ARS | Publication request: Murraya paniculata (orange jasmine), a host and possible inoculum reservoir for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, causal agent of Huanglongbing

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: April 15, 2007
Publication Date: July 1, 2007
Citation: Damsteegt, V.D., Schneider, W.L., Stone, A.L. 2007. Murraya paniculata (orange jasmine), a host and possible inoculum reservoir for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, causal agent of Huanglongbing. Phytopathology. 97:S26 . Phytopathology.

Technical Abstract: Huanglongbing (HLB), considered the most serious vectored-pathogen of citrus, is transmitted in nature by the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri and the African citrus psyllid Trioza erytreae. In 1999, D. citri was discovered in southern Florida and has become established in FL and TX. Huanglongbing, not known in the Western Hemisphere until 2004 (Brazil), was discovered in southern FL in 2005, and has become established. Orange jasmine, Murraya paniculata, is widely grown throughout southern FL as an ornamental hedge and is a preferred host of D. citri. Colonies of D. citri, seedlings of M. paniculata, and strains of HLB from FL, Taiwan, and India have been established in the BSL-3 biosecurity facility at Fort Detrick. Healthy psyllids were allowed to acquire the HLB organism from infected Madam Vinous sweet orange during 14-d acquisition periods (AAPs) and transmit it to M. paniculata seedlings during 14-d inoculation periods (IAPs) (50 adult psyllids/seedling). Following a 6-8 week incubation period on the greenhouse bench each seedling was assayed for the presence of HLB by three different sets of primers in a real-time PCR platform. Forty healthy psyllids were given 14-d AAPs on M. paniculata seedlings testing positive for HLB on two occasions and then 14-day IAPs on sweet orange. Following a 6-8 week incubation period, several sweet orange seedlings assayed positive for HLB by PCR. Not all M. paniculata plants became infected and not all positive plants gave positive back-assay results. Orange jasmine was shown to be a host and inoculum reservoir of HLB.