Journal of Economic Entomology (2020) 113, 1635-1639

Frederic Francis, Julian Chen, Liu Yong and Emilie Bosquee (2020)
Aphid feeding on plant lectins falling virus transmission rates: A multicase study
Journal of Economic Entomology 113 (4), 1635-1639
Abstract: Aphids are insect vectors that have piercing–sucking mouthparts supporting diversified patterns of virus–vector interactions. Aphids primarily retain circulative viruses in the midgut/hindgut, whereas noncirculative viruses tend to be retained in the stylet. Most viruses, and many proteins from animals, have carbohydrate or carbohydrate-binding sites. Lectins vary in their specificity, of which some are able to bind to viral glycoproteins. To assess the potential competition between lectins and viral particles in virus transmission by aphids, this study examined how feeding plant lectins to aphids affects the transmission efficiency of viruses. Sitobion avenae (F, 1794) (Homoptera: Aphididae) aphids fed with Pisum sativum lectin (PSL) transmitted Barley yellow dwarf virus with significantly lower efficiency (four-fold ratio). Pea enation mosaic virus was significantly reduced in Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Homoptera: Aphididae) aphids fed with the lectin Concanavalin A. In comparison, the transmission of Potato virus Y was significantly reduced when Myzus persicae Sultzer (Homoptera: Aphididae) aphids were fed with PSL. Thus, lectin could be used as a blocking agent of plant viruses, facilitating an alternative approach for crop protection.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Frédéric Francis

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

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Myzus persicae
	Acyrthosiphon pisum
	Barley yellow dwarf viruses
	Potato virus Y
	Sitobion avenae
	Pea enation mosaic virus-1