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Title: Survey of the auchenorrhyncha in the Salento Peninsula in search of putative vectors of Xylella fastidiosa Pauca Codiro strain

Author
item CORNARA, DANIELLE - University Of Bari
item LOCONSOLE, GIULIANA - National Research Council - Italy
item BOSCIA, DONATO - National Research Council - Italy
item Yokomi, Raymond - Ray
item BOSCO, DOMENICO - University Of Bari
item PORCELLI, FRANCESCO - University Of Bari
item SAPONARI, MARIA - National Research Council - Italy
item MARTELLI, GIOVANNI - University Of Bari

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Pathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/30/2014
Publication Date: 12/30/2014
Citation: Cornara, D., Loconsole, G., Boscia, D., Yokomi, R.K., Bosco, D., Porcelli, F., Saponari, M., Martelli, G. 2014. Survey of the auchenorrhyncha in the Salento Peninsula in search of putative vectors of Xylella fastidiosa Pauca Codiro strain. Journal of Plant Pathology. 96(4):S4.98.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Xylella fastidiosa was isolated in September 2013 from olive trees symptomatic for Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS) in Salento (Italy) and was identified as X. fastidiosa pauca CoDiRO strain. X. fastidiosa is comprised of a group of genetically diverse bacteria in the class Gammaproteobacteria that causes important xylem-limited plant diseases in many crops and ornamentals. The bacterium is acquired and transmitted by xylem-sap feeding hemipterans. Due to the rapid spread and devastation associated to OQDS, a survey of candidate vectors of X. fastidiosa was initiated in September 2013 in the Gallipoli area in accordance to a EFSA list (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/search/doc/3468.pdf). During this survey, four species of Auchenorrhyncha were collected and identified: Aphrophoridae: Philaenus spumarius L. and Neophilaenus campestris Fallen; Cercopidae: Cercopis sanguinolenta Scopoli; and Cicadidae: Cicada orni L. Among these insects, a high percentage of P. spumarius, the meadow spittlebug, collected from May to September 2014, tested positive by PCR for X. fastidiosa. Vector transmission tests with field-collected P. spumarius transmitted the bacterium to periwinkle test plants. Laboratory diagnostic tests, so far limited to Philaenus-exposed periwinkle seedlings, will be performed on the rest of the panel of host plants exposed to the bacteriferous spittlebugs (olives, grapes, citrus, oleander and prunus). Moreover, non-bacteriferous spittlebugs, exposed to X. fastidiosa-infected plants in field branch cages on olive and other hosts plants, acquired the bacterium while feeding and transmitted the bacterium to olive test plants. In summary, only the meadow spittlebug transmitted X. fastidiosa to test plants to date. These data strongly suggest the principal vector of X. fastidiosa pauca CoDiRO strain in the Salento Peninsula is P. spumarius. Transmission tests carried out with the others xylem-sap feeders found in the OQDS area are also discussed.