Monitoring Haplaxius crudusnNymph phenology and distribution in a palm nursery setting

Lethal Bronzing Disease (LB) is a disease in palms caused by a Candidatus phytoplasma aculeata. Like other phytoplasmas, LB is phloem limited and relies on an insect vector for transmission. Thus, one aspect of the current management practices deployed for the disease focuses on the control of vector Haplaxius Crudus. With the importance of the horticultural industry to the Florida economy, this is especially important in a nursery setting. Although the adults feed on the foliage of palms, they rely on various species of grasses as hosts during their nymphal stages. In this research, the population of H Crudus nymphs was monitored using Berlese funnels in the grasses of a plot of Chinese Fan Palms to identify trends in phenology and distribution when comparing beds and ditches in the plot. Analysis of the data found significant differences in the distribution of H crudus nymphs throughout the nursery and significantly higher populations during certain months throughout the year monitored. This data can then be used to develop targeted practices that are more efficient and focus on management when the vector is abundant to reduce disease incidence.