Western Australian research on TPP

Western Australian research on TPP develops treatments for market access of affected crops

3 ADULTS and nymphs of tomato potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli).

BY DR SONYA BROUGHTON, DR VINEETA BILGI, EMMA MANSFIELD, DR FRANCIS DE LIMA AND ROHAN PRINCE DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The tomato potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli) was first found in New Zealand in 2006 and on the Australian territory of Norfolk Island in 2015. The first detection of tomato potato psyllid (TPP) on the Australian mainland occurred in the Perth metropolitan region in February, 2017.

The pest is native to central and North America where it infests a wide range of plants. TPP is an insect pest of plants belonging to the Solanaceae family including capsicum, chilli, eggplant, tomato and tamarillo, and some to the Convolvulaceae family such as sweet potato. Several annual and evergreen weed plants, such as nightshade, are also hosts of the pest. Damage is caused to plants when adults and immature stages (nymphs) feed on the plant through their long sucking mouth parts, causing yellowing of the foliage. As they feed, TPP secrete sugars, which appear as white sugar-like granules that can promote development of black sooty moulds and reduce photosynthesis. TPP can also damage tomatoes and potatoes by infecting plants with a bacterial disease, Candidatus liberibacter solanacearum (CLso), also known as zebra chip. Fortunately, this

The first detection of TPP on the Australian mainland occurred in February, 2017.

PHOTO © PIA SCANLON, DPIRD

disease has not been found to date in Western Australia. Industry stakeholders in the Eastern States and territories are concerned about the impact of TPP if it were to spread to their jurisdictions. The current strategy is to confine TPP to the areas it is present, prevent its spread, monitor for TPP in other jurisdictions, and minimise its impact on domestic and international trade. The project, ‘Alternative disinfestation for market access for crops affected by tomato potato psyllid’ (VG17015), was initiated in 2019 by DPIRD in collaboration with vegetablesWA and Hort Innovation. The project has been funded by Hort Innovation using the vegetable research and development levy and funds from the Australian Government.

The project is developing postharvest disinfestation of more tolerant stages disinfestation treatment methods, are required. Eggs are usually found including fumigation with low dose to be more tolerant to fumigants than methyl bromide, ethyl formate and nymphs and adults. When eggs are not ionising radiation002E. present, there is a potential to apply The research methods developed by the project are designed to satisfy interstate and international quarantine treatment standards. lower post-harvest disinfestation doses to exported fruit hosts. Ethyl formate (EF), an alternative fumigant to MB, has been shown to be very effective against pests that may be present on external Current findings parts of fruits. Comparative survival of TPP on host Low dose methyl bromide fumigation fruit and foliage To minimise environmental Research on the impacts of using MB, low doses comparative survival of TPP on host fruit and foliage shows that TPP does not lay eggs as well on host fruits as it does on For more info visit agric.wa.gov.au and search for ‘tpp’. requiring longer exposure time have been developed. Treatments developed against the Mediterranean fruit fly successfully foliage. Survival on foliage trialled on a laboratory is good but on fruits it is and commercial scale are poor. Therefore, the likelihood considered to be applicable of significant numbers of TPP eggs to TPP. Verification of these surviving and being carried in trade via doses will be conducted when facilities fruit hosts is low. However, nymphs and are available later in 2020 or in 2021. adults have greater potential of being transported in foliage. Ethyl formate Ethyl formate treatments have been Toxicity of fumigants to TPP found effective against all stages of TPP Methyl bromide (MB) is a standard in laboratory studies. Results indicated treatment for disinfestation of pests that when adults and nymphs were in horticultural produce. In general, exposed to varying concentrations of dosages of fumigants are higher when EF, 100 per cent mortality was achieved at ≥0.3 per cent or 10mg/L at both 1-hour and 2-hour exposure times. Eggs were found to be most tolerant to EF. Combining carbon dioxide with EF reduced doses of EF and yielded total mortality of eggs. EF doses tested were not phytotoxic to truss tomato.

Future research Physical removal methods, such as the use of high-pressure air or water washing to remove TPP carried on fruits intended for sale and export, could be explored.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information on TPP and the department’s surveillance activities, visit agric.wa.gov.au and search for ‘tpp’.

Department of

Primary Industries and Regional Development

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation using the vegetable research and development levy and funds from the Australian Government. For more information on the fund and strategic levy investment visit horticulture.com.au

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