PCR Species-Specific Primers for Molecular Gut Content Analysis to Determine the Contribution of Generalist Predators to the Biological Control of the Vector of Xylella fastidiosa

Esther Lantero,Carmen Callejas,Susana Pascual,Beatriz Matallanas

doi:10.3390/su10072207

Abstract

The European Union (EU) is facing the recent arrival of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. Its fast spread has caused great alarm because of the economic impact it implies for the agroeconomy of European countries. Among its insect vectors, Philaenus spumarius has been demonstrated to transmit the bacterium from infected to uninfected trees in the EU, where different measures have been established to control it. One of the proposals to manage this vector is the augmentation of natural enemy populations. However, the identification of candidate predator species is essential if such a management system is to be introduced. The present paper describes a set of species-specific primers designed to detect the presence of P. spumarius DNA in soil arthropod fauna generalist predators’ gut which can reveal candidate species for the pest’s biological control. Such primers have been proven to be a useful and reliable taxonomic tool for P. spumarius identification at any life stage, i.e., nymphs. This rapid and accurate identification is essential for control strategies designed to avoid the spread of the pest and consequently the considerable economic losses it causes in crops.

Highlights

Olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) is a new severe disease with which the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa subsp pauca Wells et al (1987) is strongly associated
The present paper describes a set of species-specific primers designed to detect the presence of P. spumarius DNA in soil arthropod fauna generalist predators’ gut which can reveal candidate species for the pest’s biological control
As the European Union (EU) produces 73.2% and 34.4% of the world’s olive oil and table olives, respectively [2], the recent arrival of X. fastidiosa to Europe has triggered an alarm due to the huge impact it could have for the economies of those countries that produce and export table olives and olive oil

Summary

Introduction

Olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) is a new severe disease with which the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa subsp pauca Wells et al (1987) is strongly associated. The first detection of the bacterium X. fastidiosa subsp pauca in the EU territory was in olive trees in the Italian region of Apulia in 2013, with nearly 10,000 ha affected by the strain ST53 [3]. In July 2015, the bacterium X. fastidiosa subsp multiplex was reported for the first time in France [4]. The main producer and exporter of olive products worldwide, reported the first X. fastidiosa subsp fastidiosa outbreak in Prunus avium in the Balearic Islands in October 2016 and confirmed the presence of X. fastidiosa subsp multiplex in the continental territory in June 2017 [5]

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