Possible phytoplasma transovarial transmission in the psyllids Cacopsylla melanoneura and Cacopsylla pruni

Abstract

The possible transovarial transmission of two phytoplasmas, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’ and ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum’, through their respective psyllid vectors Cacopsylla melanoneura and Cacopsylla pruni, was investigated. Different life stages of the progeny of infected female psyllids were analysed by PCR detection of phytoplasma DNA. While ‘Ca. Phytoplasma mali’ could not be detected in any of the C. melanoneura life stages tested, ‘Ca. Phytoplasma prunorum’ could be detected in eggs, nymphs and newly emerged adults of C. pruni. Infectivity tests using both nymphs and newly emerged adults of C. pruni showed that ‘Ca. Phytoplasma prunorum’ inherited from infected females can be transmitted to healthy plum plants. Although further validations are required, these findings open up new perspectives on the study of the epidemiology of diseases associated with European stone fruit yellows.