Leafhoppers and cixiids in phytoplasma-infected carrot fields: Species composition and potential phytoplasma vectors

Abstract

SUMMARYThe first molecular analysis of samples collected in southern Bačka (Serbia) confirmed the presence of aster yellows (16SrI) and stolbur phytoplasmas (16SrXII) in insects belonging to the family Cicadellidae, as well as in carrot plants where the insects were collected. A correct identification of the phytoplasmas and their vectors is essential to arrange effective control strategies to prevent diseases associated with phytoplasmas from spreading to carrots and other vegetable crops. In order to enhance knowledge about insect vectors of aster yellows and stolbur phytoplasmas in Serbia, Cicadellidae and Cixiidae (Homoptera Auchenorrhyncha), the most common vectors of these phytoplasmas, were monitored in southern Bačka during 2008. Adults leaf-and planthoppers were collected and identified at species level using standard entomological methods, and tested for phytoplasma presence by means of PCR/RFLP. A total of 13 insect species of Cicadellidae were identified, as follows: a) three species of the subfamily Agallinae: Anaceratagallia ribauti (Ossiannilsson), Anaceratagallia venosa (Fourcroy), and Anaceratagallia laevis (Ribaut); b) seven species of the subfamily Deltocephalinae: Psammotettix confinis (Dahlbom), Psammotettix striatus (Linnaues) Psammottettix alienus (Dahlbom), Macrosteles sexnotatus (Fallén), Ophiola decumana (Kontkanen), Errastunus ocellaris Fallén, and Scaphoideus titanus Ball; c) three species of the subfamily Typhlocibinae: Eupteryx atropunctata (Goeze), Eupteryx mellissae Curtis, Zyginidia pullula (Boheman). Female specimens of the genus Euscelis (Deltocephalinae) were also collected,

Feeding behaviour of a virus‐vector leafhopper on host and non‐host plants characterised by electrical penetration graphs

“…We demonstrated directly that P. alienus adults may practice probing on plants other than true grasses, including dicotyledonous plants. This revealed the mechanism by which P. alienus individuals could acquire dicotyledonous‐specific pathogens, as demonstrated in other studies (Riedle‐Bauer et al., ; Drobnjakovic et al., ; Landi et al., ). In consequence, the probing behaviour of P. alienus on a large range of plants should be taken into consideration when evaluating the potential risk of the species as the vector of plant pathogens.…”

“…However, some data from field studies suggest that P. alienus may also feed on plants other than true grasses. The species was found in abundance on several crops, e.g., in alfalfa and carrot fields (Koppányi, ; Drobnjakovic et al., ), as well as in common ragweed patches [ Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Asteraceae)] (Kiss et al., ). Convincing evidence for the possible feeding of P. alienus on dicotyledonous plants was that phytoplasma strains strictly related to dicotyledons were detected in the body of P. alienus (Riedle‐Bauer et al., ; Drobnjakovic et al., ; Landi et al., ).…”

“…The species was found in abundance on several crops, e.g., in alfalfa and carrot fields (Koppányi, ; Drobnjakovic et al., ), as well as in common ragweed patches [ Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Asteraceae)] (Kiss et al., ). Convincing evidence for the possible feeding of P. alienus on dicotyledonous plants was that phytoplasma strains strictly related to dicotyledons were detected in the body of P. alienus (Riedle‐Bauer et al., ; Drobnjakovic et al., ; Landi et al., ). Somewhat contradicting these results, however, we reported in a previous study that P. alienus was not able to survive for more than 2 days on two non‐grass plants, A. artemisiifolia and the sedge Carex tomentosa L. (Cyperaceae).…”

Evidence suggesting interactions between immunodominant membrane protein Imp of Flavescence dorée phytoplasma and protein extracts from distantly related insect species

“…Finally, the leafhopper Z. pullula (Zp) was considered in this study as a non‐vector belonging to a group of typhlocybines, so called stipplers, which feed preferentially on mesophyll (Backus et al ). Moreover, other studies reported that specimens of Zp collected from the field tested negative for the presence of phytoplasmas (Jović et al ; Drobnjakovic et al ), and there were no interaction signal results from previous investigations on the ‘ Ca . P. asteris’ membrane protein Amp and proteins from Zp samples (Galetto et al ).…”

The species of Cicadellidae, Cixiidae and Delphacidae (Hemiptera) on Karacadag rice and the effects of weeds on their populations

“…Çalışmamızda belirlenen Cicadellidae türlerinden A. laevis, P. alienus, M. laevis, E. lineolatus, P. leporinus türlerinin çeltik başta olmak üzere birçok tarımsal üründe (buğday, mısır, sebze, yem bitkileri vb.) çeşitli virüs ve benzeri hastalıklarına vektörlük yaparak önemli oranda ürün kayıplarına yol açtıkları farklı çalışmalarda kayıt edilmiştir (Kalkandelen, 1974;Maramorosch & Harris, 1979;Seifers & Harvey 1989;Drobnjaković et al, 2011). Cixiidae familyasından elde edilen türlerden H. obsoletus başta olmak üzere T. desertorum, P. leporinus'un aynı şekide patates ve sebzelerde önemli bazı virüs hastalıklarını (Stolbur-SV) taşıdığı (Sahtiyancı, 1971;Maramorosch & Harris, 1979;Güçlü & Özbek,1988;Çalı et al, 1989;Darimont & Maixner, 2001;Jović et al, 2011) rapor edilmiştir.…”