Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T07:20:48.487Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

DNA-based discrimination and frequency of phytoplasma infection in the two hawthorn-feeding species, Cacopsylla melanoneura and Cacopsylla affinis, in northwestern Italy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 June 2010

R. Tedeschi  and
F. Nardi
R. Tedeschi*
Affiliation:
DIVAPRA – Entomologia e Zoologia applicate all'Ambiente ‘C. Vidano’, Facoltà di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Torino. Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095Grugliasco (TO), Italy
F. Nardi
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Biologia Evolutiva, Università di Siena. Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100Siena, Italy
*
*Author for correspondence Fax: +39 011 2368675 E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A molecular tool, focused on the mitochondrial Control Region (CR), was developed to discriminate the two hawthorn-feeding psyllid species, Cacopsylla melanoneura (Förster) and C. affinis (Löw), and to estimate their frequencies in mixed populations. The test was carried out in paired and single-tube amplifications and validated analysing 52 male specimens previously determined by morphological analysis. The frequencies of the two species in mixed populations in the Aosta Valley (northwestern Italy) were analysed. The presence and type of 16SrX-group phytoplasmas was detected by nested PCR and RFLP tests in both species. C. melanoneura was the predominant species (86.5%; 80.4–91.2 CI); of these, 0.9% of the samples were positive for ‘Ca. Phytoplasma mali’ and 1.8% for ‘Ca. Phytoplasma pyri’. One of 21 specimens of C. affinis was positive for ‘Ca. Phytoplasma pyri’. The test also allowed us to identify two genetic variants of C. melanoneura, depending on the presence or absence of a 56 bp indel; these were named WI (with indel) and WOI (without indel), respectively. Further analyses were carried out on C. melanoneura specimens collected in apple orchards at six different locations in northern Italy where different levels of transmission efficiency have been described. Our preliminary observations suggest that some differences might exist between the two genetic variants in their ability to transmit phytoplasmas and to colonise different host plants.

Keywords

appleCacopsylla affinisCacopsylla melanoneurahawthornmolecular toolsphytoplasmas
Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 100 , Issue 6 , December 2010 , pp. 741 - 747
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Čermák, V. & Lauterer, P. (2008) Overwintering of psyllids in south Moravia (Czech Republic) with respect to the vectors of the apple proliferation cluster phytoplasmas. Bulletin of Insectology 61, 147–148.Google Scholar
Frisinghelli, C., Delaiti, L., Grando, M.S., Forti, D. & Vindimian, M.E. (2000) Cacopsylla costalis (Flor, 1861), as a vector of apple proliferation in Trentino. Journal of Phytopathology 148, 425–431.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jarausch, B., Schwind, N., Jarausch, W., Krczal, G., Seemüller, E. & Dickler, E. (2003) First report of Cacopsylla picta as a vector for apple proliferation phytoplasma in Germany. Plant Disease 87, 101.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jarausch, B., Fuchs, A., Schwind, N., Krczal, G. & Jarausch, W. (2007) Cacopsylla picta as most important vector for ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’ in Germany and neighbouring regions. Bulletin of Insectology 60, 189–190.Google Scholar
Johannesen, J., Lux, B., Michel, K., Seitz, A. & Maixner, M. (2008) Invasion biology and host specificity of the grapevine yellows disease vector Hyalesthes obsoletus in Europe. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 126, 217–227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lal, K.B. (1934) The biology of Scottish Psyllidae. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 82, 363–385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lauterer, P. (1999) Results of the investigations on Hemiptera in Moravia, made by the Moravian museum (Psylloidea 2). Acta Musei Moraviae (Scientiae biologicae), Brno 84, 71–151.Google Scholar
Lorenz, K.H., Schneider, B., Ahrens, U. & Seemüller, E. (1995) Detection of the Apple Proliferation and Pear Decline Phytoplasmas by PCR amplification of ribosomal and non ribosomal DNA. Phytopathology 85, 771–776.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marzachì, C., Veratti, F. & Bosco, D. (1998) Direct PCR detection of phytoplasmas in experimentally infected insects. Annals of Applied Biology 133, 45–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mattedi, L., Forno, F., Cainelli, C., Grando, M.S. & Jarausch, W. (2008) Research on Candidatus Phytoplasma mali transmission by insect vectors in Trentino. Acta Horticulturae 781, 369–374.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mayer, C.J. & Gross, J. (2007) Different host plant odours influence migration behaviour of Cacopsylla melanoneura (Förster), an insect vector of the apple proliferation phytoplasma. IOBC/WPRS Bulletin 30(4), 177–184.Google Scholar
Mayer, C.J., Jarausch, B., Jarausch, W., Jeklmann, W., Vilcinskas, A. & Gross, J. (2009) Cacopsylla melanoneura has no relevance as vector of apple proliferation in Germany. Phytopathology 99, 729–738.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ossiannilsson, F. (1992) The Psylloidea (Homoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. Fauna Entomologica Scandinava 26, 1–347.Google Scholar
Sauvion, N., Lachenaud, O., Genson, G., Rasplus, J.-Y. & Labonne, G. (2007) Are there several biotypes of Cacopsylla pruni? Bulletin of Insectology 60, 185–186.Google Scholar
Schneider, E., Seemüller, E., Smart, C.D. & Kirkpatrick, B.C. (1995) Phylogenetic classification of plant pathogenic mycoplasma-like organism or phytoplasmas. pp. 369–380in Razin, S., Tully, J.G. (Eds). Molecular and Diagnostic Procedures in Mycoplasmology. vol I. San Diego, CA, USA, Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tedeschi, R. & Alma, A. (2004) Transmission of apple proliferation phytoplasma by Cacopsylla melanoneura (Homoptera: Psyllidae). Journal of Economical Entomology 97, 8–13.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tedeschi, R. & Alma, A. (2006) Fieberiella florii (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha) as a vector of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’. Plant Disease 90, 284–290.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tedeschi, R., Bosco, D. & Alma, A. (2002) Population dynamics of Cacopsylla melanoneura (Homoptera: Psyllidae), a vector of apple proliferation in northwestern Italy. Journal of Economic Entomology 95, 544–551.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tedeschi, R., Visentin, C., Alma, A. & Bosco, D. (2003) Epidemiology of apple proliferation (AP) in northwestern Italy: evaluation of the frequency of AP-positive psyllids in naturally infected populations of Cacopsylla melanoneura (Homoptera Psyllidae). Annals of Applied Biology 142, 285–290.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tedeschi, R., Lauterer, P., Brusetti, L., Tota, F. & Alma, A. (2009) Composition, abundance and phytoplasma infection in the hawthorn psyllid fauna of northwestern Italy. European Journal of Plant Pathology 123, 301–310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar