Editor's Choice: April 2025

Investigation of host plant contact with Diaphorina citri by detecting D. citri-derived environmental DNA—T. Fujikawa, K. Fujiwara, H. Inoue, H. Hatomi and S. Hayashikawa (https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.13546). Investigation of host plant contact with Diaphorina citri by detecting D. citri-derived environmental DNA—T. Fujikawa, K. Fujiwara, H. Inoue, H. Hatomi and S. Hayashikawa (https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.13546). Some crop diseases are devastating, and their early detection is of paramount importance—the earlier the better. The analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) is a sensitive novel technique to detect the (current or past) presence of disease-vectoring organisms that may otherwise be difficult to observe, due to their hidden lifestyle or low population numbers. In the fruit-growing industry, for instance, eDNA may be used in an early-warning system to monitor insects that threaten production. Fujikawa and colleagues elegantly demonstrate how eDNA can establish the presence of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), a vector of citrus greening (huanglongbing), a destructive disease. They find D. citri-derived DNA on plants up to 6 months after they have been in contact with this bug, and even DNA of several of the bug's microbial symbionts is detected. This study yields tremendous promise for the application of eDNA technology to early detect disease transmitting pest insects in agricultural crops. Leo W. Beukeboom: Conceptualization; writing – original draft. The author declare no conflict of interest.