T. erytreae and subsequently limit the spread of HLB in citrus crops. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Enhancing Yield and Physiological Performance by Foliar Applications of Chemically Inert Mineral Particles in a Rainfed Vineyard under Mediterranean Conditions

“…The kaolin particle film was initially performed for reducing diseases and attacks from arthropod pests due to its repellent effect [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 84 ]. Our results confirm that KL and ZL may reduce the incidence of diseases, sunburn necrosis, and dehydration of grapes, confirming their repellent benefits as reported in other crops, e.g., pomegranate, apple, pear, and olive trees [ 29 , 85 , 86 , 87 ].…”

“…Reflective and chemically inert mineral particles are characterized by their ability to reflect infrared, PAR, and ultraviolet radiation, rendering them a potentially viable agronomic tool in commercial vineyards [ 2 , 25 ]. In fact, it is well known that, due to modifications in the fruit and leaf tissues after spraying, KL may exercise a repulsive effect against arthropods in different crops [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. Moreover, KL is also an efficient tool in reducing fruit and leaf sunburn damage in several fruit crop species, such as apple [ 35 , 36 ], pomegranate [ 37 , 38 ], and mango [ 39 ] as well as grapevine [ 40 ].…”

Spatial distribution pattern of male adults of Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in lemon orchards in Northern Portugal

“…The prevailing climate in Ribela's region is classified as Csb, characterized by a wet winter and a dry and slightly hot summer (Pimentel‐Rodrigues & Silva‐Afonso, 2023). The dominant wind direction is from west to east (Oliveira et al., 2022).…”

Biological Control and Habitat Management for the Control of Onion Thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in Onion Production in Quebec, Canada

“…Physical pest management strategies that disrupt insect colonization or the insects' ability to pierce the leaf surface with their mouthparts can be useful in slowing pest emergence in crops. Kaolin-based particle films have been found to be effective in suppressing several plant-feeding and virus-vector arthropods and in reducing plant stress in various crops without affecting plant photosynthesis or productivity [32][33][34][35]. This approach yields several advantageous outcomes, including diminished oviposition, reduced hatching, altered feeding preferences, prolonged development time, increased mortality rates, and reduced abilities to detect host plants [36].…”