Abstract
Dilobopterus costalimai (Young) and Oncometopia facialis (Signoret) are two of the most important species of citrus leafhoppers, vectors of bacterium Xylella fastidiosa which causes the Citrus Variegated Chlorosis (CVC) disease. To develop a rearing technique for these species under laboratory conditions, the egg laying preference and nymph development were studied in different breeding systems: Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia) and "falso boldo" (Vernonia condensata) as host plants. Trials were set up in a randomized block design with three treatments (n=8). Females of D. costalimai had particular preference for ovipositing on Rangpur lime leaves while O. facialis females placed a higher number of eggs on "falso boldo", but it did not differ statistically from the Rangpur lime. The nymphal viability of D. costalimai was null in Rangpur lime and 58% in "falso boldo". For O. facialis the nymphal viability was 25 and 78% in Rangpur lime and "falso boldo", respectively. "Falso boldo" is more suitable as a host plant to rear the two species of citrus leafhoppers. The alternation of host plants seems to be an important survival mechanism of the CVC-vector species, as shown in natural conditions.
Highlights
Since the late 1980s, when the Citrus Variegated Chlorosis disease (CVC) or “Amarelinho” was identified in groves of the producing regions of the state of Sao Paulo, a significant increase of the rate of infested plantsScientia Agricola, v.58, n.4, p.699-702, out./dez. 2001 and degree of severity of the disease took place, presently reaching 34.4% of the citrus area or 68 million trees with CVC symptoms
The disease is caused by bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which develops on xylem vessels of infected plants (Paiva et al 1996)
Lopes et al (1998) cited D. costalimai and O. facialis as species occurring in citrus and coffee areas and they suspected that they were a common vector of bacterium Xylella fastidiosa for both crops
Summary
Since the late 1980s, when the Citrus Variegated Chlorosis disease (CVC) or “Amarelinho” was identified in groves of the producing regions of the state of Sao Paulo, a significant increase of the rate of infested plantsScientia Agricola, v.58, n.4, p.699-702, out./dez. 2001 and degree of severity of the disease took place, presently reaching 34.4% of the citrus area or 68 million trees with CVC symptoms. The disease is caused by bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which develops on xylem vessels of infected plants (Paiva et al 1996). Some leafhopper species of the family Cicadellidae have been identified as vectors of this bacterium in citrus plants in Brazil, among which species Dilobopterus costalimai and Oncometopia facialis (Roberto et al, 1996; Lopes et al, 1996). Lopes et al (1998) cited D. costalimai and O. facialis as species occurring in citrus and coffee areas and they suspected that they were a common vector of bacterium Xylella fastidiosa for both crops. Almeida & Lopes (1999) verified that the mortality of the nymphal stage of species D. costalimai and O. facialis reared on the upper third part of citrus seedlings (sprouts) was 80.5 and 75.4%, respectively, and over 66% of the mortality occurred on the first instar. Lopes et al (1998) cited D. costalimai and O. facialis as species occurring in citrus and coffee areas and they suspected that they were a common vector of bacterium Xylella fastidiosa for both crops. Almeida & Lopes (1999) verified that the mortality of the nymphal stage of species D. costalimai and O. facialis reared on the upper third part of citrus seedlings (sprouts) was 80.5 and 75.4%, respectively, and over 66% of the mortality occurred on the first instar. Yamamoto & Gravena (2000), while studying the populational abundance of citrus leafhoppers classified the species D. costalimai and O. facialis as accidentally occurring in citrus groves
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