Plant Disease (2005) 89, 1121-1124

Alberto Bressan and Alexander H. Purcell (2005)
Effect of benzothiadiazole on transmission of X-disease phytoplasma by the vector Colladonus montanus to Arabidopsis thaliana, a new experimental host plant
Plant Disease 89 (10), 1121-1124
Abstract: Colladonus montanus (Van Duzee), a leafhopper vector of X-disease phytoplasma (Xp), efficiently transmitted the pathogen to Arabidopsis thaliana Columbia wild type. During transmission trials, the phytoplasma was inoculated into 22-, 34-, and 40-day-old plants. Phytoplasma infections were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers specific for Xp. Symptoms in Xp-positive A. thaliana were overall stunting and reduced or no fruit (silques). All symptom-free plants were PCR negative. Leafhopper nymphs free of Xp that fed on diseased A. thaliana acquired and transmitted Xp to celery plants, a diagnostic host, causing typical X-disease symptoms. Foliar spray applications of the plant resistance elicitor benzothiadiazole (BTH) to A. thaliana 1 week before phytoplasma inoculation significantly reduced phytoplasma infection, ranging from an infection rate of 73.7% for untreated plants to 50 and 35% for plants treated with 1.2 and 4.8 mM BTH, respectively. Vector leafhoppers survival was significantly reduced on BTH-treated A. thaliana compared with leafhoppers on nontreated plants, suggesting that systemic acquired resistance in this plant may have some detrimental effect on the leafhopper C. montanus.
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Database assignments for author(s): Alexander H. Purcell

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
transmission/dispersal of plant diseases
resistance/tolerance/defence of host

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phytoplasma pruni
	Colladonus montanus