Impact of laurel wilt on the avocado germplasm collection at the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Subtropical Horticulture Research Station

• Published in: The Florida entomologist Vol. 107; no. 1
• Main Authors: Cloonan, Kevin R., Rohde, Barukh B., Montgomery, Wayne S., Narvaez, Teresa I., Winterstein, Michael C., Ali, Gul Shad, Kendra, Paul E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: De Gruyter 07-10-2024
• Subjects: germplasm repository; repositorio de germoplasma
• ISSN: 1938-5102; 1938-5102
• DOI: 10.1515/flaent-2024-0047

In late 2020, laurel wilt impacted the avocado collection at the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Subtropical Horticulture Research Station in Miami, Florida. Monitoring of the ambrosia beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) community over the next 18 months suggested that the primary vector,
Eichhoff, was likely not responsible for spreading the fungal pathogen (
[T.C. Harr., Fraerich & Aghayeva] Z.W. de Beer & M. Procter; Ophiostomatales). Rather, eight secondary vectors were detected in greater numbers, with
(Ratzeburg) being the most abundant. After detection of laurel wilt, beetle numbers increased for 2–4 months, then gradually declined over the next year. This pest suppression was likely due to several countermeasures, including the prompt removal of infected trees and prophylactic macroinfusions with propiconazole fungicides. In addition, to preserve the genetic diversity of the Miami avocado germplasm, the Subtropical Horticulture Research Station is collaborating with other Agricultural Research Service facilities to establish backup collections at alternative locations free of the laurel wilt pathogen and its beetle vectors.