Tomato potato psyllid

Tomato potato psyllid is not currently present in the ACT. It was detected for the first time in 2017 in Australia in WA and has since been detected in Victoria in 2024. It is considered established in these 2 states.

About the pest

Tomato potato psyllid (TPP; Bactericera cockerelli) is a tiny sap-sucking insect that attacks a range of plants in the Solanaceae family, which includes tomato, potato, capsicum, chilli, tamarillo and sweet potato, and solanaceous weeds like nightshade.

Why they are a problem

TPP can cause significant damage by feeding on plants and transmitting the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum, which leads to plant diseases.

What to look for

• Adult TPP are about 3 mm long and resemble small winged cicadas. They have a brownish body with white or yellow markings on the chest and a broad white band on the abdomen as well as transparent wings held vertically over the body.
• Signs of psyllid feeding include the presence of ‘psyllid sugar’ (white granules on leaves), yellowing or purpling of leaf midribs and leaves that are cupped, narrow and upright, giving the plant a feathery look.

How it spreads

TPP spreads primarily through the flight of adult insects, wind currents carrying them long distances, and the movement of infested plant material and machinery.

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