Preliminary investigations on Graminella nigrifrons as a potential vector for phytoplasmas identified at the Canadian Clonal Genebank

Published: February 5th, 2011

Revised: October 27th, 2013

Prunus and Pyrus species from the Canadian Clonal Genebank infected with putative phytoplasma diseases, as well as leafhopper species collected from Prunus and Pyrus fields were molecularly tested for phytoplasma presence. Preliminary results showed that Graminella nigrifrons may be a potential vector for phytoplasma group 16SrI (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’), 16SrVII (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma fraxini’) and 16SrX-C (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pyri’). Results also showed that G. nigrifrons may be able to transmit multiple phytoplasmas within the same location. G. nigrifrons appears to have a complex ecology therefore further transmission trials are required to verify its phytoplasma vector role in fruit trees.

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