Potato Zebra Chip: An Overview of the Disease, Control Strategies, and Prospects

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important food crop worldwide. As the demand for fresh and processed potato products is increasing globally, there is a need to manage and control devastating diseases such as zebra chip (ZC). ZC disease causes major yield losses in many potato-growing regions and is associated with the fastidious, phloem-limited bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso) that is vectored by the potato-tomato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli Šulc). Current management measures for ZC disease mainly focus on chemical control and integrated pest management strategies of the psyllid vector to limit the spread of CLso, however, they add to the costs of potato production. Identification and deployment of CLso and/or the psyllid resistant cultivars, in combination with integrated pest management, may provide a sustainable long-term strategy to control ZC. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the ZC disease, epidemiology, current management strategies, and potential new approaches to manage ZC disease in the future.

High-resolution Microbiome Analyses of Nine Psyllid Species of the Family Triozidae Identified Previously Unrecognized but Major Bacterial Populations, including <i>Liberibacter</i> and <i>Wolbachia</i> of Supergroup O

“…Psyllids (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Psylloidea) are plant sap-sucking insects comprising approximately 4,000 described species worldwide ( Burckhardt et al , 2021 ). Since they feed exclusively on phloem sap, some species transmit plant pathogens, including “ Candidatus Liberibacter spp.” ( Alphaproteobacteria : Rhizobiales ), making them notorious agricultural pests ( Grafton-Cardwell et al , 2013 ; Mora et al , 2021 ). Furthermore, phloem sap is deficient in some essential nutrients ( Ziegler et al , 1975 ); therefore, psyllids depend on vertically transmitted bacterial mutualists to compensate for these deficiencies.…”

Identification and Characterization of Potato Zebra Chip Resistance Among Wild Solanum Species

“…Since its identification in 1994 in Mexico and in 2000 in the United States, the zebra chip (ZC) disease of potato has spread into several commercial potato-growing regions of Central America, Australia, New Zealand, Northern Africa, and the Middle East (Munyaneza et al, 2007 , 2009a , 2010 ; Tahzima et al, 2014 ; Mawassi et al, 2018 ; Mora et al, 2021 ) and recently in Spain (Portal, 2017 ). ZC disease could result in potato yield losses of up to 94% (Greenway, 2014 ).…”

“…ZC disease could result in potato yield losses of up to 94% (Greenway, 2014 ). The disease is associated with the uncultured phloem-limited bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum ( C Lso) and vectored by the potato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli Šulc (Hemiptera: Triozidae) (Munyaneza, 2012 ; Nwugo et al, 2017 ; Mora et al, 2021 ). Typical foliar symptoms of ZC-affected plants include purplish discoloration/chlorosis of young leaves, upward rolling of top leaves, presence of axillary buds, presence of aerial tubers, wilting, stunted growth, and ultimately plant death.…”

“…Typical foliar symptoms of ZC-affected plants include purplish discoloration/chlorosis of young leaves, upward rolling of top leaves, presence of axillary buds, presence of aerial tubers, wilting, stunted growth, and ultimately plant death. ZC symptoms in tubers are associated with the synthesis and accumulation of phenolic compounds, reducing sugars and defense enzymes (Navarre et al, 2009 ; Wallis et al, 2012 ), giving chips a bitter taste and a dark brown striped, zebra-like appearance when fried (Munyaneza, 2012 ), ultimately causing the entire tubers to become unmarketable (Mora et al, 2021 ). If left uncontrolled, ZC disease can become one of the potato's economically significant diseases.…”

The current and future potential geographical distribution of Bactericera cockerelli: an invasive pest of increasing global importance

“…This condition is characterised by leaf curling or cupping, chlorosis, stunting and falling of owers, and production of small or deformed fruits (Liefting et al 2009;Munyaneza 2012). In addition, this psyllid pest is also the primary vector of Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso), a bacterial pathogen that is indirectly transmitted during feeding on host plants, causing 'Zebra chip disease' on potatoes (Munyaneza et al 2007(Munyaneza et al , 2013; Secor et al 2009;Munyaneza 2012;Mora et al 2021). Potato cultivation that is affected by Psyllid yellowing and Zebra chip disease can result in signi cant yield losses, plant mortality, and decreased quality of potato crops (Munyaneza 2015).…”