A Novel Interaction of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) as a Biological Control Agent of Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) in Potato

Simple Summary: The tomato bug is a generalist predator commonly used to control insect pests. This exotic mirid was found in 2012 in South Texas and has been established in this region. It was initially observed feeding on nymphs of the potato psyllid in tomato crops. The potato psyllid is the vector of the fastidious bacterium that causes disease in various night-shade crops, including potato zebra chip disease (ZC), with economic losses that by the mid-2000s escalated to tens of millions of dollars in the United States, Mexico, and Central America. We assessed interactions between tomato bugs and potato psyllids in three different environmental settings. First, we estimated the numeric response of tomato bugs preying on potato psyllids under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Second, we evaluated the predator-prey interaction under controlled field cage conditions. Third, we exposed tomato bugs under controlled field release conditions to the natural occurrence of potato psyllids under a reduced insecticide program. Finally, we assessed its impact on ZC disease incidence, severity in potato tubers, and potato yield. In laboratory and greenhouse experiments, tomato bug response preying resulted in the potentially beneficial effects of the predacious tomato bug reducing potato psyllid populations. Overall, the controlled release of tomato bugs under field conditions significantly reduced potato psyllid incidence in potatoes. Furthermore, the combination of tomato bugs with a reduced insecticide program increased potato yields, but only reduced ZC tuber incidence in one of the two potato cultivars evaluated in one season. Findings from these studies indicate that tomato bugs could be effective as a biological control agent for potato psyllids in potato production. Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a generalist predator commonly used to control the whitefly Bemisia tabaci in Europe. This mirid has been found and established in South Texas, where it was initially observed feeding on nymphs of the psyllid Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) in open tomato fields. B. cockerelli is the vector of the fastidious bacterium "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" that causes diseases in several solanaceous crops, including zebra chip (ZC) disease in potatoes. There is a need to better understand how this predator impacts the control of important crop pests, such as potato psyllids. We assessed the interactions between N. tenuis and B. cockerelli in three different environmental settings. First, we estimated the numeric response of N. tenuis preying on B. cockerelli under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Second, we evaluated the predator-prey interaction under controlled field cage conditions. Then, we exposed N. tenuis under controlled field release conditions to the natural occurrence of B. cockerelli. Finally, we assessed the compatibility between the use of N. tenuis as a biological control agent in a field study and its impact on ZC disease incidence, severity in potato tubers, and potato yield. Laboratory and greenhouse experiments resulted in diverse types of functional model responses, including exponential and linear mathematical models. Our findings revealed a significant predation effect exerted by N. tenuis, resulting in a reduction of more than fourfold in the number of B. cockerelli nymphs per cage. Specifically, the nymphal population decreased from 21 +/- 3.2 in the absence of N. tenuis to 5 +/- 1.6 when N. tenuis was present. Furthermore, the combination of N. tenuis with a reduced insecticide program increased potato yields, but only reduced ZC tuber incidence in one of two potato cultivars evaluated, and in one season. Findings from these studies indicate that N. tenuis could be effective as a biological control agent for B. cockerelli in potato production in South Texas. This is the first report of N. tenuis preying on immature stages of any psyllid species.