Zebra Chip
Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum
1 host plant · Bacterial
Last updated
This profile contains verified disease data from extension databases. Regional field notes and expert review are in progress.
Zebra Chip can show up on landscape plants, producing visible damage that ranges from leaf spots and discoloration to branch dieback depending on severity. Early detection gives you the best management options.
Start with sanitation: remove and dispose of affected material as you find it. Thin dense growth to improve air circulation, and redirect irrigation away from foliage. If the condition persists despite cultural adjustments, your local Extension office can help identify the pathogen and recommend targeted treatments.
Quick Reference
Management
Young seedlings and newly emerged plants are most vulnerable to psyllid-transmitted infection. Plants are vulnerable throughout the growing season when psyllids are active, typically May-September in the Pacific Northwest. Early-planted potatoes face higher risk of early-season infection. Tubers are vulnerable to pathogen invasion through roots throughout the growing season as infection pressure increases.
Symptoms appear 2-4 weeks post-infection depending on temperature. Initial symptoms on foliage include yellowing of lower leaves, wilting, and necrotic spotting. Leaf rolling and purpling occur. In tubers, dark vascular discoloration develops that appears as dark stripes or chips when processed (characteristic 'zebra' pattern). Symptom visibility depends on temperature, psyllid population density, and plant age at infection. Tuber symptoms are most visible in fried chips.
Cultural Controls
- Use certified, CLso-tested seed potatoes from reliable sources. Scout potato fields regularly for potato psyllids and zebra chip symptoms. Remove and destroy infected plants and tubers immediately to reduce pathogen spread. Control solanaceous weeds that serve as alternative psyllid hosts and pathogen reservoirs. Manage volunteer potatoes and crop residue from previous season. Avoid planting too early in the season when psyllid populations are increasing. Use row covers on young plants to exclude psyllids. Delay plantings to allow psyllids to disperse. Rotate away from susceptible crops. Monitor for psyllids using yellow sticky traps. Source: Wikipedia; USDA research