BACKGROUND The planthopper Pentastiridius leporinus (Hemiptera: Cixiidae) is the main vector of the γ‐3 proteobacterium ‘Candidatus Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus’ which causes the syndrome ‘basses richesses’ (SBR) in sugar beet. SBR is a new and fast‐spreading disease in Central Europe that leads to high yield losses. To date, the development of management strategies has been hampered by insufficient knowledge about general life history traits of the planthopper and, most importantly, the year‐round availability of insects reared under controlled conditions. Rearing of P. leporinus has been considered challenging and to date no protocol exists. RESULTS Here we describe a method for mass rearing P. leporinus on sugar beet from egg to adult that has produced five generations and over 20 000 individuals between June 2020 and March 2022. An alternative host such as wheat is not necessary for completing the life cycle. No‐choice experiments showed that P. leporinus lays 139.1 ± 132.9 eggs on sugar beet, whereas no oviposition was observed on its nymphal host wheat. Head capsule width was identified as a trait that unequivocally distinguished the five nymphal instars. Developmental time from first instar to adult was 193.6 ± 35.8 days for males and 193.5 ± 59.2 days for females. Infection rates of adults were tested with a nested polymerase chain reaction. The results demonstrated that 70%–80% of reared planthoppers across all generations carried the SBR proteobacterium. CONCLUSION The mass‐rearing protocol and life history data will help overcome an important bottleneck in SBR research and enhance efforts in developing integrated pest management tools. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
“Syndrome des basses richesses” (SBR) is a sugar beet disease, which primarily leads to the reduction of sugar content and yield and thus to large economic losses. Two non culturable and vector transmitted pathogens, a proteobacterium („Candidatus Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus“) as well as a phytoplasma (“Candidatus Phytoplasma solani“) can cause SBR. SBR symptoms include chlorosis and necrosis of older leaves, necrosis of the vascular tissues of the beet and asymmetries of younger leaves. In 2018, it was shown that in addition to France Pentastiridius leporinus (L., 1761) it is the most important vector in Baden-Württemberg. This species has adapted from its natural host (reed) to the agricultural crop rotation of sugar beet and winter wheat. In 2018, P.leporinus was the most commonly caught Auchenorrhyncha species in sugar beet and 44% were loaded with the proteobacterium. The longest flight pattern of P. leporinus in sugar beet (from May 25th to September 5th) was detected. The first proof of a second generation led to the long flight pattern of this species. This article presents the development of the area of infestation and the proof of the two pathogens until 2018. In addition, previous findings as well as own results for the dissemination and control of SBR at Baden-Württemberg in 2018 are presented. Differences in susceptibility of sugar beet varieties were shown for the first time. One specific genotype showed no reduction in sugar content despite SBR infection. Variety selection could thus be a promising approach to control SBR in sugar beet.
Monitoring of Pentastiridius leporinus (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cixiidae), representing the main vector of the syndrome ‘basses richesses’ (SBR) disease in sugar beet is based on morphological identification. However, two other cixiid species, Reptalus quinquecostatus and Hyalesthes obsoletus with similar external characters are known to appear in sugar beet fields and are challenging to be distinguished from P. leporinus. We present a PCR-based method for species-specific detection of both male and female P. leporinus, directly after sweep net collection or after up to 18 months long term storage on sticky traps. Two methods of DNA template preparation, based on a commercial extraction kit or on simple grinding in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) were compared. The latter method was also established for eggs and all five nymphal instars of P. leporinus from a rearing. Furthermore, in silico primer analysis showed that all Auchenorrhyncha species including far related species reported from sugar beet fields can be differentiated from P. leporinus. This was PCR-confirmed for the most common Auchenorrhyncha species from different German sugar beet fields. Sequence analysis of the P. leporinus mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI) amplicon showed a close relationship to COI from P. beieri but separated from the Reptalus and Hyalesthes species which are grouped into the same family Cixiidae. We present a sensitive, cost- and time-saving PCR-based method for reliable and specific detection of eggs and all nymphal instars, as well as male and female P. leporinus, after different methods of planthopper collection and template DNA template preparation that can be used in large scale monitoring assays.
The planthopper Pentastiridius leporinus (Hemiptera: Cixiidae), is the most important vector of syndrome “basses richesses” (SBR) in sugar beet; it leads to severe economic losses. Planthoppers have probably adapted recently from reed grass (Phragmites australis) to sugar beet - winter wheat crop rotations. So far, no reliable vector control strategies are available. In this study, field assays were performed to test different soil tillage methods and crop rotations as potential management options. Barley, spring wheat, maize, bare soil and winter wheat (control) were grown using different soil tillage treatments (ploughing and cultivator) after sugar beet harvest. In five of seven field trial sites, reduced tillage did not differ from ploughing and, in two trial sites, it resulted in even higher numbers of emerging planthoppers. In nearly all field sites, consistent and significant reductions (up to 98.9%) of emerging adults were detected in the bare soil and maize treatments when compared to winter wheat. The survival and development of first instar nymphs were then studied on wheat, barley, and maize seedlings in the laboratory to confirm the field observations. The lowest survival was found in nymphs feeding on maize seedlings (4.2%), while 29.2% survived on barley, and 66.7% on wheat, over a period of 300 days. Almost 90% of nymphs in the maize treatment died after eight days. These results suggest that maize is a poor host for P. leporinus first instar nymphs. A combination of soil tillage and late sown specific spring crops are discussed as options for P. leporinus control.
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