Molecular Identification of Two Vector Species,<i>Cacopsylla melanoneura</i>and<i>Cacopsylla picta</i>(Hemiptera: Psyllidae), of Apple Proliferation Disease and Further Common Psyllids of Northern Italy

Oettl, Sabine; Schlink, Katja

doi:10.1093/jee/tov204

Cited by 18 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…However, the high species richness detected in our orchards, as well as the relative low densities of the known vectors, impose serious constraints to reliably monitor the presence of vectors in the orchards as morphological identification is problematic and time-consuming. Fortunately, recently developed molecular tools allow a reliable identification of Cacopsylla species inhabiting orchards (Oettl and Schlink 2015 ), facilitating monitoring. On the other hand, chemical control of vectors in our region is difficult.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Candidate insect vectors of apple proliferation in Northwest Spain

et al. 2016

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The apple proliferation (AP) disease is spread mostly by two psyllids. Each species plays a predominant role as AP vector that changes regionally. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify the AP vectors in each region where the disease is present. This research aimed at identifying the psyllid community in apple orchards from Asturias (NW Spain) and studying their possible role in AP transmission. Yellow sticky traps were used to monitor psyllid community in five cider-apple orchards during 2 years. 3678 individuals belonging to 22 species were identified. We confirmed the presence of the two known vectors, Cacopsyllapicta and Cacopsylla melanoneura, although they occurred in relatively low numbers (2.1 and 0.7 % of total catches, respectively). Most collected psyllids are not supposed to use apple as host, and their occurrence is likely favoured by landscape structure and an insect-friendly management. Phytoplasma detection was performed by squash-capture real-time PCR. The pathogen was detected in six species (Cacopsylla crataegi, Cacopsylla mali, Ctenarytaina spatulata,Ctenarytaina eucalypti and the two known AP vectors). Based on abundance and AP-detection rate C. picta is likely the main species spreading AP in our region. However, the low density of the known vectors does not match the widespread and high tree damage level observed in Asturias. The discovery of other four psyllid species carrying the phytoplasma reveals that our knowledge on the potential vectors is limited and that more research is clearly needed to unravel the role of the psyllid fauna in disease transmission in our orchards.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Candidate insect vectors of apple proliferation in Northwest Spain

et al. 2016

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“…Certain important morphological characteristics, such as wings or terminalia, cannot be properly inspected in detail without harming the insect. To verify the accuracy of morphological psyllid species identification of living parental insects after finalizing the experiments, DNA from all parental individuals was analysed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) according to Oettl & Schlink (). Only insects morphologically and genetically identified as C. picta were considered in this study.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The insect vector Cacopsylla picta vertically transmits the bacterium ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’ to its progeny

et al. 2017

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The phloem‐sucking psyllid Cacopsylla picta plays an important role in transmitting the bacterium ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’, the agent associated with apple proliferation disease. The psyllid can ingest ‘Ca. Phytoplasma mali’ from infected apple trees and spread the bacterium by subsequently feeding on uninfected trees. Until now, this has been the most important method of ‘Ca. Phytoplasma mali’ transmission. The aim of this study was to investigate whether infected C. picta are able to transmit ‘Ca. Phytoplasma mali’ directly to their progeny. This method of transmission would allow the bacteria to bypass a time‐consuming reproductive cycle in the host plant. Furthermore, this would cause a high number of infected F1 individuals in the vector population. To address this question, eggs, nymphs and adults derived from infected overwintering adults of C. picta were reared on non‐infected apple saplings and subsequently tested for the presence of ‘Ca. Phytoplasma mali’. In this study it was shown for the first time that infected C. picta individuals transmit ‘Ca. Phytoplasma mali’ to their eggs, nymphs and F1 adults, thus providing the basis for a more detailed understanding of ‘Ca. Phytoplasma mali’ transmission by C. picta.

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“…Especially the fact that different individuals of C. picta and C. melanoneura were sampled across different years in different localities in South Tyrol, sometimes co‐occurring with non‐AP‐vector species, but still clustered according to species suggests that different environmental conditions and sampling years play a minor role for microbiome composition of the different Cacopsylla species. Moreover, since the two AP‐vector species belong to the same mitochondrial clade as the non‐AP‐vector species (Oettl & Schlink, 2015 ; Percy et al, 2018 ) and only adults of Cacopsylla species were included in the study, a role of the phylogenic relationship and the developmental stage can be excluded.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating the microbial community of Cacopsylla spp. as potential factor in vector competence of phytoplasma

Schuler

Dittmer

Borruso

et al. 2022

Environmental Microbiology

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Phytoplasmas are obligatory intracellular bacteria that colonize the phloem of many plant species and cause hundreds of plant diseases worldwide. In nature, phytoplasmas are primarily transmitted by hemipteran vectors. While all phloem‐feeding insects could in principle transmit phytoplasmas, only a limited number of species have been confirmed as vectors. Knowledge about factors that might determine the vector capacity is currently scarce. Here, we characterized the microbiomes of vector and non‐vector species of apple proliferation (AP) phytoplasma ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’ to investigate their potential role in the vector capacity of the host. We performed high‐throughput 16S rRNA metabarcoding of the two principal AP‐vectors Cacopsylla picta and Cacopsylla melanoneura and eight Cacopsylla species, which are not AP‐vectors but co‐occur in apple orchards. The microbiomes of all species are dominated by Carsonella, the primary endosymbiont of psyllids and a second uncharacterized Enterobacteriaceae endosymbiont. Each Cacopsylla species harboured a species‐specific phylotype of both symbionts. Moreover, we investigated differences between the microbiomes of AP‐vector versus non‐vector species and identified the predominant endosymbionts but also Wolbachia and several minor taxa as potential indicator species. Our study highlights the importance of considering the microbiome in future investigations of potential factors influencing host vector competence. We investigated the potential role of symbiotic bacteria in the acquisition and transmission of phytoplasma. By comparing the two main psyillid vector species of Apple proliferation (AP) phytoplasma and eight co‐occurring species, which are not able to vector AP‐phytoplasma, we found differences in the microbial communities of AP‐vector and non‐vector species, which appear to be driven by the predominant symbionts in both vector species and Wolbachia and several minor taxa in the non‐vector species. In contrast, infection with AP‐phytoplasma did not affect microbiome composition in both vector species. Our study provides new insights into the endosymbiont diversity of Cacopsylla spp. and highlights the importance of considering the microbiome when investigating potential factors influencing host vector competence.

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Molecular Identification of Two Vector Species,Cacopsylla melanoneuraandCacopsylla picta(Hemiptera: Psyllidae), of Apple Proliferation Disease and Further Common Psyllids of Northern Italy

Cited by 18 publications

References 28 publications

Candidate insect vectors of apple proliferation in Northwest Spain

Candidate insect vectors of apple proliferation in Northwest Spain

The insect vector Cacopsylla picta vertically transmits the bacterium ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’ to its progeny

Investigating the microbial community of Cacopsylla spp. as potential factor in vector competence of phytoplasma

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