Is Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) a blooming threat to citrus?

Abstract

Examining the host range of emerging invasive insects is essential to assess their invasion potential and to anticipate the negative impacts of their spread. The ongoing North American invasion of spotted lanternfly (SLF) [Lycorma delicatula (White, 1845)] threatens agricultural, urban, and natural areas. The survival and development of SLF nymphs on Washington navel orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck (Sapindales: Rutaceae)] trees were assessed in a quarantine facility. Results indicated that SLF nymphs can develop to at least the third instar by feeding exclusively on Washington navel orange. This finding suggests that, at least up to the third stage of nymphal development, Washington navel orange might be a suitable host for SLF, highlighting the possibility that this invasive pest represents an unrecognized threat to this globally important crop and possibly to other Citrus species.

Keywords: host plant; invasive species; navel orange; nymphal development; survival analysis.

Fig. 1.

Survival curves of SLF (Lycorma delicatula) nymphs on each of 4 Washington navel orange plants (Citrus sinensis) (C1, C2, C3, and C4) (χ² = 73.2; df = 3; P < 0.001, log-rank test). The dashed lines indicate the median survival of nymphs. Repetitions sharing the same letter are not significantly different from each other in overall survival (α = 0.05, log-rank test with Bonferroni correction). Below the curves, a risk table shows the number of nymphs remaining alive on each individual plant replicated at corresponding time intervals in the survival curves.