The Transmission of Witches' Broom Virus Disease of Lucerne by the Common Brown Leafhopper, Orosius ARGENTATUS ( EVANS)

Abstract

SummaryThe disease was transmitted by Orosius argentatus (Evans) collected in infected lucerne crops, and also by groups of virus-free individuals reared under experimental conditions, after having been fed on plants infected with witches' broom virus.The following plants became infected with the virus under experimental conditions: Beta vulgaris L.; Datura stramonium L., Erodium cicutarium (L.) L.Herit, Hypochaeris radicata L., Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., Medicago sativum L., Vinca rosea L. Lucerne was difficult to infect and the first symptoms took about seven months to appear (but see note on infection of lucerne).In all plants the symptoms caused were severe stunting, proliferation of axillary shoots, and the production of green flowers. In tomato and other hosts these symptoms closely resembled those of tomato big bud virus. The same vector transmits them and it is suggested that the two diseases may be caused by the same or closely related strains of virus.

Diversity of Cicadellidae in agricultural production areas in the Ovens Valley, north‐east Victoria, Australia

“…There has been limited research directed towards investigating the population dynamics and diversity of leafhoppers in Australia over the past few decades. Furthermore, this has been restricted to selected crops including lucerne (Helson 1951; Pilkington et al. 2004b), tomato (Osmelak 1986; Osmelak & Fletcher 1988) and tobacco (Hill 1941; Helson 1942, 1950; Hill & Helson 1949; Trębicki et al .…”

“…2009). It also transmits numerous phytoplasmas, which cause a range of serious diseases in legumes (Hutton & Grylls 1956), tomato (Hill 1941), lucerne (Helson 1951; Pilkington et al . 2004a) and potato (Grylls 1979; Harding & Teakle 1985), and is also associated with the spread of diseases in papaya, and grapes (Padovan & Gibb 2001; Beanland 2002).…”

Vectors and alternative hosts of Tobacco yellow dwarf virus in southeastern Australia

“…Furthermore, disease occurrence in beans and tobacco could be minimised by targeting herbicide applications to TbYDV host plants such as A. retroflexus and R. raphanistrum that were commonly found in and around crops at the two most disease-affected sites. Apart from TbYDV, O. orientalis also transmits phytoplasmas which cause a range of economically important phytoplasma-associated diseases in Australia such as legume little leaf (Hutton & Grylls, 1956), tomato big bud (Hill & Mandryk, 1954;Osmelak, 1986), lucerne witches broom (Helson, 1951), potato purple top wilt (Grylls, 1979;Harding & Teakle, 1985) and Australian lucerne yellows (Pilkington et al, 2004). Therefore, the results from this study will possibly lead to effective control strategies for not only TbYDV but also phytoplasma diseases vectored by O. orientalis.…”

A revision of the genusOrosiusDistant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) based on male genitalia and DNA barcoding

“…The significance of this discovery has implications for studies of disease transmission in Australia. O. argentatus has been cited as a vector for several phytoplasma‐associated diseases in Australia including tomato big bud (Hill ; Bowyer ; but see Pilkington et al ), tobacco yellow dwarf (Hill ; Helson , ), lucerne witches broom (Helson ), legume little leaf (Hutton & Grylls ), potato purple top wilt and pawpaw yellow crinkle (Grylls ; Padovan & Gibb ), Australian lucerne yellows (Pilkington et al ) and equivocally for Australian grapevine yellows (Beanland et al ) and strawberry lethal yellows (Streten et al ). It could be expected that vector studies in eastern Australia are focussed on O. argentatus although care needs to be taken to confirm the identity of any vectors, using COI gene sequencing if necessary, particularly because additional species, three described as new in this paper, are known from southern and eastern Australia.…”