Sharpshooters: a review of what moves Xylella fastidiosa

Abstract

Sharpshooters (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae) and spittlebugs (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae: Aphrophorinae) have a worldwide distribution and are often associated with many crops. Because the geographic range of sharpshooters and spittlebugs often overlaps with the range of the plant pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, the importance of these groups of insects in spreading X. fastidiosa rises to the level of a major socioeconomic problem. Managing diseases caused by X. fastidiosa is challenging for several reasons. First, multiple sequence types of the pathogen have been identified, with sequence type affecting host plant specificity. Second, multiple vector species may be present in an agroecosystem, and the host range of vector species is often broad. Although multiple vector control options such as biological, chemical, physical and cultural controls have been described, disease control programs must take into account biological and ecological parameters of locally dominant X. fastidiosa sequence types and vector species to develop suitable control strategies. Our review demonstrates how fundamental principles of vector reproductive biology, behaviour, nutrition and population and community ecology have influenced research on insect vectors and provides insights into priority research areas.

Xylella fastidiosa subspecies and sequence types detected in Philaenus spumarius and in infected plants in France share the same locations

“…Nevertheless, all the progress made in the understanding of the traits that contribute to vector acquisition and transmission in X . fastidiosa , reported in several reviews (Redak et al ., 2004; Chatterjee et al ., 2008; Krugner et al ., 2019), will be helpful to interpret and inform our findings in the context of X . fastidiosa detection and spread in Europe.…”

“…In the Americas, the role of X . fastidiosa 's vectors, such as sharpshooters and spittlebugs, in the epidemiology and spread of the disease has been widely studied and reviewed (Redak et al ., 2004; Chatterjee et al ., 2008; Krugner et al ., 2019). Recently in Europe, transmission testing has revealed that the spittlebugs Philaenus spumarius , Philaenus italosignus , and Neophilaenus campestris are efficient vectors in the Apulia region, Italy (Cornara et al ., 2017; Cavalieri et al ., 2019).…”

The Probing Behavior Component of Disease Transmission in Insect-Transmitted Bacterial Plant Pathogens

“…The Gram-negative xylem-limited non-circulative propagative gamma-proteobacterium Xylella fastidiosa was ranked as the more serious of the two insect-transmitted bacterial pathogens [4]. This system was reviewed recently [12,87,88,89,90]. Reproduction in the vector takes place on the cuticular surface of the anterior foregut [91].…”

Grapevine phenolic compounds influence cell surface adhesion of Xylella fastidiosa and bind to lipopolysaccharide

“…Xylella fastidiosa is a gram-negative bacterium and the causal agent of Pierce's disease in grapevines, as well as numerous other leaf scorch diseases [1]. Restricted to the xylem tissue of plants, X. fastidiosa is transmitted to grapevine by xylem-feeding insects, including sharpshooters, leafhoppers, and spittlebugs [2,3]. The transition between colonization of the insect vector and plant host is a highly regulated process, which relies on quorum sensing to transition between an adhesive biofilm state and systemic motility dependent on type IV pili [4,5].…”