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Postharvest quarantine treatments for Diaphorina citri on infested curry leaves
D. ANCO (1), G. Poole (2), T. Gottwald (3). (1) NCSU/USDA ARS, Fort Pierce, FL, U.S.A.; (2) UF, Fort Pierce, FL, U.S.A.; (3) USDA ARS, Fort Pierce, FL, U.S.A.

To reduce spread of huanglongbing, studies were conducted to evaluate treatments that reduce survival and attachment of nymphs of the vector <i>Diaphorina citri </i>on infested curry leaves (<i>Bergera koenigii</i>). Decontamination of curry leaves infested with <i>D. citri</i> in relation to disinfectant (none or Pro-San), temperature (0, 40, and 50°C), and treatment duration (0, 5, 10, and 20 min) was examined using a split-split plot design. Experiments were performed three times. Treatment duration did not significantly affect <i>D. citri </i>nymph survival or removal (<i>P </i>> 0.2). Temperature and disinfectant each significantly affected <i>D. citri </i>nymph survival and removal (<i>P </i>< 0.031). The interaction of temperature and disinfectant was significant with respect to nymph survival (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) but did not significantly affect removal (<i>P </i>= 0.4589). Tissue damage was significantly affected by temperature (<i>P </i>= 0.0056), duration (<i>P </i>= 0.0023), the interaction of temperature and duration (<i>P </i>= 0.0320), and the interaction of disinfectant, temperature, and duration (<i>P </i>= 0.0410). Of the treatments resulting in 100% <i>D. citri </i>nymph mortality on infested curry leaves, 40°C for 5 min with Pro-San was accompanied with the least proportion curry leaf tissue damage (0.14 greater than untreated control, <i>P </i>= 0.25). Results from these studies may be useful in formulation of future regulatory policies regarding trade of citrus foliage, especially those used as condiments, to reduce spread of huanglongbing.

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