Interactions between insect vectors and plant pathogens span the parasitism-mutualism continuum.

Abstract

Agricultural crops infected with vector-borne pathogens can suffer severe negative consequences, but the extent to which phytopathogens affect the fitness of their vector hosts remains unclear. Evolutionary theory predicts that selection on vector-borne pathogens will favour low virulence or mutualistic phenotypes in the vector, traits facilitating effective transmission between plant hosts. Here, we use a multivariate meta-analytic approach on 115 effect sizes across 34 unique plant-vector-pathogen systems to quantify the overall effect of phytopathogens on vector host fitness. In support of theoretical models, we report that phytopathogens overall have a neutral fitness effect on vector hosts. However, the range of fitness outcomes is diverse and span the parasitism-mutualism continuum. We found no evidence that various transmission strategies, or direct effects and indirect (plant-mediated) effects, of phytopathogens have divergent fitness outcomes for the vector. Our finding emphasizes diversity in tripartite interactions and the necessity for pathosystem-specific approaches to vector control.