Viruses in the Gut of Asian Citrus Psyllid: Friends or Foes?

Abstract

As a practical alternative to chemical controls, development of knowledge-based and efficient biological control strategies to disrupt HLB spread by current technologies (i.e., RNAi) in the ACP vector itself represent our strategy to control the disease without relying solely on chemical applications. The necessity of a precise and specific biological control for Florida ACP populations initiated our ongoing study, with hopes to provide additional molecular tools. In order to decrease or eliminate major dependence on broad-spectrum chemical controls, our study aims to investigate the Florida ACP body (i.e., gut) for identifying an ACP-associated virus with the potential to be manipulated into a biocontrol agent against the HLB insect vector. The endemic establishment of both HLB and the ACP in Florida has greatly increased the need for alternative control options.