Presence of New Pest of Avocado (Persea americana) in Trinidad and Tobago

Publication Date

Fri, 15 Apr 2011, 00:00

Last Updated

Aug. 28, 2011, 9:01 a.m.

Report Number

TTO-04/2

Country

Trinidad and Tobago

Pest Id

Pseudacysta perseae - (PSEYPE)

Report Status

Final

Hosts

Avocado (Persea americana)

Pest Status (old values from ISPM 8 -1998 )

• Unknown

Geographical Distribution

Found in six (6) locations between North and Central Trinidad

Summary

The avocado lace bug (Pseudacysta perseae, family Tingidae) is a damaging pest of avocado (Persea americana), which occurs in French Guyana, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, French Guyana and southeastern United States. In the Caribbean its has been discovered in Bermuda, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. As of 2006, in California it occurred only in San Diego County. Although its main host of economic importance is the avocado fruit tree, it attacks other Persea species such as red bay (P. borbonia), and camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora), which is grown as a landscape ornamental.Avocado lace bug is a true bug with sucking mouth parts. The common name "lace bug", is derived from the highly reticulate "lace-like-patterning" of the thorax and wings of adults. Although avocado is not a highly commercially grown crop in this country, the presence of this new pest in Trinidad in January 2011 was cause for concern. Most reports of pest sightings occurred in home gardens and hence a measure of vigilance is needed, as home gardeners do not culturally implement pest control measures on backyard fruit trees.

Danger

Causes defoliation and potenital loss of yield

Report files

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