Other materials

Cécile Morillon and TROPICSAFE Guadelaoupe partners, CIRAD, designed this entertaining comic about Huanglongbing (HLB), the Citrus Disease. HLB is one of bacterial diseases threatening selected tropical and subtropical areas and is one of the study object in the project. The comic tells the story of the "Dragon Yellow Disease", the insects vectors and the interesting process followed in the TROPICSAFE project to give solution to this problem.

Maritza Luis Pantoja and Camilo Paredes Tomás from the Research Institute of Tropical Fruit Crops (IIFT) explain the evolution of the Cuban citriculture from the beginning of the citrus program in 1968, highlighting the impact of HLB in the production. The authors describe the most frequently observed symptoms, the pathogens detected, and the control measures used to reduce the incidence of the Diaphorina citri vector in the orchards.

Nicola Fiore from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Chile Santiago presents an overview of the GY disease in Chile, where its presence in V. vinifera was first reported in 1971. The symptoms observed, the most widespread phytoplasmas and the insect vectors that can transmit the disease are explained in this article

In Jamaica, coconut palms are an important source of income and a vital part of the subsistence agriculture in rural villages. This article explains how the spread of Lethal Yellowing through the coconut growing areas is impacting in many vulnerable communities, by threatening income as well as food security. The authors, Sonia Marongiu from the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA) Italy and Wayne Myrie from the Coconut Industry Board (CIB) Jamaica, explain the evolution of the disease in this country.

The text explains the associations between phytoplasmas and the most widespread diseases in coconut palms in the Americas, the Caribbean region and Africa. Assunta Bertaccini from UNIBO, Tropicsafe coordinator and author of the article, introduces the economic impact of LY that is killing millions of palm plants in the main coconut producing areas.

The article describes HLB, a devastating disease affecting citrus. Authors, Alejandro Tena and Jessica Pérez-Rodríguez from IVIA , explain the impact on the production and how the affected countries are managing it. Some symptoms of the diseases are also explained. Insect vectors (Diaphorina citri in Asia and America, Trioza erytreae in Africa and very recently also in Europe) are presented, as well as some guidelines to identify them. Finally, a short preview of Tropicsafe activity to improve the biological control of T. erytreae in Europe is included.

A table reporting phytoplasmas associated with the main GY in the world is presented in this article, which also describes differences among epidemiological cycles of GY in the different geographical areas, due to phytoplasma and insect vector diversity. Assunta Bertaccini from UNIBO and Elisa Angelini from CREA introduce the work planned under Tropicsafe framework to tackle the lack of information about grapevine susceptibility to GY, its vectors, their seasonal trend, and management strategies.

Citrus producers and associations from Guadeloupe are talking about the impact of HLB in their plots and production systems. “Several producers have lost all their plots and are having big financial difficulties” says Uneau Youri, Tropicsafe partner representing ASSOFWI, an association that aims to develop fruit diversification in Guadeloupe.