LAMP assay for the detection of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Psyllidae).

Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, also known as the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), can vector the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), agent of Huanglongbing (HLB): an incurable disease affecting citrus trees worldwide. In citrus growing regions where ACP and HLB are absent, such as Australia, the risk of an incursion and consequent economic damage to citrus industries make this psyllid one of the top-priority pests. Due to ACP's small dimensions and the generally poorly studied native psylloid fauna worldwide, morphological identification of this insect to distinguish it from harmless species is challenging, especially in the field, and with immature, partial or damaged specimens. To allow rapid and efficient detection of ACP in the field, we designed and optimised a new Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the detection of D. citri based on the mitochondrial 16S locus. The optimised ACP 16S LAMP assay produced amplification from D. citri samples within 13.3 ± 3.6 min, with an anneal derivative of ~ 78.5 °C. A synthetic gBlock gene fragment was also developed to be used as positive control for the new LAMP assay with a different anneal derivative of ~ 83 °C. An existing commercially available LAMP assay for detection of the bacterium CLas was also tested in this study on ACP DNA. The ACP 16S LAMP assay we developed and tested here provides a valuable new in-field compatible tool that can allow early detections of ACP, enabling a quick biosecurity response, and could potentially be adopted by a wide range of users, from farmers to agronomists and from researchers to industry.

LAMP (Loop-mediated isothermal amplification) assay for rapid identification of Varroa mites.

Varroa mites are serious pests of European honeybees (Apis mellifera). For detection of Varroa mite, a new molecular LAMP-based assay has been developed, which retains the body of the mite intact for morphological identification. Six novel Varroa LAMP primers were designed from existing DNA sequences of the COI locus to target V. destructor and V. jacobsoni, providing the ability to tell them apart from other non-target beehive associated mite and insect species. This LAMP assay is specific in detecting these Varroa species and has been tested on specimens originating from multiple countries. It produces amplification of V. destructor and V. jacobsoni in 16 ± 3.4 min with an anneal derivative of 78 ± 0.5 °C whilst another Varroa species,V. underwoodi, showed late amplification. A gBlock gene fragment, used here as a positive control has a different anneal derivative of 80 °C. Three non-destructive DNA extraction methods (HotShot, QuickExtract and Xtract) were tested and found to be suitable for use in the field. The LAMP assay was sensitive to very low levels of Varroa DNA, down to 0.24 picogram (~ 1 × 10 copies/µL of Varroa gBlock). This is a new molecular tool for rapid and accurate detection and identification of Varroa mites for pest management, in areas where these mites do not occur.

Australian species of spore-feeding Thysanoptera in the genera Carientothrips and Nesothrips (Thysanoptera: Idolothripinae).

The species from Australia in the genera Carientothrips and Nesothrips are reviewed and an illustrated key is provided. Carientothrips is distinguished based on the unusual form of the maxillary palps. Two species, badius Hood comb.n. and capricornis Mound comb.n., are transferred to Nesothrips from Carientothrips; and Nesothrips melinus Mound syn.n. is synonymised with Carientothrips miskoi Mound. In Carientothrips the following six new species are described: alienatus sp.n., calami sp.n., horni sp.n., palumai sp.n., snowi sp.n., tasmanica sp.n.; while flavitibia Moulton stat.rev. is recalled from synonymy with C. mjobergi (Karny). In Nesothrips four new species are described: barrowi sp.n., brigalowi sp.n., coorongi sp.n., rossi sp.n.; while rhizophorae (Girault) syn.n. is placed as a synonym of minor Bagnall.