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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #400238
Research Project: Development of Applied Management Systems for Diseases of Perennial Crops with Emphasis on Vector-Borne Pathogens of Grapevine and Citrus

Location: Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research

Title: Glassy-winged sharpshooter can acquire Xylella fastidiosa strain DeDonno from California ripe olive varieties

Author
item Burbank, Lindsey
item Krugner, Rodrigo
item Rogers, Elizabeth

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/25/2023
Publication Date: 9/10/2023
Citation: Burbank, L.P., Krugner, R., Rogers, E.E. 2023. Glassy-winged sharpshooter can acquire Xylella fastidiosa strain DeDonno from California ripe olive varieties. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Xylella fastidiosa is a serious bacterial pathogen causing Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS) in Europe. The olive-pathogenic strains of X. fastidiosa (subsp. pauca) are not currently present in North America, but there is concern that these strains could have significant impacts on crops in California if introduced. X. fastidiosa is transmitted by several species of xylem-feeding insects with spittlebugs (Philaenus spumarius) implicated as the primary vectors in olive in Europe. Several insect species present in California, including the glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis, GWSS) are known vectors of X. fastidiosa in grapevine, and would likely pose a risk of spreading introduced X. fastidiosa strains as well. This study evaluated the susceptibility of three California ripe olive varieties (Mission, Manzanillo, and Sevillano) to olive-pathogenic X. fastidiosa strain DeDonno, as well as ability of GWSS to acquire this pathogen from infected olive plants. GWSS caged on X. fastidiosa-infected olive seedlings for 3 days tested positive by PCR for X. fastidiosa at a rate of 4.8%. This shows that GWSS can acquire X. fastidiosa from California ripe olive varieties and could potentially act as a vector of X. fastidiosa in this crop. Although overall acquisition rates were low, acquisition occurred as soon as 30 days post-inoculation of the plants in all three olive cultivars tested. This information will facilitate risk evaluation for spread of X. fastidiosa in olive in California should olive-pathogenic strains be introduced in this area in the future.