REDIA (2009) 92, 169-170

J.M. Alvarez, R. Srinivasan and F. Cervantes (2009)
Potato viral infections affect the biology and behaviour of aphid vectors
REDIA 92, 169-170
Abstract: Viral infections can affect host nutritional quality by altering the concentration of amino acids and soluble carbohydrates, which influence the performance of aphid vectors. Dual infections by heterologous viruses such as Potato virus Y (Potyviridae: Potyvirus) (PVY) and Potato leafroll virus (Luteoviridae: Polerovirus) (PLRV) occur in Idaho's potato crops. PLRV arrests its vectors longer and encourages sustained feeding, whereas PVY supports shorter feeding periods (probes) by its vector, which are sufficient for the successful transmission of the virus. Plants that test positive for both PVY and PLRV using double antibody sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) exhibited more severe symptoms than singly-infected plants (PVY or PLRV). Several authors have extensively studied the mixed infection phenomenon but to the best of our knowledge none have examined the effect of such infections on vector biology and preference. In order to determine the potential effects of mixed-viral (PVY-PLRV) infection on the biology of aphid vectors, laboratory studies were conducted to examine the fecundity and preference of two of the most efficient PVY and PLRV vectors, the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and potato aphid, Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas), (Homoptera: Aphididae). The fecundity of Myzus persicae and M. euphorbiae was significantly higher on mixed-infected plants than on singly-infected plants or non-infected plants. Both alatae and apterae of M. persicae and M. euphorbiae preferentially settled on PVY-PLRV infected plants than on singly-infected plants (PVY or PLRV) or non-infected plants. Mixed infections resulted in synergistic interactions, drastically altering plant viral-susceptibility and physiological status, which altered the expression of host plant symptoms, vector-biology and preference behaviour. Thus these interactions could potentially affect the epidemiology of virus disease in potato fields.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Juan Manuel Alvarez, Rajagopalbabu Srinivasan

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	Potato (Solanum tuberosum)	U.S.A. (NW)
	Macrosiphum euphorbiae	Potato (Solanum tuberosum)	U.S.A. (NW)
	Potato virus Y	Potato (Solanum tuberosum)	U.S.A. (NW)
	Potato leafroll virus	Potato (Solanum tuberosum)	U.S.A. (NW)