LAUSR

In recent years the global citrus industry has been threatened by the presence of the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri, a harmful insect carrying the Candidatus Liberibacter bacterium that which causes the Huanglongbing disease (HLB), which has caused the devastation of plantations and reduction of citrus production worldwide. In 2017, the presence of D. citri was reported in backyard plants of Catamayo; however, no symptoms of HLB have been detected. The aim of this research was to identify the natural enemies (predators, parasitoids and fungi) associated with Diaphorina citri, and to evaluate its incidence in the countryside in Catamayo, province of Loja, for which backyard plants samples were taken (Citrus sp. Murraya paniculata) in: Buenavista, Cementerio, Parque Primero de Mayo, Trapichillo and El Guayabal. The samples were taken at a height of 1.5 m from the plant considering as well its cardinal points; larvae and adults of predators, parasitized nymphs and adult parasitoids, as well as adults of D. citri for the isolation of fungi were collected. As a result of lab analysis, the presence of 11 predatory species were identified (mainly Cheilomenes sexmaculata and Chrysopa sp), as well as two species of parasitoids (Diaphorencyrtus sp and Tamarixia radiata) and four species of fungi (Cladosporium sp, Fusarium sp, Aspergillus sp and Alternaria sp). Diaphorencyrtus sp had a parasitism rate of 7.76%. These species could be used to establish biological control programs, taking advantage of their potential as regulators of nymph populations of Diaphorina citri.