Bulletin of Insectology (2007) 60, 195-196

F. Pedrazzoli, V. Gualandri, F. Forno, L. Mattedi, V. Malagnini, A. Salvadori, G. Stoppa and C. Ioriatti (2007)
Acquisition capacities of the overwintering adults of the psyllid vectors of `Candidatus Phytoplasma mali'
Bulletin of Insectology 60 (2), 195-196
First International Phytoplasmologist Working Group Meeting (IPWG), Bologna (Italy) November 12-15, 2007
Abstract: The acquisition of `Candidatus Phytoplasma mali' by the overwintering adults of Cacopsylla melanoneura and Cacopsylla picta was studied by feeding the insects on infected plants for different periods (1-2, 4 and 6 days). After the acquisition, some individuals were directly frozen prior analysis and some others were put on healthy plants to assess the multiplication of the pathogen. The phytoplasma titre in the insects was quantified by real-time PCR (SYBRTM Green technology). The analyses indicated that the two species did not differ in the mean phytoplasma titre found during the acquisition. In both species the multiplication of the pathogen within the insect started few days after the acquisition, with a significant increase in the titre detected by PCR. However, the maximum level of phytoplasma was already reached after 4 days of acquisition. After the multiplication period on healthy plants only some individuals of C. picta showed an important increase in phytoplasma concentration indicating an efficient phytoplasma multiplication in these individuals.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
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Database assignments for author(s): Federico Pedrazzoli, Claudio Ioriatti

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
transmission/dispersal of plant diseases

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phytoplasma mali	Apple (Malus)
	Cacopsylla melanoneura	Apple (Malus)
	Cacopsylla picta	Apple (Malus)